Local Rescue Climbers at Devil’s Tower
By Rocky Thompson on December 31st, 2010
Budget cuts have meant that Devil’s Tower National Monument in Wyoming can’t afford to keep climbing rangers on year round. Of course, inexperienced climbers don’t stop showing up on the last day of the season. So what happens when a few kids on their winter break from college get stuck? They call in the locals…anyone who’s qualified and willing to help. Recently a crew of three spent from 10pm to 5am helping a few climbers down from about 120 feet below the summit.
When everyone was safe and beginning to warm up, Engle, Schrall and Noback spent a few minutes explaining to the inexperienced climbers where they went wrong and how they could climb safely in the future.
That’s probably not a lecture the 3 stranded climbers wanted, but at that point you just have to sit still for a few more minutes and take it.
