Prisoner of the Tower, or How to spend a week in the house of the Devil

The name Wyoming derives from the Indian word "Wyoming", which translates as "the great plain". In the Western part of the state has located the Rocky mountains, but a large part of its territory is that most of the Great Plain. Among this huge Piedmont plateau, flat as a table, stands devils Tower — one of the most amazing geological formations on the planet.

A huge pillar of volcanic basalt rock, towering above the plain, have been impressing the imagination of people. The mountain, whose height is only 386 metres, difficulty climbing can compete with some of the "eight-thousanders" of the Himalayas — an almost vertical smooth walls and the wind speed at the top make the conquest of the Tower is incredibly difficult and dangerous.

The Indians call the mountain Apache Mata Tipila or "bear's House". Legend has it that the stone statue among the plains appeared in the old days, when a few girls from the tribe, escaping from the bear climbed up a small stone and asked the spirits for help.

Indian Almighty deity heed the pleas and made it so that the stone grows to the sky and saved the children from a predator. Home girl never returned, becoming a constellation of the Pleiades, and the mountain has remained standing in the middle of the Great Plains.

Later, the correct form of stone truncated cone, also having the ribbed surface, not just controversial scientists and enthusiasts. There was even a hypothesis of an extraterrestrial origin of the rock. As evidence, cited the fact that at night on the flat top of the Mats Tipila regularly see a strange glow. This hypothesis happy to exploit science fiction writers and Hollywood Directors making a mountain top landing pad for alien space ships.

Among climbers Devil's Tower has a bad reputation. The mountain is extremely difficult to climb, but even harder to leave her top. Every year to stare at the miraculous tower comes not less than 400 thousand tourists, but to conquer it are resolved one. Here are its characteristics from the American Handbook of climbing:

The first conquerors of the Devils tower climbing to the top at the end of the nineteenth century, July 4, 1893. It was a desperate cowboys Rogers and Ripley, the actions of which was watched by more than 500 of onlookers. A few years later the mountain was already 5 people, including Alice Ripley, the wife of pioneer.

In both cases, we used the wooden and rope ladder that was fixed hammered into the rock stakes and hooks. First ascent, by the way, lasted a month and was disappointed with the characters.

It was the first thing said to his wife, discouraged by the result of Rogers

Amateur map of routes to the top

First conqueror 386-meter high mountains, who climbed with the help of climbing equipment, became Jack Dyurrans. For the first time climber defeated the devils Tower in 1938, becoming the first winner of the "selfie" on top of it. His second ascent Jack had taken internally, three years later, as part of a rescue expedition.

George Hopkins before his famous jump

Rescuers had to remove the Devil's Tower extreme-parachutist who landed on the flat top and became its prisoner. George Hopkins was an experienced athlete, who had a behind hundreds of skydiving in the most difficult conditions. Trick Devils tower was one of the most risky in his career — permanent hurricane, lifting in air of ton of sand, and a small area of the pad, made the enterprise extremely dangerous.

No matter what, Hopkins set the record in 1941 and immediately became famous. But he never suspected that later events will make it even more famous. If landing at the top was the cause of the series of articles in the press and several scenes in radio news, then in seat of George at the top followed by millions of people, and not only in the United States.

Hopkins was a great jumper, but, alas, quite Nicodyne climber. Unknown to what was expected by the man, making his trick, but the idea of how to come down, he had not. Parachute in this case was useless, and the descent on the rope without proper training was a sure way to settle scores with life. On top was enough space to fit, even most light aircraft, and the wind exclude the use of helicopters, which were then low-powered and unreliable.

Somewhere in the crevices of the mountain you can find wooden stairs left by the pioneers

Several attempts were made to relieve the prisoner of the Tower, a rope ladder that you can use without special training, but they are or have been damaged in the fall on the rock or carried away by the wind before reaching the top. Down below on the helicopter to pick up George from the air, could only be jeopardised both himself, and the pilot, so this option immediately rejected.

Photo in the newspaper of 1941

Prisoner of the mountains never experienced any hardship — he was constantly dropping food, drinking water, fuel for fire, and clothes. Some companies took the opportunity, launched an advertising company around unusual events and throwing Hopkins did not need him things with the logos of brands and organizations. This bombing was not only useless, but dangerous — the wind did the trajectory of the items unpredictable and George had to show some dexterity to avoid becoming a victim of a box of tomato paste or packaging elixir mouthwash.

Meanwhile, as the days passed, and the correct way to get George to the ground, no one has offered. Hopkins gradually began to lose presence of mind and his conversations with rescuers and family were no longer full of optimism. To all the inconveniences of forced seclusion added another serious problem is the top of the mountain, populated with products that have attracted swarms of rats. For these animals the descent and ascent of Devils tower is not an impossible task and every night, George was forced to keep the defense from gray guest.

Hopkins, just to set foot on the ground, looks happy

The Committee, created specifically for the salvation Hopkins continued to seek a way out of the impasse and, fortunately for the prisoner of the mountains, to the calls of the media responded Jack Dyurrans. Conqueror Tower has not been backpacking and enjoying family life in Dortmund. After learning that the mountain was captured by humans and the whole country is unable to help him, he came to the tent city at the foot of the statue.

So this is happening today

The dyurrans, accompanied by the most experienced climbers, again rose to the top at the famous route one to him and shook his hand lost all hope Hopkins. Jumper close to a nervous and physical exhaustion because of the night of the attacks of rats, wind and dust, Packed with rescue cradle and gently returned to earth. Just Hopkins stayed in the house of the Devil 7 days, which seemed to him an eternity.