Rock climbing is a favorite activitiy at Devil's Tower.  People come from all over the world to climb up this massive rock.  Among people who climb regularly it is a major accomplishment to have climbed Devil's Tower.  Lately, however, the rock climbers and the Native Americans who have religious ties to the tower have been in conflict with each other.  The Native Americans who hold cerimonies at the tower say that the climbers disturb their religious practices and harm the tower's spiritual quality.  The climbers say that it is their right to climb the tower, especially since it is such an important climbing site.    Another argument against climbing at Devil's Tower is that it harms the tower's enviroment.  The activities of the numerous climbers on the tower during the spring through fall climbing season have affected nesting raptors, soil, vegetation, the stability of the rock, the area's natural quiet, and the rock's physical appearance.

The National Park service put together a plan to ban climbing at the tower during the month of June, when many Native American religious cerimonies are held. Some climbers, especially those that make their living helping others climb Devil's Tower, felt that this was unfair. These climbers took their complaint to court and the judge agreed with them. The judge said that if the National Park Service banned climbing because it interfered with religious practices it would go against the law that says there has to be a seperation between church and state. The judge did say that it was all right for the Park Service to ask that people voluntarily not climb in June. It was also agreed that no new bolts (hinges mounted into the rock to help climbers) or other permanent climbing equipment will be allowed to be put into the rock to protect the tower's stability and appearance. Since this request was made climbing at the tower has gone down 85 percent. There is still conflict, however, between the Native Americans who practice their religion at the tower and those who continue to climb in June.

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In groups of four, review the web sites above for information and arguments on both sides of the issue. Also, go find other websites related to this important issue. While reviewing the evidence take notes on what seem to be the most important issues to your group.

Once you have decided on the most important parts of this controversy, start coming up with possible solutions. Don't worry about finding a perfect solution right away. Come up with as many solutions as you can in your group.

Next, start to narrow them down into a solution that will cover what your group decided were the most important issues and will be the most fair to those involved. You can combine several different solutions into one or take parts of one solution out to better suit your goal. Do what you have to do to get the best solution for your group.

Some plans that have been concidered in the past were:

• No limits on the climbing all year and unlimited bolting in the rock's surface;

• Slowly phasing in the voluntary shut down of climbing in June over a period of three years, and only regulated new bolting;

• Voluntary shut down of climbing in June and no new bolting (this is the plan they have now);

• Mandatory shut down in June and no new bolting; and

• Immediately closing the tower to all climbing year round and the removal of all bolts.