Moonlight Buttress, Crucial Dyno Hold Flexing

A few weeks ago partner Conor and I hucked a lap on Moonlight. The reachy/dyno hold is really flexing and I think it will soon be ripped off (knowing the nature of small flexing flakes on this stone). When hanging on it, you can feel the gap, where it attaches to the face, expanding. Aside from the two bolts very safely protecting you, it is still spooky feeling it flex so much! I climbed the route five years ago and the flake was totally solid, it has gotten really bad just recently.
A few questions here:
1. What is the possibility of free climbing the route without the hold there? I think it is possible (especially watching world cup bouldering like "WTF") ?  
2. Will some future "skate style" move make the hold less crucial? I have to try pretty hard to stick the move as it is at 5'10" with long arms, the next hold is one foot up and almost two feet further left. Also the flake is really important as a foothold that allows the climber to mantle, it serves equally as important as a foot hold.
3. The Rocker Block has been bolted to the wall to allow free climbing to remain possible - How will this change the argument for other forms of artificially preserving the possibility of free climbing this section in the event of this hold braking? For those not familiar, around 2011 the Rocker Block was securely bolted to the wall with 3/4" chain and industrial shackles, it was in risk of falling off and for decades climbers have used different methods of ensuring that it stay put. This allows free climbers to reach the aforementioned flake.    
4. Would it be acceptable for your partner to launch you off the Rocker Block with a boost to reach the giant mantle hold? (regardless of the ethics this could be totally rad and unique!)
5. While climbing the route all of Honnolds free solo nightmares that crept into my head were bearable except the thought of launching off the Rocker Block on to that flake... Does anyone know if this is how he did the move solo? If so, is this move equally as committing as the "karate kick" on the salathe boulder problem? I have stood next to him (no big deal) and we have a very comparable height and reach. I have always had to dyno to the flake.

My personal opinion is that we should let the flake brake off and pull on the bolts if we can't make the new massive dyno. This will also make the next free solo way more fucked up! As I felt the hold flexing I immediately thought of the dialogue this single hold could spark, how strange it is that this small piece of rock has such significance in a much more important discussion about our impacts and decisions as climbers, and how significant it was that I wasn't even stoned while having these thoughts. 

Google Images Photo:  you can see the flake in question and the larger hold that will remain both covered in chalk. 

what's the big deal if the hold breaks? the route will change from 5.12 to 5.12 A0... 

AGFW wrote: I'd vote for a little inconspicuous epoxy reinforcement to buy us more time with the route as is.  Ya, 5.12 A0 wouldn't be the end of the world, but it's such a wild, classic move.  Apologies to all the ethics hawks out there cringing at such a thought.

Xan Calonne wrote: +1

make that a +2, and yeah, back in like 2005 the rocker block was chained to the wall.

In 2009 the left bolt pulled. All of the bolts and hardware were updated with chains, glue ins and shackles that should last forever. 

And aid climbers are ruining this route???

Kevin Mokracek wrote: And aid climbers are ruining this route???

yes.

Incredible Hand Crack at the Creek.  Seems free climbing can do quite a bit of damage also.

We should close it.

Focus people... i beleive in you... f o c u s 

Cole Lawrence wrote: Focus people... i beleive in you... f o c u s 

I will try and focus.  I am not too familiar with epoxy and sandstone, I have seen glue in bolts in sandstone rip out because the bond between the epoxy and the stone breaks down.  I don't see epoxy being a very good option here.  Others with more experience with sandstone and epoxy can chime in.

Kevin Mokracek wrote:

I will try and focus.  I am not too familiar with epoxy and sandstone, I have seen glue in bolts in sandstone rip out because the bond between the epoxy and the stone breaks down.  I don't see epoxy being a very good option here.  Others with more experience with sandstone and epoxy can chime in.

I had similar concerns with epoxy in this application 

I sat on rocker blocker as a free team above took countless whips in the dihedral.  Every whip sent sand cascading onto our heads.  There aren’t too many free ascents where numerous falls aren’t taking place.  Both aid climbers and free climbers need to be mindful of how they climb it.  Free climbers need to admit that the climb might be above their pay grade when they take numerous falls when “working” a route and admit defeat and French free those sections to minimize damage.  Aid climbers should be doing it in a day and not hauling a pig up the route.  They also need to realize that every single placement on MLB is bomber and there is absolutely no need to bounce test any placements on the climb.  

I think the team boost dyno solution will be the future of this route.. or hauling another rocker block up there to stack on top of the one that is already there.. or fixing a trampoline to the wall. Only 1/3 serious here... which 1/3 though? Obviously the trampoline option. 

The epoxy seems viable only if it could be done in a very tasteful way that would really last a long time. I wonder if a local could do some tests with a few chunks of similar stone to see which products work and look the best before it gets glued with something less than optimal. Once epoxy enters the grain of the stone I am assuming that regluing attempts will be far less successful and begin to look really bad. It would be nice if it was done the best way possible the first time around. If that is indeed the decision someone chooses to make. Also we should think about the permanent stain this will leave above the belay when it does rip. I can forsee future climbers saying something like “that ugly shit stain is where some jackasses thought they could glue a flake onto the wall”. 

Still wondering what Honnold made that move look like.

All classic desert cracks are destined to be Off widths! On a long enough timeline anyhow.

I don't remember a Dyno. If memory serves, I had to jump up from the rocker block to a hold.

Is this hold the one that is flexing?

Depending on what edge it left, breaking this hold could make it easier. It may lower the first hold a couple inches.

Kevin Mokracek wrote: Incredible Hand Crack at the Creek.  Seems free climbing can do quite a bit of damage also.

Are those cam tracks from whips??

Taylor Spiegelberg wrote:

Are those all cam tracks from whips??

Nope, caused by cams walking.

in my experience, glue works in sandstone. The glue-ins here are bomber. A little bit of glue tucked behind the flake would secure the hold, I think.

highaltitudeflatulentexpulsion wrote:
Depending on what edge it left, breaking this hold could make it easier. It may lower the first hold a couple inches.

I was thinking the same thing, as this often occurs on many types of sandstone. To those familiar, is this a possibility?