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Ride The Lightning

5.10a/b, Trad, 25 ft (8 m),  Avg: 2.3 from 4 votes
FA: Ty Olsen & Grantham Dyer
California > Eastern Sierra > Lone Pine Area > Alabama Hills > Alabama Hills S… > Castle

Description

The cleanest offwidth splitter that I’ve seen in the Alabama Hills. Great rock quality.  4+Stars

See photos for approach to “The Castle” on Castle pag, west side is easiest

This is hidden on the east side of The Tower of Power between it & the Castle, I will show in pictures.

Protection

Cams a couple  of each #5,6,7 & an 8 could be handy at top but not necessary, Rap rings

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

4ish inch off-width most of the way
[Hide Photo] 4ish inch off-width most of the way
View from "The Candy store" Warning do not attempt old rusted Aid route! my buddy did, & pulled the 5th rivet & fell upside down to within A foot of landing on his head ☠️☠️☠️
[Hide Photo] View from "The Candy store" Warning do not attempt old rusted Aid route! my buddy did, & pulled the 5th rivet & fell upside down to within A foot of landing on his head ☠️☠️☠️
The "40ft", "clean", "5.10" offwidth haha. Might be a fun boulder problem if it cleans up a bit more.
[Hide Photo] The "40ft", "clean", "5.10" offwidth haha. Might be a fun boulder problem if it cleans up a bit more.
Ty Olsen about to rap down "Ride The Lightning "
[Hide Photo] Ty Olsen about to rap down "Ride The Lightning "
Looking up from east end of "Candy Store "
[Hide Photo] Looking up from east end of "Candy Store "
After reaching the East Wing wall where blue arrow is, continue on around base to south side, this is pretty much the easiest way there, but there are other options, but none are easy, but all are worth it if you love a good off width
[Hide Photo] After reaching the East Wing wall where blue arrow is, continue on around base to south side, this is pretty much the easiest way there, but there are other options, but none are easy, but all are…
A good fit, crack gets up to 5 feet deep up higher!
[Hide Photo] A good fit, crack gets up to 5 feet deep up higher!

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Jeff Scheuerell
 
[Hide Comment] Kinda short for a 4 star route? Apr 26, 2022
Grantham Dyer
  5.10a/b
[Hide Comment] Yeah maybe short but for an off width it seems long enough, I didn’t actually measure it but probably 40 +/- ft It is that good though!
Anyways it’s for rock quality & off widthism here in the Alabama Hills, not comparing to anywhere else Apr 26, 2022
Mike Toffey
Yosemite/Lone Pine, CA
  5.9
[Hide Comment] Didn’t quite find what was described here. This is a 20-25ft tall rough 5.9 or so offwidth. After 25ft it kicks back and opens up to easy ground. Definitely not clean or splitter either. Rough and wavy on the left side, flakey on the right side, a little dirty in the back and this would be 5.9 max at Yosemite. Has potential to be a good boulder problem for offwidth practice if it cleans up a little more. Jan 23, 2025
Grantham Dyer
  5.10a/b
[Hide Comment] Nobody ever compares this place with Yosemite, & it’s very size dependent from the photo with Ty in it (he’s 5’9”) as am I, you can see the size & maybe you’re 6’4” Feb 8, 2025
Mike Toffey
Yosemite/Lone Pine, CA
  5.9
[Hide Comment] I’m 5’10”, I live here and in Yosemite and I only compared the difficulty. It’s not 5.10 and it’s not 40ft tall. There’s better and cleaner wide cracks around the same difficulty not far from here too like in the Whitney Cave area. Just don’t want ppl thinking there’s a 40ft long 5.10 clean wide crack up here when that’s not what it is. Feb 11, 2025
Grantham Dyer
  5.10a/b
[Hide Comment] Mike I spend every Spring & Fall living there, at least 6 weeks each & know most , I thought all of the climbers, many have enjoyed my routes. You seem to just like to criticize & not measure correctly either, I’m a carpenter, please keep your hatred away from me! Feb 19, 2025