Chris McNamara
SuperTopo staff member
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The American Safe Climbing Assn. may have replaced anchor bolts on this climb. To find out visit the ASCA Replacement Page
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moabbeth
Trad climber
Los Angeles/Moab
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2/29/04:
Climbed it yesterday. There's a loose flake just below the roof at the top of the second pitch. Enough that if pulled hard on lead would probably come off. I discovered it when I looked and thought it could be a decent right foot while positioning to pull the roof but tested it first. Not solid. Will come off at some point in the near future. I put a big while chalk X across it so for now it's marked but that will fade in the rain.
Other than that, what can I say? It's everything I thought it would be. Sustained, challenging, difficult yet sublime climbing. First two pitches very different from the rest of the route, quality of rock more like southern Utah, thin, featureless liebacking sections. P3 gets the face features back in spades. P3 is a blessing after the killer roof at the top of P2. P4 has a challenging bouldery move over a bulge towards the top of the pitch. And the difficulty kicks in big time come P5 on.
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Matt
Trad climber
Los Angeles/Moab
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pretty bold beth, considering we were getting snowed on the day before that near the 2nd pull-out!
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Brock
Trad climber
RENO, NV
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Moabbeth,
Yeah I thought the same thing about that loose flake when I climbed that route six years ago. Guess it is still hanging in there. Future Levitation 29 climbers beware.
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clustiere
Big Wall climber
RENO, NV
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Excellent long sport climb (with some gear). Inti Watana is a good route too with 12 pitches and an easier grade.
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JohnDoe
Trad climber
Denver, CO
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Not much beta on routes outside of California. A reminder that Chris' site has info on Red Rocks and the Utah desert, both awesome places. Levitation is an undisputed classic. Absolutely fantastic route. If you climb at the grade and haven't experienced it, a route to add to the list!
Climb Ohn. Wally
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moabbeth
Trad climber
Los Angeles/Moab
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FYI a guy who climbed this route on Dec. 9th, 2005 e-mailed me to let me know that large loose flake at the top of P2 before the roof is still there (the one I mentioned in this thread almost 2 years ago). Said he read about it here and said he marked it again with a big chalk X. I can't believe that thing hasn't come off by now. It was pretty damn loose.
Just passin' along the beta.
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cultureshock
Trad climber
Mountain View
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Some rapping beta for this route:
You can rap the entire 9 pitches with a 70m rope. It is really close on the rap from the top of pitch 4(the belay below the crux pitch) to the pitch 3 anchors. The ends of the ropes hang just inches below the next set of rap rings without any weight on the rope. We extended our belay devices and with a bit of stretch had no problem with the rap. We had a brand new rope so the amount of rope stretch should not be an issue. Do BE CAREFUL though since it is very very close.
All other pitches reached easily with a 70m rope with many feet to spare.
Pretty sure the loose flake is still there. Climbed the route on 11/3/07 and from your description there still is a loose hold that would work well as a right foot before the roof on P2.
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Greg Barnes
climber
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Cool cultureshock, what brand & size of 70m do you have? Had any chance to compare it to other 70s? I've always found quite a bit of difference in length on new 60m, often 2-3 meters difference if not more. It would sure be nice to bring only one 70!
Speaking of flakes on the p2 roof: when we replaced the remaining bad bolts (Jorge Urioste & friends had been up there a few years previously and replaced around 10-15 bolts), one of the bolts right before the roof was in slightly hollow-sounding rock, and despite finding the best possible spot to drill, it turned out there was a thin gap behind the rock about 2" into the rock - ie we were drilling through a flake (of course the original bolts were only about 1" into the rock so there'd been no problem on the FA). So we drilled the hole extra deep and used a long 1/2" bolt.
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Lucas
Trad climber
Goleta, CA
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Does anybody know if there is water we can filter anywhere on the approach?
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headintheclouds
climber
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This time of year there will be plenty of opportunity to get water from pools in the main drainage, once you start heading up out of the drainage it is unlikely.
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Greg Barnes
climber
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There will be tons of water in the pools up the creek this year, and it will look nice & clear, but make sure to filter it. We once found a dead bighorn rotting away in the creek below Eagle Wall (stinky!!).
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WallMan
Trad climber
Denver, CO
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I wouldn't drink that water, filtered, boiled, whatever. Not that far of a hike - bring it in . . .
Climb Ohn. Wallman
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Lucas
Trad climber
Goleta, CA
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Thanks for all the beta. We did the climb at the end of february, and indeed there is plenty of flowing water. The slabs are pretty wet too; it was a sketchy approach for us. The climb itself was spectacular.
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say-no-to-rap-bolting!
Trad climber
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I really enjoyed this climb up to the 6. pitch then I rapped it with 1 70 meter rope.(no problem, our rope was new and long enough except for pitch four where we were close to the limit. be careful!!! or take a second rope.)
The climbing is very very good, and the pro is even better (too good) except on the low 5.9 pitch where you may want some small cams or TCU's.
for the approach we did the 2 option, means over this right trending ramp.It's safe and fast, but not as easy as the third, traditional option, which we tried as a descent. It's slower and the upper part of the wash that you avoid by taking the 2. option sucks. It's very long and has some exposed steps too and the cactuses suck. Next time I do it I take the second option for both approach and descent. A very good description of the route and the approach can be found in J. Handren guidebook(it's a great guidebook)
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vegastradguy
Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV
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pretty amazing route- and honest at the grade! good times.
anyway, some beta:
a new 9.5mm 70m sterling got us down every rap with inches to spare on the rap of the 4th pitch- personally, i'd bring a spare carabiner just in case and leave the second rope at home. there's plenty of bolts on this pitch to get you down to that anchor- including one right next to a crack to build a temp. anchor if you're paranoid.
as for approach beta- if you reverse the black orpheus descent up the painted bowls to the IBM boulder, then cut left up the shoulder you're going up the 2nd option described in the Handren guide. its fast (about 1.5hrs), but steep. you can also cut up onto the slabs about 100 yards earlier if you keep an eye out for a hueco filled slab near the trail as you come close to the BO exit into the wash.
folks who stop at the top of 6 are robbing themselves of an exciting .10d pitch, and 8 isnt too bad either. i'd pass on 9 if i were going to do it again- probably the only non-cool pitch on the route.
oh, and rack to #1 camalot- a #2 is optional and a #3 is simply not needed at all.
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Aaron Stireman
Gym climber
Siege tactics
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Very well marked trail. Very safe, fun route. Easy to rap with a single 70m rope, the only loose rock was under the roof on pitch 2, but you are basically at a bolt during the steep section. The approach slabs would be pretty dicey with any water on them, maybe even to the point of wanting to rope up. Amazing route!
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