Washington Pass Area

Liberty Bell

The east face of Liberty Bell, home to the classic Liberty Crack (5.9 C2) and Thin Red Line (among others).

Washington Pass – the place to get a taste of that alpine ambiance at the cost of a cragging approach! Shirley & I have been visiting the area since 2002 when we climbed the Beckey Route on the Liberty Bell. Besides the great climbing to approach ratio, the relatively pointy summits composed of mostly solid granite are the other draw here. We still have quite a few ideas on what we’d like to get done in the area…hopefully some day.

I’ve taken some poetic freedoms here in what was included (Mazama Wall is not exactly at The Pass…neither are the Wine Spires). Related pages (sort of) include the North Cascades and the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.

Trip Reports Listed Chronologically

Liberty Crack

Pulling the Lithuanian Lip roof on pitch 2 of Liberty Crack (July 2007).

  • Sisyphus (June 2012)
  • Prime Rib Of Goat (August 2009)
  • West Face Of NEWS” (July 2008)
  • Southwest Rib Of SEWS” (September 2007)
  • Liberty Crack (July 2007)
  • DEB On SEWS” (September 2006)
  • “Rebel Yell” (August 2006)
  • North Face Of Burgundy” (July 2006)
  • East Face Of Lexington Tower” (August 2005)
  • East Face Of Minuteman Tower” (August 2005)
  • Northwest Corner Of NEWS” (August 2005)
  • South Buttress Of Cutthroat Peak” (June 2005)
  • South Face of NEWS And Del Campo Peak” (October 2003)
  • South Arete on SEWS” (October 2002)
  • Beckey Route And Mount Pugh” (September 2002)
  • Pass Scenes

    Burgundy Spire

    The east faces of the Liberty Bell Group from high on the approach trail to Burgundy Spire (Jul. 2006).


    South Buttress (Cutthroat Peak)

    West(ish) faces of the Liberty Bell Group Spires. Liberty Bell and the (N. and S.) Early Winter Spires as seen from the descent from Cutthroat Peak (June 2005).


    East Face (Lexington Tower)

    Shirley hiking back to the car after our climb of Lexington's East Face route (Aug. 2005).


    Rebel Yell (Chianti Spire)

    Jim (left & w/o backpack) & Haydar enjoying supper by the car after Rebel Yelling (Aug. 13, 2006).