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Broken Hold Lev 29 - Reattachment question

Original Post
Andre H. · · Boulder · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 5

This may be a dumb question, but I want to make sure I fix it properly. After arriving late Tuesday night, my partner and I went out and climbed Levitation yesterday - in spite of getting lost on the beautiful approach and it taking us 4 hrs.

Super gorgeous back in the canyons with running water in the creek and snow up high! Breathtaking! It is our first visit to Red Rocks and we went for one of the mega classics right out of the gate - Levitation 29. One thing that struck us as odd, and I had heard a reputation of Red Rocks being this way (in addition to soft grades), is chossy. On the second pitch there was a fang of rock beneath a roof that my second yarded on a bit too hard. The lower portion snapped off in her hands and I quickly lowered her to the top of P1 where we left the hold since we thought there was a party below us. I estimate the weight of it to be about 5 lbs or so? Maybe the size of a small blender? The adhesive would have to be strong for sure.

We plan on stopping by a home depot we saw on the way to REI and getting some sort of glue to put this back on tomorrow since we are going back up to go finish the route. My partner was kind of freaked out by the choss factor at Red Rock and is swearing off sandstone climbing now, LOL. I read the route gets better above the broken hold anyway.

20 kN · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 1,346
Andre H. wrote:This may be a dumb question, but I want to make sure I fix it properly. After arriving late last night, my partner and I went out and climbed Levitation yesterday - in spite of getting lost on the beautiful approach and it taking us 4 hrs. Super gorgeous back in the canyons with running water in the creek and snow up high! Breathtaking! It is our first visit to Red Rocks and we went for one of the mega classics right out of the gate - Levitation 29. One thing that struck us as odd, and I had heard a reputation of Red Rocks being this way (in addition to soft grades), is chossy. On the second pitch there was a fang of rock beneath a roof that my second yarded on a bit too hard. The lower portion snapped off in her hands and I quickly lowered her to the top of P1 where we left the hold since we thought there was a party below us. I estimate the weight of it to be about 5 lbs or so? Maybe the size of a small blender? The adhesive would have to be strong for sure. We plan on stopping by a home depot we saw on the way to REI and getting some sort of glue to put this back on tomorrow since we are going back up to go finish the route. My partner was kind of freaked out by the choss factor at Red Rock and is swearing off sandstone climbing now, LOL. I read the route gets better above the broken hold anyway.
No! Do not epoxy holds back on without input from local climbers. In most areas using epoxy, even to repair broken holds, is not acceptable. I do not believe Red Rocks is an area that accepts the use of epoxy (based on my 10 trips there and never seeing epoxy anywhere), but you would have to check with the locals.

Further, epoxy would likely not hold a 5 lb block on without something holding the block in place to allow the epoxy to cure. Further, even if you epoxied the hold back on, managed not to drip epoxy all over the route (which is easy if you don’t know what you’re doing), and found a way to position the block in place so the epoxy would cure, there is a very good chance a hold that large would just break off again as soon as the next climber grabbed it. Epoxy works for reinforcing holds; it doesent work so well for gluing large holds back on.

Maybe Wilder will chime in, otherwise call Desert Rock Sports and ask for one of the owners. They can point you in the right direction.

Also, you cannot just use any "glue" at home depot. The correct option would be to buy two-part, chemically cured anchoring epoxy, the type that mixes in a nozzle and is used for glue-in bolts. If you do not know what you are doing you are liable to just drip epoxy all over the route and make things worse.
Trad Princess · · Not That Into Climbing · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 1,175

Oh wow. This outta be good.

On a serious note, hopefully someone local with a brain will chime in quickly...

DesertRat · · Flagstaff, AZ · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 196
CJC wrote:please tell me yer trollin
This was my thought.
nathanael · · Riverside, CA · Joined May 2011 · Points: 525

This should be fine:
homedepot.com/p/Titebond-II…
Just use lots and it should hold for years to come.

Banana Hamikk · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 5

Looks like someone needs to attend the 6hr "WHY WE DONT CLIMB ON SANDSTONE AFTER RAIN" class

Josh Kornish · · Whitefish, MT · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 800

You guys broke the dagger?!? with the little hueco in the bottom?! Bummer

Josh Kornish · · Whitefish, MT · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 800

I really wouldn't worry about it. It happens and the fact was that the dagger just looked really cool. it's non-essential to the climb so I would just leave it be.

Jacob Koffler · · Las Vegas · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 10

This has to be a troll ... or I have lost all hope

cragmantoo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2015 · Points: 175

If I break off a hold, I usually just duct tape it back on.....

Pnelson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2015 · Points: 635

I'm hoping it's a troll. But are we talking about this fang, the super-obvious down-facing one in the pic? The one that is about one body length above the lower climber?

cragmantoo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2015 · Points: 175

Seriously, this must be a troll.
Climbs change when holds break off, flakes detatch, loose rocks pull out, etc.
Attempting to repair these things is generally a bad idea (IMO)

Jesse Wees · · Boise · Joined Jun 2011 · Points: 0

Climbed this pitch last November without using the "Fang" because it was loose. Didn't change the grade, in my option. Do not glue it back on.

MJW · · Boise, ID · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 20

YES!!!....it's a dumb question. NO Epoxy!!! Oh and....RR is NOT chossy. Holds break occasionally on the best of stone. Especially when n00bs are pulling out on holds after a rain storm.

Take your talents to the Alcohol Wall. Let me know if those routes are chossy or soft.

Has to be a Troll. No one is this big of a moron....wait?!?!

Sorry....guess I broke guideline #1

BigB · · Red Rock, NV · Joined Feb 2015 · Points: 340

You climbed today in RR?!? With obvious wet sandstone.... :(
mountainproject.com/scripts…

Dylan Colon · · Eugene, OR · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 491

FFS is every route there going to turn into a 5.13 before people stop climbing there when it's wet?

Sadly I fear it's not a troll.

Trad Princess · · Not That Into Climbing · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 1,175

Ole Andre is awfully quiet...do you think we scared him off? Comes to the well for advice, and gets shredded

Jacob Koffler · · Las Vegas · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 10

Reading the op again, i realized its definitely a troll lol

Andre H. · · Boulder · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 5
fang pitch of levitation 29

Here is a pic from our climb just below the fang. We did ask an REI employee about climbing when its wet and he told us the rule is 6-10 hours since it is so dry in Las Vegas. I think it had been at least that long by the time we got out there so maybe it was just the fangs time to go. Our other friends who went to kraft that day said the crimps felt pretty dry overall.

It is just such a cool feature that we thought it would be best to at least try and repair.
Jacob Koffler · · Las Vegas · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 10

Well your are an idiot and i hate you

Trad Princess · · Not That Into Climbing · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 1,175

This is why I prefer granite...so dumb.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Nevada
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