Ollie The Otter Visits Devils Tower in The Black Hills of Wyoming!!

Well, dear readers, "Ollie the Outlaw" managed to escape from the Black Hills Mining Museum. 

From here, Ollie and the group headed to see Devils Tower.

Devils Tower is a volcanic neck located in the Black Hills near Hulett and Sundance in northeastern Wyoming, above the Belle Fourche River.  It is a dramatic 1,267 feet above the surrounding terrain and the summit is 5,112 feet  above sea level.




Devils Tower appeared in Steven Spielberg's movie, Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

So, how did Devils Tower form?  Geologists agree that Devils Tower was formed by the intrusion of igneous material.  However, they can't agree how exactly this took place.

 Of course, this being in an area rich in American Indian history, there is also folklore about how Devils Tower formed.

American Indian legends tell of six Lakota Sioux girls who were picking flowers when they were chased  by bears. Feeling sorry for them, the Great Spirit raised the ground beneath the girls. The bears tried to climb the rock, but fell off, leaving their scratch marks on the sides.  There are many other stories like this one that vary depending on the tribe.

The Tower is sacred to several Native American Plains tribes, including the Lakota Sioux, Cheyenne and Kiowa. Because of this, many Indian leaders objected to climbers ascending the monument, considering this to be a desecration. The climbers argued that they had a right to climb the Tower, since it is on federal land. A compromise was eventually reached with a voluntary climbing ban during the month of June when the tribes are conducting ceremonies around the monument. Climbers are asked, but not required, to stay off the Tower in June.

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Ollie Was Excited at the Sight of Snow!

Isn't He a Cute Otter!?!?

Ollie Wanted to Have His Picture Taken With Devils Tower!

Ollie Showing the Others That They Need to Stay on the Trails!  Such a Good Otter!

Ollie and his group of travelers had a great time today.  Ollie was scared that he might see a snake at Devils Tower, but alas, he didn't and he was relieved....he hates snakes!

Check back to see where Ollie heads to next, dear readers.

And That's What Sarah Says!!!