Best method to remove graffiti

I found an excellent looking obscure line at my local climbing area. Unfortunately, the rock has been defaced with graffiti and some crucial holds have been painted over. The face is steep and near a corner, so it doesn't get much rain. The rock is sharp NH granite.

What is the most effective way to remove the paint without damaging the rock underneath?

I have no experience with this, but I've read this works well:

taginator.com/wordpress/

I would highly suggest you contact the local park service or land management before doing anything.

Elephant Snot and elbow grease. I know the Front Range Climbing Stewards(accurate name?) use it, and it worked well cleaning up some boulders around Morrison. I don't know how to get it, but I think a bucket of it is fairly pricey.

Talk to the people in charge of that space and see if they will be willing to pitch in for a bucket of that stuff.

with that rock type I think you can use wirebrush and chemical product... compared to limestone or sandstone it should be a lot more forgiving to harder mechanical abrasion. but hey, im no expert.

I spent yesterday looking a some amazing rock art from cultures spanning back over 10,000 years and much of it was so subtle, the untrained eye would never pick it out. It's all that's left from some amazing cultures. Obviously in the NE you don't have this sort of thing but who knows. The right thing to do is contact land mgmt, especially if you're in the southwest.

Stephen Ackley wrote:I spent yesterday looking a some amazing rock art from cultures spanning back over 10,000 years and much of it was so subtle, the untrained eye would never pick it out. It's all that's left from some amazing cultures. Obviously in the NE you don't have this sort of thing but who knows. The right thing to do is contact land mgmt, especially if you're in the southwest.

Here is an older MP forum where graffiti removal was discussed

mountainproject.com/v/graff…

There are more forums about it on MP if you search you might find some better info

@bill, some dated approx 10,000 years back to Clovis people's (as in mammoth hunting post ice age folk) and are perhaps tied to the brain's reaction to hallucinationagenic plant. Art work from maybe 5 or more cultures were represented. One painting was a solar calendar marking equinoxes and seasons. One is thought depict conquistadors. Though these soldiers only passed through the area for just four days in the late 1500s, their visit was incorporated into the world view these native people had and the soldiers were depicted as powerful spirits of a sinister nature.

Amazing stuff which just goes to show that not every piece of rock in this world need to be climbed on.