We took a guided hike around Devil's Tower this morning. Way Cool!

*note* added 12/27/06 a Google place marker

Here was our guide, Chris, who is a Lakota Sioux Indian. He is also part Cheyenne, Italian and Irish! He told us lots of stories surrounding Devil's Tower, or Bear Lodge as the Lakota call it. They have no word for Devil.



Devil's Tower is a major symbol of Wyoming by the way - even more than Yellowstone!


It truly is magnificent. And we had such a gorgeous blue sky to offset it this morning.


This place is considered sacred to at least 7 Indian tribes. Here's Chris trying to absorb some of the spirit of the stone:


Legend has it that 7 girls were playing near here one day when a giant bear appeared. The girls prayed to the earth to save them. The earth responded by raising them up beyond the reach of the bear. The earth just kept rising as the bear clawed his way to try to reach the girls. The bear's claws created the columns we see today and the girls reached the sky and became the star system know as the Pleiades or the 7 sisters.



When we got back 'home' we had a relaxing afternoon, basking in the power of this monolith. Gaze at our majestic dog!



Some stormy weather moved in late in the afternoon and cancelled the Lakota storyteller we were hoping to hear tonight. But, I found this website with lots of Lakota stories as well as other tribes. And the storm was beautiful too.


I really like this place. I could stay for a few more days. But, we gotta get going. Talk to you later.

Labels: travel, wyoming