TPMV (10% Meteorological Vinculation)

10% Meteorological Vinculation (or TPMV for shot) is a classic 4 pitch excursion up the entirety of the Lower Wall.  Most often only the spectacular short version of p1 (via Japanese Gardens, .11+) is climbed. The original aid version of this route had 5 pitches (5.8 A4). The free version really only has 4, as the original second pitch is best combined with p1.

P1 (Original): Formerly the last remaining bit of aid on the original TPMV, this section was free climbed recently at 5.14-. See neighboring entry "10% Direct (En Passant)". This is also an excellent C1/2 climb and in years past was often used as a place to practice hanging belays and setting up hammocks/portaledges.  For many years there was a two bolt anchor about 40’ up to facilitate aid practice.

P1 (Japanese Gardens to TPMV):  This pitch is most often done as a standalone climb by beginning on P1 of Japanese Gardens and then stepping left at the first (short) anchor. The rest of the pitch follows shallow corners and cracks past 3 bolts and gear to another anchor (.11+).

P1 (Extended): Climb the Japanese Gardens P1/TPMV linkup as described above but keep continue past the anchor. The section above consists of a difficult height dependent bouldery section protected by good but small gear (.12c-.13a). The gear must be placed well, otherwise the fall onto the P1 anchor is fairly substantial. As such, it is a mandatory strategy if free climbing to climb this as one pitch from the ground. This extension is basically the old "Chopper Flake" pitch 2 of TPMV; see "History" for more information about the flake.

P2: This was actually P3 of the original aid climb. Climb cracks up a RFC to a comfortable ledge.  From there face climbing angles left to an anchor below the obvious corner start of the slab pitch (fun 5.10-, slightly runout).

P3: Fantastic, challenging pitch of slab and corner. Traverse left and up from the anchor and do a committing and slightly scary move back right to clip the first bolt. Continue up the difficult corner via bolts and gear, then follow the left-trending dike until you can step right to a ledge with an anchor via runout 5.9 climbing. Alternately, continue up the dike and over the roof to join Newest Industry. This pitch can also be approached via P1-2 of Japanese Gardens and is well worth the trip either way (.11b/c).

P4: This pitch climbs a slab past a bolt and some gear to a tough little mantle past a bolt. (5.10d) Cracks then lead near the anchor on top of Newest Industry, but 10% continues on via three slab options: a) climb out right and then up over some overlaps to the anchor (5.8). At one point there was a bolt and a pin on this variation. b) continue straight up past 2 bolts to the anchor. This variation has the best protection (5.9). c) an easier variation with less protection climbs to the left before arching back to the right to the anchor. It should be noted that a fun alternate finish that joins Japanese Gardens can be climbed by following a ramp up and right to join JG on its last pitch (5.11).

Starts via thin cracks just to the right of Sagittarius.

Nuts and cams to #4 Camalot (for the section on Japanese Gardens) with emphasis on finger size cams; word on the street is that a micronut or small cam can be used to protect the crux on the extended P1.

Descent is usually possible with one 70m rope in this section of the wall, but for peace of mind bring two that are at least 60m. All anchors mentioned above are bolted and currently have chains.