Devils Tower was the first national monument in the United States, established on September 24, 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt. The Tower is an astounding geologic feature that protrudes out of the prairie surrounding the Black Hills. The Tower itself rises 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River in Wyoming and is considered sacred by Northern Plains Indians and other indigenous people.
Many of you may remember that the Tower was featured in the 1977 Steven Spielberg blockbuster film Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) Richard Dreyfuss – Bing video
George Hopkins Takes a Bet
In the Fall of 1941, Devils Tower National Monument made headlines across the nation. A professional parachutist named George Hopkins was stuck on top of the Tower with no way down. At this time, the U.S. was preoccupied with the war that was raging in Europe and this professional parachutist had struck a wager with a friend of his. Earl Brockelsby had bet him $50 to parachute down onto the top of Devil’s Tower, and then climb down a rope to the bottom, a feat that had never been done before.
Hopkins had been entertaining the idea of attempting to set the world record for the greatest number of parachute jumps in one day. The date had been set and he was in the midst of publicizing his feat so when his friend offered up a bet to parachute onto Devils Tower he took it.
He contacted a single news reporter from the Sundance Times about his plan and promised him an exclusive if he waited until after the Devils Tower stunt to publish the story and not tell anyone.
On October 1, 1941, Hopkins planned to jump out of a plane and land on the top of the monolith, and shortly afterwards, a rope and climbing supplies would be dropped down to him. George Hopkins was successful in landing (without the consent or knowledge of National Park Service officials), on the top of Devils Tower which is relatively flat (though it curves slightly near the edges) and is roughly the size of a football field. With the hard part complete, dropping the supplies should have been easy but they landed on the edge of the Tower and fell of the edge. George Hopkins was marooned on the top of Devils Tower. That initial plan was further flawed as even if he managed to retrieve the rope, it was almost 200 feet too short. He wouldn’t have been able to reach the bottom anyway. Hopkins knew this and thought he could scramble the rest of the way but he had no training in climbing. Obviously, this was not a well-thought-out plan.
A second attempt was made to drop equipment but the weather deteriorated and the rope became snarled and frozen due to the rain and wind and was deemed unusable.
Marooned on Devils Tower
The National Park Service now had a problem to solve, and newspapers around the country ran with the story. Supplies were regularly dropped to him from a plane, such as a bullhorn, a blanket, warm clothes, and some food. At one point, he even requested whiskey, which he claimed was for “medicinal purposes.”
Rescue Attempts
The National Park Service fielded offers from the Navy to airlift Hopkins out with a helicopter, and from Goodyear who offered to fly in their signature blimp for a rescue mission, but both were deemed too dangerous. It’s hard imagine how long it would have taken the Goodyear Blimp to reach Devil’s Tower after seeing how slow those things fly.
Climbing Devils Tower is no small feat. Jack Durrance was one of the first people to ever climb the Tower a few years earlier (1938) and was deemed the most qualified to rescue Hopkins from the top. Durrance was attending Dartmouth College in New Hampshire and due to weather conditions was forced to take the train instead of fly.
Hopkins was exposed to cold, rain and 50 mph (80 km/h) winds while stranded for six days waiting for Durrance to arrive to lead mountain rescue team of seven climbers up to rescue him. Once help arrived, however, the descent was easy and uneventful.
Aftermath
What happened to the bet? After being stuck on top, Hopkins did not forget. “I had my hand out fishin’ for the dough when I hit the ground,” George Hopkins said. “Earl paid off.”
The marooned parachutist and the rescue operations attracted many spectators during the six days he was stranded. Approximately 7,000 visitors came to the monument to witness events first-hand.
In addition to newspaper reports, many papers ran political cartoons featuring the incident. Many people felt that the media has a misplaced priority. The Chicago Tribune published a cartoon that contrasted the trivialness of the media storm of Hopkins’ stunt with the war raging in Europe.
What Happened to George Hopkins
During the war effort, Hopkins joined the US Army and taught paratroopers in China and Russia. It is believed he set his world record as he taught other young men to safely jump and land using a parachute. He also staged airshows for charity.
Twenty-six years after being stranded atop Devils Tower, Hopkins returned to visit with his family in 1967.
How to Visit
Devils Tower National Monument is located in northeastern Wyoming.
The park is very small but it gets very busy especially in the summer months. Parking is limited and is often full from 10 am to 3 pm so get there early. The Visitors Center is open spring through fall (closed in the winter). Check the National Park Service website for the latest conditions. Devils Tower National Monument (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Devils Tower can be visited on a day trip from Rapid City, SD or as part of a longer trip including both Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone National Park. Complete Guide to Devils Tower: How to Plan Your Visit – Earth Trekkers
Sources
That Time a Guy Parachuted Onto Devils Tower | Mental Floss
Parachutist George Hopkins – Devils Tower National Monument (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)