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Devils Tower album

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Close-up of stake ladder remnant from south-southeast position on Tower Trail. Back to context image for stake ladder remnant. Image taken mid-June 2008. This image is 50% size of original.

The stake ladder was constructed in 1893 by William Rogers and Willard Ripley for the July 4th celebration. Made of pegs 24-30 inches long of native oak, ash, and willow driven into the side. The pegs were braced and secured to each other by a continuous wooden strip to which the outer end of each peg was fastened. Climbers used the ladder until 1927. For more about the stake ladder, go to the Ray Mattison's description on the National Park Service's Devils Tower website (link opens in a new window).

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Devils Tower album

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last updated: December 31, 2008