See What The Top Of Devils Tower National Monument Looks Like
Most people have seen pictures and videos of Devils tower.
Many people have been to Devil's Tower Wyoming.
But how many can say that they have actually seen it from on top?
The answer to that question is more and more every day. Climbing the tower has become commonplace for adventurous people.
But how many people reading this right now will actually go up there and see the top for themselves?
For those of you who are wondering what it looks like up there, here are some of the best videos I could find.
You'll see in this video someone stacked rocks and put a stick in the middle. I would not double that it is something climbers add to almost every climbable day. But then again there are only so many loose rocks up there to add.
Between the Devil and the Sky: Climbing Devils Tower for 45 Years
For rock climber Frank Sanders, the captivating power of Devils Tower was instant and life-long.
We would have to say that this man knows more about climbing the tower than anyone else on Earth.
Now let's fly close over the top with a drone.
To do this the drone operator has to get special permission. Not just so they don't distract the climbers up there but so they don't disturb nesting birds.
This drone video gets right up on the top of the tower only because there is an expert pilot at the controls.
Back to that pile of rocks and sticks at the top.
It is traditional to tag it when reaching the summit. You'll see that happen in our next video.
Here is another chance for you to see what it is actually like to climb the tower.
It's not for everyone, for several reasons. Mostly a person must be in good shape and fearless when it comes to heights. Though climbers are usually focused on what they are doing rather than looking down.
The name Devils Tower originated in 1875 during an expedition led by Colonel Richard Irving Dodge, when his interpreter reportedly misinterpreted a native name to mean "Bad God's Tower".
Let's take a moment to take a look at how Devils Tower was formed.
This video was produced by a young lady who just wanted to tell her family about the tower before they went. She did such a good job I decided to feature it here.
The first recorded climb of Devils Tower occurred over ten years before its establishment as a national monument.
Willard Ripley and William Rogers were two ranchers living near the Tower in the 1890s.
Working together, the two managed to construct a simple stake ladder which they used to climb to the Tower's summit.
They wedged the sections of the ladder into the cracks on the way up. That's both gutsy and nuts at the same time.
What is left of those ladders can still be seen today. At the tower parking area are tubes you can look through that will bring your eye to where the remaining sections are.