The Devil Made Me Do It!

by Tom Lester

Being a climber and a science fiction nut, Devils Tower has always held my fascination. In "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" aliens used the tower as the first contact point for earth. The Indians regard the tower as sacred ground. Once you see it, it's easy to see why. The "Tower" is a solidified core. The volcanic debris cone that once held it has long ago eroded away leaving an impressive collection of hexagonal columns of smooth rock. At 660 ft tall, it is a major attraction to climbers. It is located in eastern Wyoming, just over the border from Custer State National Park in South Dakota.

A few years ago, a small group went out west and climbed in the region, with the finale being a climb of the Tower. That climb has been the most impressive I have done. Durrance Crack is a 5.7 difficulty rating with a moderate start, but some challenging chimney and crack pitches. The warm up climbs are done in the Needles area of Custer State Park. This area itself has an impressive array of climbing areas including Sylvan Lake.

There are many single and 2 pitch routes, trad as well as aid. One route even tempted Ron Hartung to lead sport route. Ron's comment on sport climbing, 'It is neither".

This summer COP will hopefully be offering a return trip to the Tower and Sylvan Lake. In mid-July we will travel back to Custer. Several days of climbing in the Black Hills including Sylvan Lake and the Needles area are planned. Route selection will depend on participants and ability. (Experienced lead climbers VERY welcome to join.) Side trips to Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Mountain will provide entertainment on days of rest. I will also be meeting a group of crazy horse riders from Ohio on occasion (my wife and some friends) that will be riding horses in the Black Hills. If you are interested in joining this excursion, contact me, or come to one of our wall sessions.

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