21-Year-Old Climber Dies in Fall From Devils Tower

For all its popularity among climbers, deaths on Devils Tower in Wyoming have been few: just seven in more than a century, per the National Park Service. That number rose from six on Sunday, when a 21-year-old rock climber died while rappelling down the second pitch of El Cracko. ABC News reports Stewart Phillip Porter of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, suffered "major injuries" in the fall, which occurred around 8pm. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Park officials say Porter's climbing partner was stranded on the tower's wall and later rescued with help from Devils Tower Lodge Climbing Guides and Buck Wild Climbing Guides. "There wasn't any equipment malfunction whatsoever, but he was rappelling," National Park Service Interpretation and Education Ranger Rick Strasser told the Casper Star-Tribune. He said the NPS believes it knows what caused the fall, but that he couldn't provide additional details now.

Park officials noted in a press release that "while climbing fatalities at Devils Tower are infrequent, it is still inherently dangerous. The majority of climbing accidents and deaths on the Tower occur during the rappel." Anchors that are present aren't maintained by the National Park Service, so climbers are advised to inspect them all. The press release adds that "many rappels require two ropes; know the distance of your planned rappel before beginning." (More National Park Service stories.)