[Worthington]

I know that there was a period in the 30s and 40s (and maybe up until the late 60s?) when the route used to reach peaks in the Liberty Bell zone was most commonly via the Twisp River. I know this general approach was used by Beckey et al on the FA of Liberty Bell, and I *believe* the same general route was used on early ascents of the more northwestern Cutthroat Peak. Q: What trail or valley did climbers use as the "standard" to get to the Liberty Bell group? Was it up to Twisp pass, then down past Dagger lake, then north along Bridge Creek via the modern PCT route, then circle arond back east along the Hwy20 route? Or was it a more direct route along the North Fork of the Twisp River (lots of old mining action in there) and up to Copper Pass, then either directly NW past the number "29" and down to where Hwy20's hairpin turn is? Or a third possibility of taking a path up the more NNE fork of the Twisp River where there is no modern trail, crossing Kangaroo Pass, then down to the modern Hairpin turn area? Thanks!

[FiveNines]

Here is a blurry foto of a map I lifted from Beckey's Challenge of the North Cascades, Leaps of the Kangaroo.

[Worthington]

Thanks! If that map showed the "standard" then it was indeed the 3rd option, following a fork of the N. Fork Twisp River now without a trail.

[FiveNines]

According to Beckey in Challenge, map I posted above describes their approach to climbing stuff on Kangaroo Ridge in 1942. Also S Early Winters Spire. In a subsequent chapter, Dolomites in America, Beckey writes of going back for Liberty Bell FA in 1946. Routing up the "16 mile trail from the end of a spur road to Washington Pass" up Early Winters Creek. Beckey and others went back a lot after '46 climbs and it seems the Early Winters approach became their common route. I cannot find any other route descriptions in the book.

ETA: I have not perused my copy of Challenge of the North Cascades in many years. Super fun to revisit the text, and highly recommended if you have not read. Thanks for reminding me of an interesting, forgotten, book in my library.

[Worthington]

I wonder if or how seriously the state considered putting the current Hwy20 route up that same way. It seems like an option that would have been feasible, but maybe things get too steep within ~1/2mile of either side of Kangaroo Pass.