The 1941 stunt that left a daredevil stranded atop Wyoming's Devils Tower
In short: In 1941, a parachutist landed on the summit of Devils Tower to win a bet, only to find himself completely unable to descend. This video explores the bizarre circumstances of the jump and the media frenzy that followed the stranded daredevil.
George Hopkins, a known daredevil, wagered $50—roughly $800 in today's currency—with entrepreneur Earl Brockelsby that he could successfully parachute onto the top of Devils Tower. The landmark, located in the Bear Lodge Mountains of Wyoming, had been designated the first United States National Monument by President Theodore Roosevelt on September 24, 1906.
Brockelsby, who was known for eccentric behavior such as keeping a live, likely de-fanged rattlesnake under his hat, operated a business called Reptile Gardens in Rapid City. The resulting rescue attempt for Hopkins turned into a strange media spectacle after the parachutist became hopelessly stuck on the rocky butte.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: That Time a Guy Parachuted Onto Devils Tower and Nobody Could Figure Out How to Get Him Down
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