Time Wave Zero - 5.12a popular

We climbed the route on-sight, combined pitches and swapped leads, no leader falls through pitch 20. We did not free climb pitch 21 (12a), but French freed it at A0. We also did not climb the 5.6 and 5.8 pitches 22 and 23, and so did not tag the summit. This worked well so that we could rap down and be back on the road before dark.
A great adventure!

TWZ is a great route. It is very long and offers a lot of climbing in the 5.10- range. The pitch by pitch grades listed in both guidebooks available for EPC are inaccurate in my opinion. The 5.11a/b on pitch two felt more like 10d, the first 10a pitch was more like 10c, many of the 5.9 pitches felt more like 10a. The last 10d pitch (pitch 20) before the crux felt like 11-. Pitch 22 (5.8) was more like mid 5.10. The 5.12a pitch was fairly accurately graded.

The 5.12 pitch can be aided. There are some moves you must to do to get to the next bolt but once you hit the actual 5.12 section the bolts are close enough to french free through (about 3-5 feet a part). However you do need to be able to climb at least 5.11- to get through that pitch on lead. I would not worry too much about that pitch if you cant lead 5.12. I would be more concerned with the sandbagged 5.10d before the 5.12 pitch (pitch 20). Pitch 20 is highly sustained at the 11- level and the bolts are 10 feet apart so you do have to be able to lead at the 11- / 10+ level to get through that pitch.

The bolt spacing on the route is reasonable but its not as close as one would expect to find on a single pitch route so do not attempt this route with the mentality that the entire thing is "sport". There will be times where you will be doing 5.9 / 10- moves 10 - 15 feet past the last bolt and 5.7 moves 20 - 25 feet past the last bolt. Many of the "5.9" pitches have 6 - 8 bolts for 100 feet. All in all the route is bolted well enough to throw out the possibility of an R rating or any serious injury but there will be times where you simply MUST not fall. I suggest climbing Snott Girlz before this route. The bolt spacing on that route is similar and it will give you an idea of what to expect on TWZ.

12 hours in 90+ degrees but the route is well worth it. Great sustained climbing in the 5.8-5.9 range and the 5.10's were quite good.

Couldn't say much about the 5.12 as I was starting to get a little loopy by that point from lack of water. I do remember being assaulted by blackflies(!) while belaying my partner on this pitch. I have no idea how they were there ad not anywhere else on the climb. I certainly didn't see any water.

A 70m rope will treat you well.

its a long climb. the first 5.11 pitch is only a couple moves. the last 5.10d, which might be more like 11, is sustained. the 5.12 is NOT bolted close enough that you can yank draws the whole way- there are difficult moves between them.

if you're attempting one of these nine hour top-to-bottom ascents then you're probably strong enough to pull them. but for me and my partner, climbing at our limit, it was very difficult to get up them at pitch 21.

but the view is worth it. its a lot of climbing.

I climbed TWZ with Dave Bundus. It took us 13 hours door to door (Homeros). We climbed constantly and simul rapped almost every pitch (except the pitches with directionals). We climbed in full sun, ~90 degrees most of the day, with a light breeze. We each carried 3 liters of water, small amount of food and shoes for rapping. We used a 70 M rope and had an easy time with rope management (ropes pulled easily, remained free of the cacti etc.) Beware, the fixed line at the top of the 6th pitch is shredded. Lead that area with your own rope.

At 50 years old (I started climbing at age 44) I considered this a personal challenge and a goal that was a year in the making. I trained at our indoor gym, running many laps, down climbing and more laps. Interestingly, I was not overwhelmingly fatigued during the climbing, but, I was exhausted after rapping and hiking back to the arroyo. I climbed 1 climb the next day and then went to the hot springs for a restorative "dip". Two days later, I felt completely recovered and back sending. If I ever do this route again, I will bivvy on 12 and resume in the AM. There were many stellar pitches on this climb; the 10ds were great, the 12a difficult but it's easy climbing up to the crux. A very special thanks to Dave for climbing this with me and all my love to Mitch for encouraging me to fullfill my goals and waiting in the arroyo with a cold drink and a warm hug.