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Summary
Leading pitch 5 of East Face route (August 13, 2005).
We climbed this beautiful line on a Saturday in August of 2005. I recall the easier than it looked off-width just above the roof pitch and fun climbing all around. The low-light of the outing was losing one of my approach shoes high up on the route (came unclipped from the back of my harness). Hiking down and back in one shoe and one rock shoe was memorable.
Photos
Beginning the lead of pitch 1 of East Face. This is the right hand start option. Above the dihedral you traverse left along the class 3 ledge with bushes on it. The gully in photo separates east faces of Lexington (on left) and Minuteman Towers (August 13, 2005).
Shirley atop pitch 1 of East Face of Lexington Tower (Aug. 2005).
Leading pitch 2 of East Face (August 13, 2005).
Leading pitch 2 of East Face (most of which is visible above). Significant runouts on this section keep things interesting (August 13, 2005).
Shirley topping out on pitch 2 of East Face of Lexington.
Beginning the lead of pitch 4 (5.8) of East Face. This section we should have probably combined with our pitch 3 (August 13, 2005)
Shirley following our (stretched out) pitch 4 of East Face of Lexington Tower - a nice 5.8 dihedral system capped by a large roof (August 13, 2005).
Shirley underclinging around the initial roof (5.8) on pitch 4 of East Face of Lexington (August 13, 2005).
Starting the lead of pitch 5 of East Face of Lexington Tower.
Shirley's at a semi-hanging belay atop pitch 4 of Lexington's East Face route (August 13, 2005).
Leading pitch 5 of East Face route. This is the characteristic chimney through the roof that you don’t actually climb. The pitch continues via a rightward foot shuffle along a narrow and balancy ledge (August 13, 2005).
Traversing out of the chimney on pitch 5 of East Face of Lexington Tower (Aug. 2005).
Leading the crux of the East Face of Lexington Tower – a 5.9 flake to finger crack. When in doubt, chalk up (August 13, 2005).
Shirley pulling out of the crux section of the East Face route – a 5.9 flake and finger crack on pitch 5 (August 13, 2005).
Shirley naring the top of pitch 5 of East Face of Lexington (Aug. 2005).
Shirley topping out on pitch 5 of East Face. This is probably the technical crux of the route (below, out of view). This is looking roughly NE (August 13, 2005)
Starting the 6th pitch of the East Face of Lexington Tower...the fixed piece of 2X4 protects the opening moves (Aug. 2005).
Looking down from the beginning of pitch 6 of the East Face. Shirley is belaying from the decent stance below the off-width. Most of the route is directly below (August 13, 2005)
Beginning the lead of pitch 6 of East Face – a 5.9 OW that is not as bad as it might look (stemming and chimneying gets you past most difficulties - only a touch of armbarring). That’s a piece of 2X4 with sling wedged in the OW crack – interesting piece of fixed pro (August 13, 2005).
Shirley nearing the top of pitch 6 of East Face route (low to mid-5th class). The rock is a bit chunky on the last two (easy) pitches of this route. The hairpin turn of North Cascades Highway is below (August 13, 2005).
Shirley nearing the top of pitch 6 of East Face route (low to mid-5th class). The rock is a bit chunky on the last two (easy) pitches of this route. The hairpin turn of North Cascades Highway is below (August 13, 2005).
Looking back down the last (#8, class 4) pitch of the East Face route. Shirley is belaying from a nice perch where the route crests. The hairpin turn of highway 20 can be seen below on the right (August 13, 2005).
Minuteman Tower as seen from above (from top of East Face route on Lexington Tower). The summit is the hump in the center; the cool catwalk extends downward in the photo (August 13, 2005).
Daddy near the top of the East Face route on Lexington (pitch 8). The route does not climb to the summit of the formation which towers above (Aug. 2005).
Shirley topping out on East Face of Lexington Tower (Aug. 2005)
North Early Winters Spire's north/northwest aspect. The Northwest Corner line (III 5.9) climbs the beautiful corner visible on right. View is from top of East Face of Lexington Tower.
Shirley hiking down the west side slopes after our climb of Lexington's East Face route. Lexington's summit spire is in the background (August 13, 2005).
East faces of the Liberty Bell Group formations. On the right is Liberty Bell, followed by Minuteman Tower, mostly blocking the view of Lexington. The cluster on the left consists of North and South Early Winters Spires (Aug. 2005).
Shirley hiking back to the car after our climb of Lexington's East Face route (Aug. 2005).
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