Devil's Tower

Miles before we reached our destination, we could see the famous Devil's Tower jutting out of the ground ahead of us.  It couldn't be missed, unless you were blind or driving in complete darkness.

In 1906 President Theodore Roosevelt invoked the Antiquities Act to preserve the historic landmark and Devil's Tower became the first national monument. That same year, the National Park Service was created, and that branch of our government has had control of this site since then.

We took the trail around the base of the tower, thankful that there was a paved path between the huge boulders.  On the three other sides, the path goes through forested areas, with lofty pine trees creating a shady path along the way.

 It's amazing to see this up close, with each side seeming to be entirely different from the other ones.  The columns have 4, 5, 6, or 7 sides to them, some more than 600 feet tall!  It would be a challenge for most climbers even with today's technology and newest gadgets.

 

One of the signs had a picture of a wooden ladder that was first used in 1893 by two local ranchers to climb the tower.  Being up that high without some kind of life line would scare the bejeebers out of me!  The ladder is still visible today, if you have binoculars.  Personally, I'd think those two guys who

did that were half crazy for even thinking about it! 

Since I didn't have the long range lens on the camera, the best shot I could get was this one, even after
cropping it.  The little objects in the middle are two climbers near the bottom portion that starts to jut up out of the boulders.  Today, there were 3 groups of people attempting the climb.  Good for them...I was content at watching them from below.

This is a picture of what it looks like at the top, showing it's about the size of a football field and stating that they have found snakes up there!  What?? How in the world could a snake get up the sides?  Good grief, is no place safe from those slithering creatures?  In the visitor center, they had a picture of a man who parachuted to the top, knowing he could make it.  Well, the wise guy made it, and then had to wait 6 days to be rescued from the top!  Sometimes it doesn't pay to be a "know it all"!