ACCIDENTS
The treacherous Devil’s Tower claims its seventh victim
A 21-year-old climber died while attempting to descend the spectacular Devils Tower national monument in Wyoming via its most difficult route.
A tragic accident at Devils Tower has resulted in the death of a young climber, bringing the total death toll to seven in the more than 100 years of history of this natural monument.
The latest victim has been named as Stewart Phillip Porter, a 21-year-old originally from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, who died while descending the rock formation. It is reported that he fell from the crag at around 8:00 a.m. on last Sunday while descending one of its most iconic and dangerous routes: El Cracko Diablo.
Stranded climbing partner rescued
Porter and his climbing partner were descending the second section of the route when, according to reports from the National Park Service (NPS), the young man suffered a fall, causing serious injuries. An emergency response team arrived at 8:40 a.m., but Porter was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
Porter’s partner became trapped on the Tower wall and was later rescued thanks to the combined efforts of climbing guides from Devils Tower Lodge, Buck Wild Climbing Guides, Hulett EMS and NPS staff.
The incident has once again highlighted the inherent risks of climbing Devils Tower. Although park officials stress that accidents are rare, extra precautions when rappelling (descending) are essential. “We don’t know exactly what happened,” said park superintendent Doug Crossen, who confirmed the case is under investigation.
National Park Service advice for climbers
Devils Tower, a monolith rising 1,280 feet above the plains of Wyoming, has been a popular climbing destination since the early 20th century. Since the first ascent in 1893, between 5,000 and 6,000 climbers attempt to scale the tower each year. However, despite its popularity, serious accidents are rare. Only seven deaths have been recorded in the past 100 years, the previous one in 2017. On that occasion, a Wyoming lawyer died after falling while climbing.
Park officials continue to urge climbers to take extreme caution, especially during descents, to minimize risks and prevent further tragedies at Devil’s Tower. Climbers are advised to always check the local weather forecast before climbing, to observe changing weather conditions and to consult multiple sources for information on routes and what kind of technical rock climbing equipment will be required.
The majority of climbing accidents and deaths on Devils Tower have occurred while climbers are descending on a rope that is attached to an anchor at the top. Anchors are not maintained by the National Park Service and should be carefully inspected before use. Many rappels require two ropes. It is advised to calculate the distance of the planned rappel before beginning the descent.