Devil's Tower or "House of the Bear": 3 incredible legends of an amazing rock (9 photos)

The first climbers - explorers who conquered this rock, before is still revered in the professional circles of American communities. Delightful in nature geological complex. This mountain the only one in Wyoming. Nearest town City of Hallett.





History of the Tower

This rock, 385 meters high, is the only one in the entire territory. Geologists say that this rock may be dormant volcano. According to their theory, on the territory of the Great Plain in the Triassic period, was the ocean. The volcano was underwater and the force of its eruption was so small that the magma could not reach the top layer of water.



For many millions of years, the water has gone, and the extinct volcano has remained under the supervision of the winds and rains. In the process of destruction, soft sedimentary the layer has moved away from the petrified magma. Erosion continues to grind away the rock, but it will take more than one million years before it all collapses.





In Indian mythology, this rock is named after the refuge bear. But due to an inexperienced translator in 1875, the name of the rock was changed by the expedition leader. The translator translated "House of the Bear", as "Evil Spirit Tower". The expedition leader decided to shorten her name and give it a more catchy name.

As a result, it turned out, the Indian name of the House of the Bear changed to Devil's Tower. The Indians twice defended the right to return the ancient name in 2005 and 2014, but the authorities denied them both times. After all, changing the name of a tourist place will lead to difficulties for travel agencies.



rock legends

There are many legends around this rock, and here are the two most popular among all:

1. The first legend tells of seven beautiful girls who disobeyed their parents and fled into the forest. Walking through the forest at night they heard growling of the beast in the dark forest and began to run. Climbing up small mountain, they together began to pray to their great spirit for salvation. And when the angry grizzly broke out into the clearing and rushed into side of the girls, then, the mountain immediately began to grow.

The bear cut the walls with its claws, and realizing that he nothing happens, he went back to the forest. Girls at the top of the tower rejoiced that they were saved. But they couldn't get down. The great spirit took them with him to heaven, where they became bright stars.



2. Another myth interprets that an evil spirit lived in the mountain, which sent strong winds and rains to the Indian settlements. Every time, as he struck the drum, the lightning struck the rock. It's incredible a natural phenomenon strikes the minds of casual eyewitnesses even in our time. Therefore, some tribes settled away from this rock. But others ancient tribes specially built their huts closer to deify and worship the incredible miracle of nature.

3. Ufology lovers could not do here either. They claimed that the top of the cliff is a take-off platform for space liners. And it attracted many well-known directors for filming their films.



“... Having run up, I’ll jump off a cliff, here I was and now I’m gone ...”

Despite the fact that the height of the Tower is only 385 meters. Few succeeded in conquering her.

At the end of the 19th century, it was planned to hold a certain "Rock Climbing Show", two farmers decide to make money by make their ascent to the Devil's Tower. Their first idea was: Throw a rope over a rock with a kite. But this the plan was a failure. The kite got stuck in one of the faults, but the farmers understand that this can be beneficial.

For six months they built a staircase hammering in cracked wooden wedges and then connected them to the boards. When work was completed one of the farmers climbed to the top and calmly descended down. When he told his wife and friend about it, he described it very simple. As if this place was no different from what he saw earlier on the tops of other rocks.



The site for the festival was located at the foot of the mountain, and The festival was dedicated to America's Independence Day. The news spread at the nearesttatam and many who wished to come to record in history the first unusual ascent of the Devil's Tower with placing the American flag on top.

About a thousand people came to watch the show. Just, one of those farmers grabbed the flag and climbed to the top in a couple of hours. He set the flag and became the first savvy person to conquer the summit no knowledge of mountaineering. The name of this daredevil is Bill Rogers. his friend and construction partner Willard Ripley. After climbing, the people of the state Wyoming has a tradition of gathering here on the 4th of July. A quarter of a century later the ladder had to be dismantled due to deaths associated with throwing yourself off a cliff. "... Having run up, I will jump from a cliff, here I was and Here I am gone..."



At the beginning of the 20th century, Jack Durance is a mountaineer who was able to climb the mountain on your own. And this is not his only achievement. A little later, George Hopkins decided to make a parachute jump on rock. But after the jump, he could not get out. About this story trumpeted all the newspapers. Mr. Durance was found by journalists and asked to help the unfortunate parachutist. Mr. Hopkins spent a week at the top, he barely survived from lack of water and food.

In our time

Visiting this natural attraction is possible all year round. Except for only one month - June. local Indians in this month, they carry out their rituals of appeasing spirits and none of the unenlightened are not allowed on the territory of the rock. In the rest of the months visit costs $5. On the way to the Devil's Tower recreation areas and stands with the history of the sights were installed.



Despite the fact that having run up the height of the cliff is 385 meters, small animals live on it and steppe plants sprout. In the distance, the rock looks like a petrified stump of an incredibly large tree.