Liberty Bell — Beckey Route (SW Face)
⬇ GPX / track⚠ unverified🚐 Join the caravan
The Beckey Route is the classic, easiest line up Liberty Bell — a 4-pitch, Grade II 5.6 alpine rock climb up the SW face (FA Beckey, O'Neil, Welsh 1946). Chimney, moderate cracks, face and a short friction-slab summit move; the single most popular alpine route at Washington Pass (expect traffic jams on sunny weekends). Short and moderate but a genuine off-grid spire with a loose approach gully and a full rappel descent.
🚗 Getting there & comms
Trailhead: Blue Lake Trailhead (Trail #314)
SR-20 south side, ~0.5 mi past MP 162, ~1 mi west of Washington Pass. From Winthrop ~31 mi west; if you reach the Washington Pass Overlook you've gone too far. Paved lot ~20 spots, fills early. NW Forest Pass.
⛽ Last services: Mazama Store (~30–45 min E: coffee, food, limited-hours gas) is closest; Winthrop (~31 mi E) is the last reliable full town. Fuel + stock food/water before driving up — no services on the pass.
📶 Cell signal: Effectively no cell at Washington Pass or on the route; dead for most of the SR-20 corridor between Marblemount and Winthrop. Treat as off-grid — carry inReach/PLB.
🧗 Routes
🥾 Approach · descent · season
Approach: Hike Blue Lake Trail #314, then branch onto the climbers' trail (built 2019) cutting left/uphill toward the spires. ~2.5 mi / 1–1.5 hr, ending in the loose Beckey Gully between Liberty Bell and Concord Tower; scramble to the notch on the S/SW side where the route starts. Early season the gully holds snow — axe and maybe crampons.
⬇️ Descent: Rappel the route: from the summit downclimb a short bit west to tree slings, then fixed/bolted rap anchors reach the ground in two single-rope rappels (60m). A station just below the summit bypasses the 5.6 boulder-problem on the way down. Re-descend the Beckey Gully to the trail.
🗓️ Season: Roughly July–September, once SR-20 is open and the gully melts out; snow lingers early summer. SR-20 over Washington Pass is closed in winter.
🎒 Gear & food
Rack: Light alpine rack: single nuts + cams to ~2 inch. Slings/runners for the wandering line + tree/horn anchors. Helmet (rockfall + parties above). Early season: ice axe + crampons for the snow gully.
Ropes: Single 60m (reaches the rap anchors in two single-rope rappels).
✅ Before you leave the trailhead
Auto-built from this dossier — ticks save on this device.
🏕️ Land · camp · water · permits
🪧 Land & passes: Okanogan-Wenatchee NF (Methow Valley RD); just outside North Cascades NP.
📋 Permits: NW Forest Pass / Interagency pass (or $5/day Scan & Pay) to park at Blue Lake TH. No climbing permit; day-use only.
⚠️ Hazards · fire · emergency
- Loose/rockfall-prone Beckey Gully — wear a helmet
- Crowding: parties stacked above knock down rock + cause belay backups
- Snow in the gully early season — axe/crampons, slip/fall risk
- Exposed summit moves + rappels — anchor/rappel errors are serious
- Afternoon thunderstorms on an exposed spire
- No cell — true off-grid; long evac to definitive care
🆘 Emergency contacts
- Emergency (all) 911 — No cell at the climb — use a satellite messenger/PLB
- Okanogan County Sheriff Dispatch (SAR) 509-422-7232 — Okanogan County SAR covers Washington Pass
- Mid-Valley Hospital ER, Omak 509-826-1760 — 810 Jasmine St, Omak — nearest hospital ER, ~29 mi from Winthrop
🌤️ Live conditions
Auto-updated 20h ago · °F · tap a link for the mountain-specific picture ↓
👀 In the field
Tap any for ID, edibility & first-aid.
📍 Nearby & other interest
- South Early Winter Spire — SW Rib (III 5.8) + South Arête (5.5)
- Concord Tower — North Face (5.8)
- Lexington Tower — East Face (5.9)
- Liberty Bell — Liberty Crack (V 5.10+ C1)
💬 Comments
Comments are reviewed before they show up.