Liberty Bell Group — Liberty Traverse
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The Liberty Traverse links all five spires of the Liberty Bell group in one Grade V (some say IV), 5.9, ~26-pitch / ~2,000 ft day: Liberty Bell (Beckey Route) → Concord Tower (North Face) → Lexington Tower (North Face) → North Early Winter Spire (NW Corner) → South Early Winter Spire (SW Rib), rappelling the south side of each tower. A Washington Pass mega-classic — 2 Grade IIIs and three Grade IIs strung together — and a fitting season finale. Huge, committing, off-grid.
🚗 Getting there & comms
Trailhead: Blue Lake Trailhead (Trail #314)
SR-20 ~1.5 mi W of Washington Pass, S side (~5,200 ft). NW Forest Pass. From Winthrop ~31 mi W.
⛽ Last services: Mazama (~30–45 min E, limited gas) + Winthrop (full services, ~31 mi E). Nothing on the pass.
📶 Cell signal: No cell at Washington Pass or on the spires — fully off-grid. Carry inReach/PLB; leave a detailed plan given the length.
🧗 Routes
🥾 Approach · descent · season
Approach: Blue Lake Trail ~1.5 mi to a small meadow; take the climbers' path left just after a small stream, up slabs/talus/meadow to below the gully between Liberty Bell and Concord. Start on Liberty Bell's Beckey Route (S/SW side).
⬇️ Descent: Built into the traverse: rappel the south face of each tower as you go; finish down the South Arête (5.5) of SEWS back toward Blue Lake. Many rappels — rope management is the real crux; know each tower's rap stations.
🗓️ Season: Mid-July–September, once SR-20 is open and the spires are dry/snow-free. Long daylight matters — it's a dawn-to-dark (or longer) push.
🎒 Gear & food
Rack: Standard rack (single to #3) plus a couple of bigger pieces for North Early Winter Spire; nuts; lots of slings. Double ropes for the many rappels.
Ropes: Double 60m ropes (the traverse rappels the south face of each tower).
✅ Before you leave the trailhead
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🏕️ Land · camp · water · permits
🪧 Land & passes: Okanogan-Wenatchee NF (Methow Valley RD); just outside North Cascades NP.
📋 Permits: NW Forest Pass to park at Blue Lake TH. No climbing permit.
⚠️ Hazards · fire · emergency
- Enormous committing day — 26 pitches + many rappels; high benighting risk, bring headlamps + a bivy contingency
- Afternoon thunderstorms on five exposed summits — start pre-dawn, watch the sky
- Loose rock (Concord P2, descent gullies) + party-above rockfall
- Complex rappels off each tower — rope management is the crux of staying safe
- No cell — self-rescue distance is large
- Snow in approach/descent gullies early season
🆘 Emergency contacts
- Emergency (all) 911 — No cell at the climb — satellite messenger/PLB
- Okanogan County Sheriff (SAR) 509-422-7232 — Okanogan County SAR covers Washington Pass
- Mid-Valley Hospital ER, Omak 509-826-1760 — Nearest hospital ER, ~40–50 mi E
🌤️ Live conditions
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👀 In the field
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📍 Nearby & other interest
- The towers individually: Liberty Bell Beckey (II 5.6), Concord N Face (II 5.7), SEWS SW Rib (III 5.8)
- Liberty Crack (V 5.10+ C1)
- Blue Lake / Washington Pass
💬 Comments
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