Beckey Route (SW Face)

The Beckey route is a very moderate route to the spectacular summit of Liberty Bell. The summit is the best part of the route, offering panoramic views of the peaks of the North Cascades, the Wine Spires, and the Early Winter Spires.

To reach the climb (~2.5mi), hike up the Blue Lake trail until it branches off left on a climbers trail that was completed in 2019.  At the fork in the trail ~ .5 mile up beer left to hike under the base of Concord to the gully separating Concord from Liberty Bell.  A short hike up the gully takes you to the prominent notch between Liberty Bell and Concord. This gully is loose and unpleasant but good options exist for most of the uppper fully that avoid large sections of scree.

The start of the Beckey route is about 30' below the notch. Look for a small ledge leading left and traverse it to the base of a blocky chimney. This is the start of the first pitch.

P1. Climb the chimney or the face to its left reaching a large ledge with a tree. 5.3

P2. Continue up the chimney for about 30m, climbing past chockstones and blocky slabs until reaching obvious 3rd/4th class terrain. I think this pitch is the hardest of the climb. Belay from a tree or from gear wherever you find it convenient. 5.5

P3. Ascend the 4th class terrain to a 6 foot finger-crack traverse past a large roof (climbing past a fixed pin) (5.5), then follow a dihedral back to the right and up onto the summit shoulder. Belay from a tree or from gear, use long slings and watch the rope drag.

P4. Shortly after leaving the belay on the ridge to the summit, you'll encounter a slabby 5.6 boulder problem ~10' high. After surmounting this obstacle it is easy 3rd/4th class terrain to the summit. If you belay all of this, it will be more than one pitch to the top.

Descent: Downclimb the ridge and the 5.6 boulder problem. Below the boulder problem follow an obvious, tree filled gully down to the east until you encouter the first set of rappel bolts. From here it is possible to reach the ground in 2 single rope rappels. After the first rappel, scramble down and skier's right to reach a large ledge with another set of bolted anchors. We used a 60M rope, I can't say if a 50 would suffice.

Note: There is a rappel station just below the summit that you can use to avoid the boulder problem down-climb described above. From the summit go back the way you came up, but veer to skiers' left and look for a groove in the rock. Take caution on slabby down climb and you'll see a couple slings wrapped around a tree with double rings. Note: A 60-meter rope will make it down to the large ledge below. The next rappel station is a skier's right down-climb scramble, leading you to a cliff; look right, you'll see a rock ledge and bolts on a wall. From those bolts on rappel trend skier's right towards a large tree with a small platform next to it. The last set of bolts will be on the wall skier's left of the tree. The 60-m rope is more than enough to drop you in the gully where you started.

A single set of stoppers and cams to 2" will be more than enough. You may want an axe and/or crampons depending on snow conditions in the gully. Also: bug repellent.