Rock climbers routinely conquer obstacles and they
don’t take kindly to “no.” But the conflict between rock climbers
and Native American tribes over Devils Tower in Wyoming may be
easing, thanks to a voluntary climbing ban.
The
National Park Service says 85 percent of the tower’s climbers
complied with the trial ban in June. The measure emerged from a new
management plan that addresses both the cultural and environmental
impacts of climbing the 867-foot tower (HCN, 10/3/94). More than 20
tribes claim cultural ties to the volcanic butte, and some use the
site for religious ceremonies, especially around the summer
solstice.
During the month the tower was
off-limits to climbers, eight out of nine commercial climbing
guides stayed away; climbers who showed up at the site were either
unaware of the ban or refused to comply. John Gunnels of the
Northeast Wyoming Climbing Club says as long as the ban is
voluntary, most climbers will continue to respect it. “If they ever
use the word mandatory, watch out,” he said. “They’ll be arresting
me.”
*Diane
Kelly
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Saying please at Devils Tower.
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