Down Climbing the South Arete

All Locations > Washington > Northwest Region > Hwy 20 & N Casc… > N Cascades > Washington Pass > Liberty Bell Group > S Early Winters… > S Arete (5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a)

Down Climbing the South Arete

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South Arete from SW Rib

Picture from one of the rap stations

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Joshua Thompson

Aug 10, 2016

“Down Climbing the South Arete”

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Nearby Photos

Ridge Traverse

Audrey on her first free solo

John on the knife-edge section of the South Arete.

Exposed traverse on the South Arete of South Early Winters Spire

On Route

S arete, options above the shark fin

Location of new rap anchors. Skiers left of the old gully tree station. The route goes up to the left of this photo. Thanks to North Cascades Mountain Guides.

The start of the S Arete route,

Sharon Birchfield at the start of first pitch.

South Arete from SW Rib

Down Climbing the South Arete

Picture from one of the rap stations

SEWS from the saddle

Early Winter Spires. South Arete goes up the left skyline.

General view of the route, following the ridge that runs left to right.

Unknown mountaineer on summit.

Looking down the chimney/gulley at the start.

Chimney on lower route

The best way to cross the fin (which is the best part of the climb).

nearing the summit of SEWS

Looking back at my belayer having just crossed the sharksfin. Early June 2017.

Shadow of the South Early Winter spire in the valley.

Airy Ledge

Looking down at the hairpin turn from the traverse just below the summit.

The final rap off of South Arete

Rapping to the base of the climb

A mostly unexposed, easy solo with a couple of semi-exposed spots. Here's my buddy Sam Haugh enjoying one of those spots on our quick ascent of SEWS while we waited for West Face of NEWS to go into the shade

south arete

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