9/09/2013

Devilishly beautiful tower

We were really impressed by our close encounter with Devil's Tower. There is something extremely different in experiencing this place from Yellowstone. The most beautiful national park in the US is huge and at the same time tangible with all its geysers and springs, while Devil's Tower reverse these proportions. It's a tiny point on the map but it's monumental and dominates the area.


Devil's Tower is even more beautiful as the direct experience. Our short walk at its foot was not disappointing at all. Often the majestic works of nature up close lose their magic. We felt it a little in Cathedral Valley in Capitol Reef. Monumental temples turned out to be made out of petrified mud. We were amazed but we couldn't stop thinking the same thing as walking through some Polish after-war districts facing large concrete blocks of flats - "how is it possible it's still standing???".


Devil's Tower is a statue, a tribute to the Rock. Mountains in Grand Teton or Yosemite were simply beautiful, rock formations in Utah were out of this world but Devil's Tower is a monument. A deeply thought through abstract plan of Mother Nature. We wonder if settlers coming from the east had similar thoughts, maybe they saw Devil's Tower as welcome pole on the way to mountains of the west. Monumental, with it's edges look like columns, smoothed for better effect with, at that time, close but absolutely untouchable top.


We are far from getting crazy over the tower, as the characters from Spielberg's movie did. Maybe because the only close encounter we had was with crowds of really cute prerie dogs that live here. But we talked to woman working in a gift shop and she told us how she got there. Few months ago she was in Montana on photography workshop. She saw a photo of Devil's Tower there and she knew right away she had to come and see it. She came, got a job in gift shop and she stayed. We understand her. 

Praire dog not a woman from a gift shop
Before white faces came, tower attracted Indians with its misticism. It played a very important role in believes of all the tribes that came across. Until now Indians come here to pray or leave gifts although they don't make funerals here any more. Many chiefs and warriors from Siux, Lakota and Kiowa tribes were paid their respects here. Lakota people still hold their rituals here like Dance of the Sun that purify and reborn individuals as well as whole tribe. 

Those ceremonies are closed for white people. You can see colorful ribbons on the trees but that's pretty much the only sign of Indians you will notice. The deal with National Park Service is that Indians have free access there and they keep the details of their ceremonies secret even to the rangers.


Most of Indian legends about the origins of the tower talk about the bear. Kiowa people believe that where now is the tower once seven sisters and a brother were playing. Suddenly brother turned into a bear and wanted to kill sisters. They escaped under a large tree that spoke to them and bent its bench so they could hide. Bear was breaking the benches like crazy but the tree started growing and it turned into the tower while seven sisters became stars shaped as Great Bear. Tower was often called Bear's Lodge, until white people came and changed its name.


Science has a different theory. The most popular one says it was volcanic intrusion - magma was forced into or between other rock formations. In this case it probably didn't reach the surface. It stayed hidden until erosion started its work. The much harded rock of Devil's Tower resisted the erosion while everything around was gone. As NPS website adds, one more popular theory says that Devils Tower is a volcanic plug or that it is the neck of an extinct volcano. Although no other signs of volcanic acitvity are visible - ashes, flows, etc. - it seems possible that they eroded away.


Looking at the tower was not enough for white people. First expedition got here in 1859. Just 34 years later a wooden ladder was installed and a local man - Mr. Rogers climbed it watched by thousand viewers. Two years later his wife did the same thing. Part of the ladder is still on the wall but it's not in use any more. Every year 5000 people climbes the tower. Almost 15 a day. Not easy to be lonely on top...


Devil's Tower was the first National Monument in the US, appointed in 1906 by Theodor Roosvelt. Wyoming was lucky, after all Yellowstone was the first National Park in the world. Both here and there and in many other monuments and parks most of roads and infrastructure was built during The Great Depression. After seeing all those places we'd like to thank Depression for what it did for tourists like us.


We spent a night at the campground at the foothill. Unfortunately those few places with a tower view were already taken. But we can't complain as the camping was only 12 USD, and the view was jus a few steps away. We heard the best views are from KOA campsite, but they charge almost 60 USD. As a bonus they play "Close Encountes..." every night. 

A short walk around the tower is obligatory of course but there is one more place worth seeing, or rather worth going to to see tower from there. Going back down take right onto a sandy road leading to Joyner Ridge trailhead. From there you can see the Tower perfectly.


Early afternoon after a few hours by the tower we moved on. We planned to get to Mount Rushmore the same day and see the heads of presidents carved in the mountain. It was just 130 miles. We wanted to spend an evening there and then stay overnight at free campsite near Rapid City. We chose a parking near huge supermarket with all kinds of outdoor equipment. It turned out to be our very last free campsite...

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