Time’s Up (5.12a, 6p) is the sister route to The Nightcrawler (5.10c, 4–5 pitches), which I climbed in September 2015 and again in December 2025 (actually the day after Time's Up!). Time's Up ascends the striking varnished corner on the left side of the Hourglass feature on the Brownstone Wall (while Nightcrawler takes the corner on the right). The line is unusual—protected like a sport climb yet offering all the movement and character of a classic crack. A number of the original Urioste bolts from their 1984 first ascent remain, though many have since been replaced.

It was December and temperatures were getting chilly, so we targeted the route for its sun. Or so we thought. For most of the year the route gets warm morning and early-afternoon sun, but, as we unfortunately learned, Rainbow Mountain blocks the light in late fall and likely through winter. That turned it into a decidedly chilly outing—puffies stayed on all day.

I climbed the route with Vitaliy Musiyenko and Sean McLane, both of whom I’d known of for years and had long hoped to meet. We each took a two-pitch block: Vitaliy led the first, Sean the second, and I led the third. We climbed in a fix-and-follow style, with the two followers moving in sequence about 30–50 feet apart, which worked smoothly.

Cold temps couldn’t stop an awesome day on the rock with great partners. The techy 11a corner on Pitch 3 was definitely the highlight. The 12a pitch was sustained, difficult, and really interesting—I didn’t free every move, but I’d love to come back on a warmer day and give it a better go.

This page includes a route overlay, time stats, and pitch-by-pitch photos from our climb. Enjoy!