Devil's Tower

Some Indian tribes called it Bear Logdge, or bear tipi. It's is a sacred religious site for American Indians from over twenty tribes in the Great Plains. And for that reason, at a certain point in the history, 10 years ago I think, the park wanted to respect that and prohibited any form of climbing on the monument. Climbers brand the case in court and they win because this clause prohibits the government from supporting in religious affairs.

Since then though, the park has asked rock climbers to voluntarily refrain from climbing the tower during June, a month when Indians travel there to perform sacred religious ceremonies.

I didn't know that fact; I'm happy we climbed there in July! Climbing there is a privilege, for all that history but also because this rock formation is so rare and there is nothing like that elsewhere. Climbing long lines of cracks on solid rock... love it!