Lightning Road

Lightning Road follows the obvious splitter on the right hand face of the Hellbender dihedral. The crack appears to terminate partway up the west face of the dihedral, but in fact it keeps going to a ledge. Important! The route is 215 feet to the ground. If you have a 60M rope, scramble to the large ledge up about 15 feet and belay from there (4th class).

From the ledge, you can climb the left Hellbender start (10+ fingers) or the right start, which is a 5.7 handcrack. Both go to the base of the lightning bolt crack. Follow the crack through a small roof and past a pin to where it terminates on a ledge. This section is the crux and involves steep fingers, then some delicate arete pinching/climbing while placing gear and clipping the pin on the left. Step right, clip another pin, then climb up past another pin and a small roof to a thin hands crack to the top of the cliff. This route is every bit as good as Hellbender but a number grade hard at least (may feel a tad harder than 12- and a bit more adventuresome than some of the other 12s at Capulin).

Same start as for Hellbender. It is exactly 200 feet from the big ledge 15 feet up to the top--be careful! The route is the first one up canyon from the Red Tail Tower alcove. See beta photo.

(2) each #0.2 and 0.3, (3 to 5) each 0.4 - #1, (1) #2 for the top, set of nuts, heavy on the small to medium nuts. Many runners to control drag (critical). The pins are very good long Lost Arrows.