Last Updated: November 28, 2024



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  • Lone Goat & Snow Camp Mountain - hike (September 2023)
  • Isollilock Peak - scramble (October 2023)
  • Mount Manson - Mount Hatfield Traverse - scramble (October 2023)
  • The Gargoyles & Columnar Peak - scramble (October 2023)
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  • Park Butte (WA) - hike (October 2023)
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  • Sauk Mountain (WA) - hike (November 2023)
  • Sunshine Coast (Mount Daniel, Pender Hill) - hike (November 2023)
  • Mount Dickerman (WA) - hike (November 2022)
  • Verona Peak AKA Winter's End - snowshoe (November 2023)
  • Dolomites (IT) - snowboard (December 2023)
  • Red Rock Canyon (NV) - scramble (January 2024)
  • Flute Summit & Oboe Summit - snowboard (February 2024)
  • Whistler Miscellaneous (Train Wreck, Loggers Lake, Shadow Lake and more) - hike (February 2024)
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  • Ruby Mountain (WA) - snowshoe (April 2024)
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  • Picacho Peak (AZ) - hike (April 2024)
  • Kitt Peak Observatory (AZ) - (April 2024)
  • Mount Wrightson (AZ) - hike (April 2024)
  • Saguaro National Park (AZ) - April 2024)
  • Superstition Peak/Benchmark (AZ) - scramble (April 2024)
  • Mount Humphreys (AZ) - hike (May 2024)
  • Petrified Forest National Park (AZ) - (May 2024)
  • Piestewa Peak (AZ) - hike (May 2024)
  • Channeled Scablands (WA | Columbia Gorge, Ancient Lakes, Potholes Lake, Palouse Falls and more) - hike (May 2024)
  • Rhododendron Mountain ("Pk. 2220") - snowshoe (June 2024)
  • Flora Peak - hike (June 2024)
  • Gibson Peak - snowshoe (June 2024)
  • Mount Urquhart - scramble (June 2024)
  • Rock Mountain (WA) - hike (July 2024)
  • Ladies Pass Quartet (WA | Cape Horn, Ladies Peak, Snowgrass NE Peak, Snowgrass Mountain) - scramble (July 2024)
  • Old Snowy (WA) - scramble (July 2024)
  • Dog Mountain (WA) - hike (July 2024)
  • Mount Ratney & Mount Bardean - scramble (July 2024)
  • Torrent Peak - scramble (July 2024)
  • Steep Peak - Darkside Peak Traverse - scramble (July 2024)
  • Silvertip Mountain - scramble (July 2024)
  • The Old Settler - scramble (July 2024)
  • Silent Hub Peak - scramble (August 2024)
  • Saint Jacobs Mountain - scramble (August 2024)
  • Mount David (WA) - scramble (August 2024)
  • Goat Mountain West Peak & Table Mountain (WA) - hike (August 2024)
  • Griswold Pass (Tuber Hill, Glacier View Peak, Subatomic Peaks: Baryon, Meson, Muon, Lepton) - scramble (September 2024)
  • Yellow Aster Butte (WA) - hike (September 2024)
  • Mazama Dome (WA) - hike (September 2024)
  • Ptarmigan Ridge - (WA | The Portals East Peak, Coleman Pinnacle) - hike (September 2024)
  • Tetrahedron Peak - scramble (September 2024)
  • Lone Cone & Peak 86 (Tofino) - hike (September 2024)
  • Mount Athelstan ("Pk. 2460") - scramble (September 2024)
  • Excelsior Peak and Cowap Peak - hike (October 2024)
  • Hollyburn Peak - hike (October 2024)
  • Cheam Peak - hike (October 2024)
  • Blanchard Needle - scramble (October 2024)
  • Debeck's Hill & 4 Lakes Loop - hike (October 2024)
  • Mount Hallowell - hike (November 2024)

*As of 11/28/2024


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| Featured Trip Report |



Last Updated: Sep. 14, 2005

South Early Winter Spire - Southwest Buttress, August 2005



It's been about three years since I climbed Liberty Bell; a return visit to the area was long overdue. This time, with Eric's unused 5-inch cam and a 4.5-inch cam borrowed from Martin at the very last minute, I set my sights for the Southwest Rib of South Early Winter Spire. Combining an 80ft 5.8 crack, a short 5.7 "bear-hug" pitch and an unexpectedly spicy, but short 5.6 slab move, the SW Rib is a fine climb of moderate difficulty, reaching the top of the tallest spire of the Liberty Bell Group. Considering the short approaches (usually no more than an hour), dry, warm Eastern Washington climate and numerous routes of quality on exquisite Washington Pass granite, this is also the kind of climbing I could easily get used to.

Following a worn climber's path, we somehow ignored the direct West Face start below the obvious 5.8 crack visible high on the rock, and blindly hiked up towards SEWS' Southwest Couloir. Content with beginning the climb from here, Eric and I racked up and started up towards the large chockstone low in the couloir. Once above the chockstone, we continued left up a vegetated rib (small pine trees) looking for some indication of a ledge leading "leftward and downward" with "small bushes and trees". Following an abundance of newer slings (with rap rings) tied around the small pines, I figured we were still on-route as I proceeded upwards on the rib. I found myself beneath a steep headwall a few moves later, and again looked left for that elusive ledge. Lo and behold, there it was - a very thin and exposed ledge that traverses high on the West Face to a comfortably shady nook at the belay station directly above the 80ft crack pitch...yes, above! Lame. I briefly considered rapping down to the ledge below us (the correct ledge, incidentally) so that we could actually climb the crack, but seeing as there was a party now making their way up the direct West Face start towards us, we decided to just proceed upwards. Lame. (more...)

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