I am 75 years old and a mature woman and I love what you are doing! I'm living vicariously through your eyes as you explore all there is to see in your adventures. Good for you!❤❤
Me too! 89 and doing the same. Love history and starting to love geology. Live in a quiet, green, cool part of England, UK. Warms me up all sand and sun.
The Anasazi people's developed the first know example of vacuum sealing food. They constructed stone and mortar masonry graneries for storage of corn. They would stock pile corn into the granary through a hole then light a fire on granary floor and quickly sealed the access hole with adobe mud. When fire exhausted the oxygen fire would go out thus sealing off the corn in a sort of vacuum chamber. This also kept the rodents out as well.
Wow, super cool. I know they would seal them, but wasn’t aware of the fire sucking out oxygen. Makes a ton of sense though. Do you have any scholarly articles about that?
One note: the Anasazi (“A Na Sa Ze” - People From the South) were the people the Cliff Dwellers were defending against. The cliff people also named the Navajo: “A Na Ba Ho”: People From the East.
@@SchoolforHackersSo "Anasazi" is a Dine' (Navajo) term that roughly translated means "Ancient Enemy". Larry Dean Olson is the author with research on cliff dweller granary info I posted earlier.
Thank you for pointing out they were not there for the view. In the 13th century the Southwest dried considerably. It was marginal at best but through ingenious irrigation and crop management the population thrived. When it got dryer it seemed a breakdown of their culture occurred. Then the arrival of the Athabaskan speaking tribes from the north put even more stress on the native population. They went from a thriving, creative civilization to holding out in cliff dwellings in one or two generations. It would be wise to heed the warning of what happened to them, we are no less vulnerable with 8 BILLION people on the earth. Keep up your adventures, those of us who cannot do what you do vicariously can experience visiting those sights through you. Thanks again
When we cover the cliff dwellers in my Western Civ course, I tell my students to watch these videos. Gives them a better idea of what it was like than they'd get from just seeing photos of Mesa Verde... Thanks!
The Anasazi were recently found to be cannibals. It is thought that they used the technique as a power move to instill fear in their enemies. It's thought that the cultural manipulation technique came up from central Mexico. Under that lens, it begins to make sense that you would need ledged up and impossible to reach safe places to rest and to hide food.
When I was a kid (age 10-20) I lived in an area like this near El Paso, Texas. My favorite thing to do (when I could) was explore places like this. My favorite family trip happened when we went to Big Bend and literally walked across the Rio Grande there and up a canyon that looked like it reached up to the sun. Now I'm appreciatively older (78), and just the thought of doing anything like that again tires me out. But, Oh, how I'd still love to do it. Side note: I'm amazed at how many people I know who refuse to even venture away from the town/city in which they live--and what they miss by not doing so.
Haha, thanks for the comment Karl. I’ve been anti-drone for a long time, although I admit I’m softening to them. I certainly see their uses, but I hate the sound of them when I’m in the wilderness.
Who knows “Desert Drifter” you might have been the one who lived during this time and built a lot of these structures, maybe that’s why you’re so good at spotting them from so far away!! Love your channel!!
@@Desert.Drifter I lived in Northern Ariz, we didn't go looking for these things it was taboo. My grandmother told us that ppl back then hid from the Mexicans bcz they come and raid, steal woman n young girls, they had to climb to hide what they had.
Fascinating isn’t it. Man lived in caves and utilised them for storage too for a long time before they started to build houses,towns etc.Some nice finds up there,I am glad you leave them there too 🥰
Some cool research is going through the Spanish archives although only a portion is digital now. But in my mining days I found there is a lot of history with mining and the Spanish actually had been in South America and all the way to Canada mining. There are some recorded sad stories of how they used natives to mine and pushed them into very harsh lands to survive. The dates I ran across go as far back as the 1100s in North America. Strange that it is taught that Columbus was the one who gets credit, but we also have the French who claimed half of North america before columbus, which we purchased that from the French and the Spanish who claimed a large portion of the rest. America unearthed is fun to watch too. But old mining books and lost mines are also great to read about the true history and how tribes lived, mined, and revolted that made clusters last stand look like a small battle compared to others. The natives were survivors indeed.
I used to the same thing as you are doing but used a mule for transportation you can cover so many more miles and still have energy to climb. You do a good job sharing
Thanks for showing scale, Cause it's hard to determine from the video. My family And I used to backpack the high Sierra's in the 70s And 80s. But these desert landscapes are incredibly amazing. Thank you so much for sharing.
I think some of these were safe houses, and trail lodging for those that knew their whereabouts, and the routes required to access them. A good (safe) night sleep, would go a long way, for the ancient traveler.
Be careful out there. Remember that the ancients did also use supporting structures such as wooden ladders to ease these difficult terrains. The fact you're doing it without those just makes it even more impressive!
If I were there, I'd be thinking too. These structures belonged to my mothers people. Judging by the area, the place where you were sitting was likely where they slept. And the place up the face of the cliff was probably where they stored the food and supplies.
I’m delighted to have stumbled across your channel here in Dublin Ireland ! I love your energy and gentle way of moving through nature ,thank you so much for sharing your adventures with the world ! It’s so interesting and fascinating to hear about indigenous culture and imagining what life was like in those times ,I love your respect for the artefacts you find ! I’ve watched a member of your videos since I stumbled across you yesterday ! I’ve subscribed and look forward to looking through your page and what you have to share with us in the future ! Thank you
@ObamAmerican48 - I agree! Otherwise, instead of pictographs, we'd find etchings saying Mike was here (or similar) or, worse, so much of this "lost" to vandalism. After all, a stone is just a stone, right?
Hey Andrew, watching our walk through an episode called, What's IS This, so great to see what you found. The steps all the way up is wild. Just letting you know I'm still walking with you in spirit. But just be carefull. Love every minute! Grammy Kate, stuck. In Texas😅
You are really good at educating those of us who will never have the courage or ability. Your narratives are the best of all .plainly said your great.at what you do. Your lovely wife makes your team special.keep up the interesting and educationl.shows.Your voice adds some extra authenticity to your wor mmmk. Love it Thank you ..
We are in Cibola county,.. 40 miles southwest of Chaco Canyon, We look forward to traveling out your way, but in the next 5 years... after we are finished with our local areas, which maybe too many! Enjoy, and we look forward to your next adventure!@@Desert.Drifter
Not only are the historical aspects amazing but also the geography and geology. To realize that those "rocks" were laid down millions of years ago as part of an ancient sea is mindboggling. Add to that the realization that people actually lived here, surviving on whatever nature provided. How overpowering is the imagery when one realizes that, for all of our technology today, we have no (or limited) capability to replicate any of this. It humbles one when we keep in mind how we complain when a local grocery store doesn't have the cereal we want, the cut of meat we need, or even a particular fruit we like. We are truly spoiled. I would venture a guess that 99% of the population today wouldn't know what to do if they woke up tomorrow and the world as we know it was gone!
You are so cool and calm. Me I would be doing a happy dance on your finds especially the last amazing one. Thanks for sharing your adventures. Love the only adventure open to me at this time in my life.❤❤❤
It is great that you do this exploration. Do as much as you can while young. You get old and you can't do the hiking so goog any longer. I have had the experience of placeing my hand in a hand print on a cliff dwelling. I felt an instant connection to the person who left that print in the mud on that wall. A memory that i hold dear.
Interesting, when you first showed the structures after climbing to them that one on the right was so beautifully curved. So amazing and beautiful to observed it so well preserved and intact.
Spiderman, spiderman, do whatever spiderman did!! 😃 Don't you sometimes wish you had the ability to just stick to the stone walls and climb up?! Man oh man. I really wanted to see those. 😐 Keep on hiking for us please. 💕
So fascinating! You made it up quite high. I'm glad you know your limits and stay safe. I absolutely love your videos. A peek into life before us. Love it.
I've been watching you again. My dogs tripped me up and I'm back laying back in bed with a fractured pelvis. So I'm right with you again on a regular basis. Thanks Andrew for another great hike.❤ Grammy Kate in Texas 👍😂
@Kate I'm doing the same. 11 vertebrae compression fractures. Until I was 62 yo, my back was not as big as a problem. Never considered my back breaking, just muscles or tendons. To repair the fractured vertebrae I've had 9 Kyphoplasty, one after another. You wouldn't believe all the things that have happened. It's been over a year now and still needing another Kyphoplasty. Thank goodness for Andrew and his friends.
So did you free climb up there? Beautiful ruins and so compelling; would love to learn more about the Cliff dwellers. Keep up the great videos. Such a pleasure to watch you explore.
This is such beautiful natural landscape, it looks like a painting, the colors, shades, and its abundance. Just absolutely pristine and perfect. It inspires me to prep a canvas.
Really loving your videos and seeing how some ancient peoples lived. I wonder how much that landscape changes in 800-1200 years. Would love to see them in person, but at 73 I think my time is passed. Maybe my grandkids!
Love your exploring, and as a true archaeologist you have the proper educate to show us all. Always when I would have seen these canyons I would wonder about the cliffs, and now here you are exploring what I've always wondered about. Thank You!
There is no other place I would rather be than hiking in the desert. Hiking and camping in the desert is what I do several times during the year, it's where you'll find me somewhere in the various deserts of the SW... It's my Disneyland! I live in Oregon, which has a lot going for it, (mostly rain!) but for me, nothing compares with the hot, dry desert, so in the meantime, your videos will do just fine, thank you!@@Desert.Drifter
Love it! I know what you mean about the mystique of the desert. I have family in norther Washington, and although its stunning when its sunny (the Cascades), I could never do all the rain. I hope you can make it down here soon, thanks for watching
I did enjoy the video. I was raised in southwest Texas down the rio grande from big bend park and I explored Native American caves for most of my youth. I’m 68 now and I’ve never seen anything like what you are seeing. Very cool. Rattle snakes were always present and a danger. I wondered about your encounters.
I said before on one of the other channels the real mystery is who or what was the enemy that compelled them to build in such places,, and you are the only person I ve seen to touch on that very subject so far...love your style..
Thanks for the video Mr. Desert Drifter. Congratulations on getting to 1K subscribers 6 days after starting the channel. I hope that you have plenty more locations to explore. I'm looking forward to a video that tells me a little bit of background information about you Mr. Drifter.
Discovered your site and just love it. You are so calm and knowledgeable. But I get scared for you sometimes when you climb those cliffs . Very interesting content.
Man love watching your adventures because you take .e places I'll never get to visit because I'm disabled and can't make those hikes , wish I could because I love adventures. Kyle
Cool finds on this adventure. We viewers are happy you were able to climb up to the window and wall areas. I find going back down is always more frightening for me. I hope you're able to stay safe descending so we can continue to see the fascinating things.
Stop it Dan. I'm 67 as well and will definitely be going back to the desert before I die. Perhaps not scaling steep cliffs, but I feel it in me that I have to be there. So I will.
Not sure if I’m seeing things or what, but pause it at 4:37 and look up to the right of the screen. What is that? It doesn’t look like a rock, it looks light blue and is casting a shadow. Do you see it?
I follow a man that makes reproductions of old pottery styles. He posted a video that you might find informative. I thought I’d let you know as I learned more about the history of the different styles and colors of pottery and where it originated. The UA-cam site is Andy Ward’s ancient pottery. The episode is a history lesson and it’s called What Is Solado Pottery? A Short Documentary About Ancient Arizona. He talks about the different colors, styles and peoples who made them.
I figure during occupation there was a coating of mud on the bricks which made them indistinguishable from the cliffs that surro7nd them, another defensive characteristic.
Its just amazing how high up they went to build their structures. I am guessing they used rope type devices to tie themselves up on those cliffs when they were building up there. But, I cant help but wonder how many lost their lives with just one small misstep. What a life these ancient people lived. Everything they did and accomplished was 100% by hand. This is another great video and thank you. Be sure you always let your family know where you are, just in case they need to come find you...and be careful!! I'm a mom and grandma and climbing vertical rock was not comfortable for me even back in my youth! I grew up climbing to the tops of trees but not sheer cliffs!! And I have had my share of falls from just some low bluff areas as I grew up in the Ozark mountains of Arkansas. It can be pretty ouchy!!
I asked in a comment on another of your video pages, what about the idea that 800 to 1,200 years ago the canyon floor wasn't so far away? After all the time that has passed and all the weather events like huge rains and flash flood or melting snow and steady water runoff from the flat land above the dwellings, maybe the floor from then up to now was lowered by dirt, rocks, and vegitation being washed out. It seems hard to understand why anyone would risk the falls - especially if they had children or elderly people living with them. Or maybe I just wouldn't have survived for very long! @@Desert.Drifter
@@jorgejiminez-rk1uu Thank you for the reasonable answer. I was just thinking out loud about how nature changes in places over time and wondering if this canyon had a creek bed running down one side and a slope, with trees, at one time that maybe along with a few "helpful rock walls and logs" people could have directed the water away from where the dwellings were. If there had been a wooded slope up closer to the dwellings maybe trees help hide them - until the slope and all the trees were washed out, then some lower entries would be more elderly and kid friendly as far as accidental cliff diving goes. I don't know how many people lived long enough to get very old and a slope would be harder to defend than a sheer cliff. But, like I said I was just thinking about it while ignoring a "honey-do" list.
Just found you today and already a huge fan! Great camera work and one-handed climbing skills with narrations that show great ethics without being condescending. Bravo! I scrambled around a lot of those areas for much of my life but I now live in the Maya lands of the Yucatan Peninsula. One thing I noticed, but not really great examples, around min. 3:30, I once read that when you find pieces of flint with a semi-circular notch about the size if an arrow shaft, they may have been used to scrape off bumps and knots and create a more uniform diameter. Cheers.
Hey man- yet another great find! One day I will come and hike with in that amazing terrain… and perhaps you can do the same with me down here in the Southern Cape, South Africa. Crazy how similar the waste finds are; pottery, stone tools, the waste from making them and the manuports they left behind. Stay safe. Bevan
The tree in front of the crack that you see at about 1:55 is likely a remnant for an original tree planted to hide the base of the crack as the crack was likely passable by smaller bodied humans but of course not passable to giants and would have taken you to that one 'building' and possibly all of the other buildings on that level. If these are merely granaries or secondary hiding places, the home buildings should probably be within maybe a half mile to a mile at most.
Have you ever encountered rattlesnakes or scorpians out there? Seeing you going through brush and climbing rocks gives me the eebie jeebies.. lol! Love your videos and am enjoying all the history.
Were these folks superhuman ? They must have been very fit and mostly young. Perhaps they utilized ladders which could be withdrawn at a moment’s notice, of which nothing remains. Did they have ropes ? Their desperate diets must have been incredibly frugal. What terrible fear drove them to these heights ? Astonishing !
This is my first time watching your channel and I enjoyed your delivery and your content and I'm a new subscriber and look forward to watching whatever I've missed up to this point. Adventure on.
I can understand the granaries and storage being built up on the side of the cliff, but it seems you would only build dwellings up there to escape danger and the most dangerous thing then, as now, was other human beings.
Please be careful. You share your explorations with so many people like me who live vicariously through your adventures. The only thing missing is the hot smell of dry earth and grasses
I just finished watching all of you videos, truly fascinating, thank you! I traveled to Southern Utah about 35 years ago and actually found similar ruins, seemingly in the middle of no where. I still talk about that trip all the time and would love to go back. I live in Michigan though, so it's hard to get out there. It's been really fun revisiting through your videos and I respect you for how careful you are not to disturb or damage anything. Safe travels and keep exploring.
Good thing you didn't go sticking your hands through that window @ 5:17 because that is a black widow web. Stay safe and keep up with these awesome videos dude!!!!!
I am 75 years old and a mature woman and I love what you are doing! I'm living vicariously through your eyes as you explore all there is to see in your adventures. Good for you!❤❤
Me too! 89 and doing the same. Love history and starting to love geology. Live in a quiet, green, cool part of England, UK. Warms me up all sand and sun.
Exactly. 👍
75 years old AND a mature woman? Can you be 75 and not mature? :P
The Anasazi people's developed the first know example of vacuum sealing food. They constructed stone and mortar masonry graneries for storage of corn. They would stock pile corn into the granary through a hole then light a fire on granary floor and quickly sealed the access hole with adobe mud. When fire exhausted the oxygen fire would go out thus sealing off the corn in a sort of vacuum chamber. This also kept the rodents out as well.
Wow, super cool. I know they would seal them, but wasn’t aware of the fire sucking out oxygen. Makes a ton of sense though. Do you have any scholarly articles about that?
@@Desert.DrifterPiles of charcoal and burnt wood have been found in a few corn storage structures. Can't recall the book title that I read.
love that, I gotta look into it more@@williamkuhns2387
One note: the Anasazi (“A Na Sa Ze” - People From the South) were the people the Cliff Dwellers were defending against. The cliff people also named the Navajo: “A Na Ba Ho”: People From the East.
@@SchoolforHackersSo "Anasazi" is a Dine' (Navajo) term that roughly translated means "Ancient Enemy". Larry Dean Olson is the author with research on cliff dweller granary info I posted earlier.
I love taking these journeys with you. I'm a disabled veteran who can no longer go on hikes. So I really appreciate you letting me tag along.
Thank you for your service Charles. I'm not a Vet but I'm permanently bedridden. Yeah I like these vids too.
Thank you for pointing out they were not there for the view. In the 13th century the Southwest dried considerably. It was marginal at best but through ingenious irrigation and crop management the population thrived. When it got dryer it seemed a breakdown of their culture occurred. Then the arrival of the Athabaskan speaking tribes from the north put even more stress on the native population. They went from a thriving, creative civilization to holding out in cliff dwellings in one or two generations. It would be wise to heed the warning of what happened to them, we are no less vulnerable with 8 BILLION people on the earth. Keep up your adventures, those of us who cannot do what you do vicariously can experience visiting those sights through you. Thanks again
When we cover the cliff dwellers in my Western Civ course, I tell my students to watch these videos. Gives them a better idea of what it was like than they'd get from just seeing photos of Mesa Verde... Thanks!
The Anasazi were recently found to be cannibals. It is thought that they used the technique as a power move to instill fear in their enemies. It's thought that the cultural manipulation technique came up from central Mexico. Under that lens, it begins to make sense that you would need ledged up and impossible to reach safe places to rest and to hide food.
When I was a kid (age 10-20) I lived in an area like this near El Paso, Texas. My favorite thing to do (when I could) was explore places like this. My favorite family trip happened when we went to Big Bend and literally walked across the Rio Grande there and up a canyon that looked like it reached up to the sun. Now I'm appreciatively older (78), and just the thought of doing anything like that again tires me out. But, Oh, how I'd still love to do it. Side note: I'm amazed at how many people I know who refuse to even venture away from the town/city in which they live--and what they miss by not doing so.
It’s drone time! Don’t get crazy and chance it. Send up a drone and check out the sights you can’t get to.
Haha, thanks for the comment Karl. I’ve been anti-drone for a long time, although I admit I’m softening to them. I certainly see their uses, but I hate the sound of them when I’m in the wilderness.
Time to get a quiet drone
Good point! Is there such a thing?@@Tkidddd
They can seem intrusive but you only have to use them (if you want) for a few minutes then the silence will be even sweeter! Optimist I know
@@Desert.Drifter The sound is awful, but a 20min flight saves a lot of legwork. There are 1400min in a day after all. 20min isn't THAT bad.
Who knows “Desert Drifter” you might have been the one who lived during this time and built a lot of these structures, maybe that’s why you’re so good at spotting them from so far away!! Love your channel!!
Haha thank you
@@Desert.Drifter I lived in Northern Ariz, we didn't go looking for these things it was taboo. My grandmother told us that ppl back then hid from the Mexicans bcz they come and raid, steal woman n young girls, they had to climb to hide what they had.
Fascinating isn’t it. Man lived in caves and utilised them for storage too for a long time before they started to build houses,towns etc.Some nice finds up there,I am glad you leave them there too 🥰
Some cool research is going through the Spanish archives although only a portion is digital now. But in my mining days I found there is a lot of history with mining and the Spanish actually had been in South America and all the way to Canada mining. There are some recorded sad stories of how they used natives to mine and pushed them into very harsh lands to survive. The dates I ran across go as far back as the 1100s in North America.
Strange that it is taught that Columbus was the one who gets credit, but we also have the French who claimed half of North america before columbus, which we purchased that from the French and the Spanish who claimed a large portion of the rest. America unearthed is fun to watch too. But old mining books and lost mines are also great to read about the true history and how tribes lived, mined, and revolted that made clusters last stand look like a small battle compared to others.
The natives were survivors indeed.
I used to the same thing as you are doing but used a mule for transportation you can cover so many more miles and still have energy to climb. You do a good job sharing
Fascinating! ❤ Thank you for sharing and always leaving the pottery 😍
Thanks for showing scale, Cause it's hard to determine from the video. My family And I used to backpack the high Sierra's in the 70s And 80s. But these desert landscapes are incredibly amazing. Thank you so much for sharing.
They had soft rope ladders , coming down from the top, rope , baskets and such
I think although it was frustrating for you, you made the right decision to not risk climbing. Thank you for sharing. xx
I think some of these were safe houses, and trail lodging for those that knew their whereabouts, and the routes required to access them. A good (safe) night sleep, would go a long way, for the ancient traveler.
Be careful out there. Remember that the ancients did also use supporting structures such as wooden ladders to ease these difficult terrains. The fact you're doing it without those just makes it even more impressive!
Well said John. They weren’t superhuman and neither am I lol. Gotta always remember that
@@Desert.Drifter being human is super!!!! -Sadhguru-
If I were there, I'd be thinking too. These structures belonged to my mothers people. Judging by the area, the place where you were sitting was likely where they slept. And the place up the face of the cliff was probably where they stored the food and supplies.
Thanks for watching and commenting Carlos. I hope you tune in for more and share your insights
Are the spiders in that granary likely to be dangerous?
I’m delighted to have stumbled across your channel here in Dublin Ireland !
I love your energy and gentle way of moving through nature ,thank you so much for sharing your adventures with the world ! It’s so interesting and fascinating to hear about indigenous culture and imagining what life was like in those times ,I love your respect for the artefacts you find !
I’ve watched a member of your videos since I stumbled across you yesterday !
I’ve subscribed and look forward to looking through your page and what you have to share with us in the future !
Thank you
Glad you found the channel! Thanks for watching
I'm so glad these areas are so remote. I'm humbled by the respect you have for the Ancients.
@ObamAmerican48 - I agree! Otherwise, instead of pictographs, we'd find etchings saying Mike was here (or similar) or, worse, so much of this "lost" to vandalism. After all, a stone is just a stone, right?
Thanks for sharing the mysteries in a respectful and careful manner.
Hey Andrew, watching our walk through an episode called, What's IS This, so great to see what you found. The steps all the way up is wild. Just letting you know I'm still walking with you in spirit. But just be carefull. Love every minute! Grammy Kate, stuck. In Texas😅
Hey Grammy Kate, great to see you still tuning in on here!
Great eye seeing that window
Love your curiosity, generosity & hella mad sw region skills
Skills❤
You are really good at educating those of us who will never have the courage or ability. Your narratives are the best of all .plainly said your great.at what you do. Your lovely wife makes your team special.keep up the interesting and educationl.shows.Your voice adds some extra authenticity to your wor mmmk. Love it
Thank you ..
Thanks for taking us along.
The scenery is beautiful and your voice is so relaxing to listen to!
Thank you! Sometimes I worry my voice is boring, but atleast one person doesn’t think so 😂
@@Desert.Drifteryour deliberate and measured narrating is tops 👍
This is my new favorite Channel! I want to go to these places!!! Great videos, Sir!
Thanks Mark, what part of the country are you located in?
We are in Cibola county,.. 40 miles southwest of Chaco Canyon, We look forward to traveling out your way, but in the next 5 years... after we are finished with our local areas, which maybe too many! Enjoy, and we look forward to your next adventure!@@Desert.Drifter
That's great. I know what you mean when you say there may be too many local sites. I feel that way too, there's just so many places you could go!
Thank you for all your effort and time to video such historical facts.
Not only are the historical aspects amazing but also the geography and geology. To realize that those "rocks" were laid down millions of years ago as part of an ancient sea is mindboggling. Add to that the realization that people actually lived here, surviving on whatever nature provided. How overpowering is the imagery when one realizes that, for all of our technology today, we have no (or limited) capability to replicate any of this. It humbles one when we keep in mind how we complain when a local grocery store doesn't have the cereal we want, the cut of meat we need, or even a particular fruit we like. We are truly spoiled. I would venture a guess that 99% of the population today wouldn't know what to do if they woke up tomorrow and the world as we know it was gone!
You are so cool and calm. Me I would be doing a happy dance on your finds especially the last amazing one. Thanks for sharing your adventures. Love the only adventure open to me at this time in my life.❤❤❤
It is great that you do this exploration. Do as much as you can while young. You get old and you can't do the hiking so goog any longer. I have had the experience of placeing my hand in a hand print on a cliff dwelling. I felt an instant connection to the person who left that print in the mud on that wall. A memory that i hold dear.
It's one thing climbing up there but I always wonder how you get back down again! Amazing!
That you for doing the death defying things to show us these amazing structures. I definitely can't do that anymore. I'm too old.
I enjoyed this episode very much! Thanks for taking us along!
Interesting, when you first showed the structures after climbing to them that one on the right was so beautifully curved. So amazing and beautiful to observed it so well preserved and intact.
Thank you. I always love watching your adventures
Spiderman, spiderman, do whatever spiderman did!! 😃
Don't you sometimes wish you had the ability to just stick to the stone walls and climb up?! Man oh man. I really wanted to see those. 😐 Keep on hiking for us please. 💕
So fascinating! You made it up quite high. I'm glad you know your limits and stay safe. I absolutely love your videos. A peek into life before us. Love it.
I've been watching you again. My dogs tripped me up and I'm back laying back in bed with a fractured pelvis. So I'm right with you again on a regular basis. Thanks Andrew for another great hike.❤ Grammy Kate in Texas 👍😂
@Kate I'm doing the same. 11 vertebrae compression fractures. Until I was 62 yo, my back was not as big as a problem.
Never considered my back breaking, just muscles or tendons. To repair the fractured vertebrae I've had 9 Kyphoplasty, one after another. You wouldn't believe all the things that have happened. It's been over a year now and still needing another Kyphoplasty. Thank goodness for Andrew and his friends.
So did you free climb up there? Beautiful ruins and so compelling; would love to learn more about the Cliff dwellers. Keep up the great videos. Such a pleasure to watch you explore.
This is such beautiful natural landscape, it looks like a painting, the colors, shades, and its abundance. Just absolutely pristine and perfect. It inspires me to prep a canvas.
I'm curious, is this Utah, Arizona, or possibly Nevada?
Such a fascinating culture. Thank you. Always enjoy a look in SW.
It is indeed, thanks for watching again
Really loving your videos and seeing how some ancient peoples lived. I wonder how much that landscape changes in 800-1200 years. Would love to see them in person, but at 73 I think my time is passed. Maybe my grandkids!
Glad you’re enjoying them!
Excellent content, nice documentation. Very happy you don't waste time giving constant unrelated dialog, but enjoy your insights. Well done!
Love your exploring, and as a true archaeologist you have the proper educate to show us all. Always when I would have seen these canyons I would wonder about the cliffs, and now here you are exploring what I've always wondered about. Thank You!
This is great I’m in south east georgia, so very different from flat and green landscape. I love it be carful, keep it coming.
Killer adventure and how neat to explore!
Wow! I'm pleased to have stumbled upon your video! Just excellent...
Thank you Perseus, did you have a favorite part or aspect of it?
There is no other place I would rather be than hiking in the desert. Hiking and camping in the desert is what I do several times during the year, it's where you'll find me somewhere in the various deserts of the SW... It's my Disneyland! I live in Oregon, which has a lot going for it, (mostly rain!) but for me, nothing compares with the hot, dry desert, so in the meantime, your videos
will do just fine, thank you!@@Desert.Drifter
Love it! I know what you mean about the mystique of the desert. I have family in norther Washington, and although its stunning when its sunny (the Cascades), I could never do all the rain. I hope you can make it down here soon, thanks for watching
I did enjoy the video. I was raised in southwest Texas down the rio grande from big bend park and I explored Native American caves for most of my youth. I’m 68 now and I’ve never seen anything like what you are seeing. Very cool. Rattle snakes were always present and a danger. I wondered about your encounters.
Great Job!! Keep up the great videos and looking forward to more Drifting😉
Thank you Jay! More to come shortly 😀
I said before on one of the other channels the real mystery is who or what was the enemy that compelled them to build in such places,, and you are the only person I ve seen to touch on that very subject so far...love your style..
Thanks for the video Mr. Desert Drifter. Congratulations on getting to 1K subscribers 6 days after starting the channel. I hope that you have plenty more locations to explore. I'm looking forward to a video that tells me a little bit of background information about you Mr. Drifter.
Thank you for the congrats. I’m blown away!
@@Desert.Drifter21,000+ in a very short time! A month? Dude! ❤
@@JackPackInTheWoods I know, it’s crazy?!
Amazing how they built them and lived in them/used them for storage. It's an amazing piece of history.
It really is Mr.1000 man 😉
@@Desert.Drifter first 1000 is the hardest to get. You nailed it quick
Discovered your site and just love it. You are so calm and knowledgeable. But I get scared for you sometimes when you climb those cliffs . Very interesting content.
Man love watching your adventures because you take .e places I'll never get to visit because I'm disabled and can't make those hikes , wish I could because I love adventures.
Kyle
Fascinating! I saw the name of your channel in a comment on another explorer's channel & headed right over!
Cool finds on this adventure. We viewers are happy you were able to climb up to the window and wall areas. I find going back down is always more frightening for me. I hope you're able to stay safe descending so we can continue to see the fascinating things.
I agree, descending is always harder than going up
Fascinating, you have a good eye. Even though it was a short trip, I certainly enjoyed going there with you!
Wow…thank you for these videos.
Glad you like them!
Desert drifter is definitely the best out there very knowledgeable 🙏
@TxDan100
1 second ago
I'm 67.. I live vicariously through your amazing adventures and videos... Never stop exploring and sharing!!
Thanks Dan, I appreciate the support
Stop it Dan. I'm 67 as well and will definitely be going back to the desert before I die. Perhaps not scaling steep cliffs, but I feel it in me that I have to be there. So I will.
Not sure if I’m seeing things or what, but pause it at 4:37 and look up to the right of the screen. What is that? It doesn’t look like a rock, it looks light blue and is casting a shadow. Do you see it?
You have an incredible eye for finding structures. I have thought this wayching other videos of yours, but on this one, Wow!
I pray you treat these areas as holy to the original people.
100% always. I hesitated making this channel for a long time because of that, but I think these places deserve to be appreciated
I love your videos I'm a new be lol. Thank you God Bless
I follow a man that makes reproductions of old pottery styles. He posted a video that you might find informative. I thought I’d let you know as I learned more about the history of the different styles and colors of pottery and where it originated. The UA-cam site is Andy Ward’s ancient pottery. The episode is a history lesson and it’s called What Is Solado Pottery? A Short Documentary About Ancient Arizona. He talks about the different colors, styles and peoples who made them.
Amazing walls!
Like this, this has got to be on of my favorite subjects on you tube, glad I discovered this channel today.
So glad you’re digging it, hope you continue to stay tuned
@@Desert.Drifter you are a great narrator, and video editor, this is like a show on pbs.
Very Interesting! Thanks and safe travels.
Thanks Steven, glad to have you join me on the journey
So cool! Thanks for taking us along with you. Just subscribed!
Thanks for the sub!
I figure during occupation there was a coating of mud on the bricks which made them indistinguishable from the cliffs that surro7nd them, another defensive characteristic.
They were hiding their crops and themselves from the carnivorous Giants, and from other tribes who would kill and eat them as well!
Yes! The ones that Sarah Winnemucca wrote about in her book “Life Among the Piutes”.
Its just amazing how high up they went to build their structures. I am guessing they used rope type devices to tie themselves up on those cliffs when they were building up there. But, I cant help but wonder how many lost their lives with just one small misstep. What a life these ancient people lived. Everything they did and accomplished was 100% by hand. This is another great video and thank you. Be sure you always let your family know where you are, just in case they need to come find you...and be careful!! I'm a mom and grandma and climbing vertical rock was not comfortable for me even back in my youth! I grew up climbing to the tops of trees but not sheer cliffs!! And I have had my share of falls from just some low bluff areas as I grew up in the Ozark mountains of Arkansas. It can be pretty ouchy!!
Thanks for watching again Sandy! I do wonder if they used ropes, or had some kind of a ladder system. Or maybe both?
I asked in a comment on another of your video pages, what about the idea that 800 to 1,200 years ago the canyon floor wasn't so far away? After all the time that has passed and all the weather events like huge rains and flash flood or melting snow and steady water runoff from the flat land above the dwellings, maybe the floor from then up to now was lowered by dirt, rocks, and vegitation being washed out. It seems hard to understand why anyone would risk the falls - especially if they had children or elderly people living with them. Or maybe I just wouldn't have survived for very long! @@Desert.Drifter
@@jorgejiminez-rk1uu Thank you for the reasonable answer. I was just thinking out loud about how nature changes in places over time and wondering if this canyon had a creek bed running down one side and a slope, with trees, at one time that maybe along with a few "helpful rock walls and logs" people could have directed the water away from where the dwellings were. If there had been a wooded slope up closer to the dwellings maybe trees help hide them - until the slope and all the trees were washed out, then some lower entries would be more elderly and kid friendly as far as accidental cliff diving goes. I don't know how many people lived long enough to get very old and a slope would be harder to defend than a sheer cliff. But, like I said I was just thinking about it while ignoring a "honey-do" list.
Makes me think of those ppl too, Amazing
Neat, I love finding stuff like this on youtube. Thanks for showing me the spots I can't visit! Subscribed
You’re welcome Sam, thank you for watching and subscribing!
Hats off to you.. Great job.
Thank you!
Good stuff . I really enjoy this channel .😊
Just found you today and already a huge fan! Great camera work and one-handed climbing skills with narrations that show great ethics without being condescending. Bravo! I scrambled around a lot of those areas for much of my life but I now live in the Maya lands of the Yucatan Peninsula. One thing I noticed, but not really great examples, around min. 3:30, I once read that when you find pieces of flint with a semi-circular notch about the size if an arrow shaft, they may have been used to scrape off bumps and knots and create a more uniform diameter. Cheers.
Hey man- yet another great find!
One day I will come and hike with in that amazing terrain… and perhaps you can do the same with me down here in the Southern Cape, South Africa.
Crazy how similar the waste finds are; pottery, stone tools, the waste from making them and the manuports they left behind.
Stay safe.
Bevan
Thankyou for sharing.
Fascinating! Best channel ever!
I just found your channel and subscribed!
Good content and editing. I look forward to seeing more of your adventures. Mike
Welcome aboard!
How those ancient people built those structures is amazing
Thanks for taking us on your journey. I appreciate your knowledge and skills. Safe travels. New sub.
Thank you Cindy, happy to have you along for the journey!
The tree in front of the crack that you see at about 1:55 is likely a remnant for an original tree planted to hide the base of the crack as the crack was likely passable by smaller bodied humans but of course not passable to giants and would have taken you to that one 'building' and possibly all of the other buildings on that level. If these are merely granaries or secondary hiding places, the home buildings should probably be within maybe a half mile to a mile at most.
Have you ever encountered rattlesnakes or scorpians out there? Seeing you going through brush and climbing rocks gives me the eebie jeebies.. lol! Love your videos and am enjoying all the history.
Mind bending!
Were these folks superhuman ? They must have been very fit and mostly young. Perhaps they utilized ladders which could be withdrawn at a moment’s notice, of which nothing remains. Did they have ropes ? Their desperate diets must have been incredibly frugal. What terrible fear drove them to these heights ? Astonishing !
The trade offs from the shade alone are worth all of the risk.
Thank you for making these Videos.
This is my first time watching your channel and I enjoyed your delivery and your content and I'm a new subscriber and look forward to watching whatever I've missed up to this point. Adventure on.
Thank you Bruce, I appreciate that! Thanks for subbing, onward to more adventures!
I can understand the granaries and storage being built up on the side of the cliff, but it seems you would only build dwellings up there to escape danger and the most dangerous thing then, as now, was other human beings.
Agree 100% ingridcool, thanks for commenting. Hope you stick around for more content!
@@Desert.Drifter 👍🏼😎
Flash floods, storms snow, Thieves & Giants would eat you literally 😊
@ 6:22 for sure. It would be the threat from animals, but more so the threat of enemy human
Definitely, there’s a lot of evidence of warfare during this time period so undoubtedly they were defending from others
Please be careful. You share your explorations with so many people like me who live vicariously through your adventures. The only thing missing is the hot smell of dry earth and grasses
बहुत सुन्दर ❤
Thank you!
I just finished watching all of you videos, truly fascinating, thank you! I traveled to Southern Utah about 35 years ago and actually found similar ruins, seemingly in the middle of no where. I still talk about that trip all the time and would love to go back. I live in Michigan though, so it's hard to get out there. It's been really fun revisiting through your videos and I respect you for how careful you are not to disturb or damage anything. Safe travels and keep exploring.
Good thing you didn't go sticking your hands through that window @ 5:17 because that is a black widow web. Stay safe and keep up with these awesome videos dude!!!!!
Fascinating stuff mate!
Thanks Steve!
These people were hiding from the Anasazi captors making it extremely difficult to access their dwellings.
It’s possible. Some intriguing theories out there!
@rubyduma6238 has it right. These are not the Anasazi; these are the Cliff Dwellers.
@@Desert.Drifter a Navajo elder laid it out how the Anasazi practiced human sacrifice.
Definitely the most logical explanation out there.
You're hitting it to the upper deck with every video my man, I would love to go on one of these hikes one day.
Thanks for the support brotha, means a lot 🙏🏼
@@Desert.Drifter Ive been wanting to go to Chaco Canyon and check out those ruins.