7,720’, Washington Pass Grade II-III , 5.9 Rock Reference & Data • • • • Jurisdiction: Okanogan National Forest • Ranger Station: Marblemount Ranger Station / 360-873-4500 • Equipment: Rack to 2 1/2 inches. Ice ax & crampons in early season. • USGS Maps: Washington Pass • Other Map: North Cascades National Park Complex • Beckey: Cascade Alpine Guide III, 2nd Edition, pp 340-342. • Other ref: Selected Climbs in the Cascades, pp 180-181. Time Elevation gain/loss Mileage • Seattle to TH 4 hrs 5,200’ 165 • TH to Climb 2 hrs +2,000’ • On climb 2-6 hrs +500’ • Summit to Cars 3 hrs -2,500’ Approach • • • • • • • • • • • Drive I-5 N, take exit 232 (Cook Road) at Burlington, turning east to Sedro Wooley and State Route 20. Continue to Washington Pass. Park at the Blue Lake trailhead, 5,200’, 1.5 miles W of the pass. Follow the Blue Lake trail about 1.5 miles to a small meadow. Locate the climbers path left, just after a small stream. Follow path up through slabs, talus and meadow to below the gully descending from between Liberty Bell and Concord Tower. The path will split; bear left, heading up to the Liberty Bell Concord Tower notch. When just below a prominent split in the gully, perhaps 200’ below the notch, scramble left and up to gain the broad sloping bench on Liberty Bell’s west side. Traverse left at the base of slabs and up through thin timber to a left leaning crack/groove with a bush sprouting halfway up about 80’ before the bench ends. Climbing Route • • • • • Pitch 1: Climb the easy class 5 crack/groove to a spacious ledge on the corner with a large rock wrapped with slings. Pitch 2: Climb the outside corner above the ledge for 150’. Chimney moves and a move off a horn gain a long sloping ledge extending to the right. Move the belay to the right to where some rounded, somewhat crumbly left facing flakes ascend directly up below a dihedral a half rope length above. Do not be confused by the sharp clean flake to the left. Pitch 3: Layback the flakes past one fixed pin to where one can make a wide step right to gain the left facing open book, climbed to a small ledge belay, 5.8+. This zig zag pitch has potential rope drag. Pitch 4: A long and fun dihedral is climbed for a long 165’, 5.8+. Pitch 5 moves a short, low class 5 distance up to the top of the west spur with the summit a few minutes away of class 3-4. Descent • • • • • • • • • • • From the summit, downclimb and/or rappel the Beckey route until about 200’ below the summit. Turn left (east) and downclimb through trees and loose rocks about 100’. Bear right, looking right across an exposed sloping ledge, 2 rappel bolts can be located on the steep wall. One double rope rappel or 2 single rope rappels reach the Liberty Bell Concord notch. Comments • • • • • • • • • If this climb is done late enough in the season to avoid snow in the approach gully, one may wish to gear up and leave packs/boots at a secure place before gaining the west side bench. Excellent topo in CAG III, p 340.

Preference given to those climbing SEWS SW Rib on Saturday.