Wow, those were awesome. What hardworking people they were. Thanks for being so respectful of these places. P.S. you’re getting really good with your drone skills.
@divinelightshine Why on earth did you think it was a good idea to post such a nonsensical, inane, and obnoxious comment? Are you an unhappy, insecure elementary school kid? Obviously preserving ancient archaeological sites matters vastly more than fueling the curiosity or treasure-seeking high of some juvenile, selfish individual who wants to collect a souvenir, or take a selfie in the doorway of one of these ancient dwellings.
We are still hard working poeple! lol! I assure you that some of us are still working this hard for life! Your comment is lovely, I just want to remind people that we are still here, m'lady! You are probably native decent...
This was truly an exceptional find. I was in awe watching this video. Your slow drone shots made me feel like I was watching a National Geographic special. I love your enthusiasm as well. It is truly contagious.
theres no way in, because it was flooded back then..it would be interesting to catalogue, allthe structures heights from a point. see if there built the same hight up the cliff. which would mean, it was flooded..@@TheTrekPlanner
I just recently discovered your channel and I have to say that I appreciate the level of respect that you show when approaching and studying these sites. I am an archeologist and my main area of study is the peopling of the Americas. I am retired now but most of my work involved monitoring and documenting a few dozen sites, both prehistoric and historic, and documenting any evidence of looting and erosion that I discovered. There was and is a disturbing amount of looting of archeological sites here in the U.S. and in all countries and continents across this planet. I am very impressed with the view of this site provided by your drone. That was some masterful drone flying.
Yes exactly! If you find a site like this, please notify a local university and/or Parks and Wildlife. Archeologists need to get there and record the current state. If everyone stomped all over the site, it would destroy and contaminate it. You will still get credit for finding the site, and the researchers will let you know what is okay to touch/walk on! We have so little information about the ancient peoples of this land; please help preserve it for future generations!
all I can say is Wow and thank you very much with posting your drones videos. I am one of the people who thanked you before for doing what you do because I am handicapped and 68 and could never even hike anywhere these days. I wish there was a way to get You Tube into an idea for presenting awards for people like you. You are a great young man and I bet you were even a great kid for your parents. I would recommend to You Tube that they give you an award for the best Southwest explorer that knows how to preserve delicate areas and presents in an educational manner. Thanks again for your hard work and every time I go onto You Tube, you are the first site I look for.
You have no idea how much your comment meant to me. Some of these trips are harder than others, but seeing comments like yours, really inspires me to keep going. Thank you immensely -Jeff
@@TheTrekPlannerI thought this one of my old comments thanking you!!! One thing bud!!! Time to up your game!!! Soda before a hike!? And nothing with you I suppose...hmmm!? I was a life time scout....til events caused me to resign that once proud organization. They taught me...BE PREPARED!!! Put together a go bag you can keep in your vehicle....remember....4 basics...5 really. WATER!! FOOD. FIRE, SHELYER....I add medical. Not to preach...but we need you dude!!! Stay safe!!¡!😊😊😊
@@davidklein1667 The soda was a mistake! Never again will I drink a mountain dew before/after a hike! haha I don't think it's apparent in the video but I did have a backpack full of water and snacks.
@@TheTrekPlanner I was one of those ppl too! We're all over yr channel lol. Disabled now, I used to plan all trips around a hike. Good for you having water/snacks, tho i wouldn't expect less after watching your vids. haha Mountain ew! It happens . Oh and this find was AMAZING. WTG TY
This is so awesome. The Pablo people are my ancestors by the way. My grandma was related to them and her mother and father were direct descendants. My family has old blankets from our ancestors that have been passed down for hundreds of years and they gave them to a museum after my grandparents passed away. We had pottery too. I was taught how to make pottery and weave baskets by my great grandparents and cousins. It's a native tradition. We also have sports and dancing. I love singing traditional tribal music too. I always felt like it was in my blood. I miss the smell of burning wood and cooking fish on the open fire with corn on the cob. It reminds me of gathering with my family in the desert and camping out with multiple tribes. 😊❤
Wow thank you so much for your comment! I love hearing stories and experiences like these. I would love to see those blankets. Do you know where those are at?
I know the villages of Acoma and Oraibi were occupied back then when the people were leaving the cliff dwellings and are still occupied to this day, I still remember grandmother making piki every morning and singing while she ground corn
I am in absolute awe of your ancestors,they were amazing architects, everything is built to perfection.You must be so proud of them.I am 76 and live in the UK and Its like watching history opening up before our eyes.I am so happy to be able to see the wonderful artwork and everything they have left behind.Take care and God Bless You.
My Grandaddy mined granite from the mountains in the small town of Las Vegas, New Mexico. On the small mountain we hiked near his home there was an old stone "arena" built into the side. At the top of the mountain there were small fish in the little pools of water (which still amazes me to this day). I had so much fun catching horned -toed lizards, finding scorpions and just exploring. Thank you for sharing this wonderful adventure!
This sort of thing is the best use of UA-cam. This guy is passionate about his interests and is willing to do the hard work that is necessary to the exploration of these sites. And we all get to go along! Thanks you. Do as much of this as you can while you are young.
There is a technique called hyperspectral imaging. This exploits a wider range of frequencies than we can detect normally in standard camera imaging. Essentially it creates a light spectrum for each individual pixel in the image and is extraordinary powerful at identifying image information hidden in normal imaging. Using this on the pictographs I suspect would be extremely informative.
That is very interesting. What additional equipment or imaging software does it require? Is it some thing that the average photography and videography hobbyist could purchase and use or is it more expensive and specialized? Thanks.
It's hard to imagine the kind of effort it would take to move all of the rocks and logs to such precarious places. You deserve an award for all of these discoveries!
I'm another bedridden viewer who enjoys your videos. Although I grew up in Utah, I'm now living in S.E. Idaho and I live vicariously through programs like yours. Thanks, and keep on doing these stories 👍
PS, be extra careful about picking up pottery shards because a few years ago, several land owners were prosecuted by the department of the interior for collecting pottery from their own land. Mostly because it's considered to be protected under the antiquities act. Anyway, have fun and keep making videos. Thanks, Collin.
@@collincluff7955really?.. Everything I’ve ever been told by people who own land down south is that it’s theirs, and they have the “rights” to whatever is found. Now what they do with things they find is what’s most important.. but I’ve on someone’s land down by Moab about a decade ago and they have countless ruins on their land.. and it’s so archaeologically important that the archaeological department from BYU came down and studied the area there, and they found that it’s the oldest known indigenous site in North America at over 40,000 years old. We were there about 6 months before BYU went and it was absolutely amazing what was there.
I have 175 college credits in Architecture & am a General Contractor for a living, but I learned something from you today. THAT is why I Sub & here is my fat thumb up!
We are living in a great time for technology to help us see the past. Drones get such a bad rap, but you just proved why they have become so useful. Your editing is great, I hike and discover stuff too and I easily felt like I was there from what you presented to us. Also using the enhancement software was an added bonus to give us an idea of the possible look of the pictographs. Keep searching for these cool places and sharing them with us.
In North African construction of similar structures, if saws or axes were not available or of high enough quality, inter-floor timbers were often left long and untrimmed to save labour. For hidden granaries, these protrusions could in theory be used to drape some vegetation to disguise the appearance from afar. In peace time they could be used to hang items to dry in the sun and wind (rushes or palm leaves, both of which could be used to separate layers of stored goods or weave containers, or fibres for rope - which was of vital importance for some cliff-access granaries) The "repair" strikes me as an attempt to disguise a window that looked too prominent looking at the front elevation, whereas the side door/window would be less visible (only from some angles on that side) These were not defensive structures, used for fighting more that they were hidden structures for safe storage and difficult to access, so camouflage and blending in with the rock face from a distance would probably have been important factors.
it is likely that these structures are north african. Dr. Barry Fell indicates that north africans were in the US southwest on anceint times. see his book Saga America
@@raymondtonns2521 Quite the appeal to authority, seeing as though the deceased Fell's area of actual expertise was starfish and the like. He was a zoologist, not an archæologist.
Wow I am humbled by your explorations. This is an awesome discovery, and the fact that you could explore with your drone amd leave the scene untouched by your presence shows much respect for the earth and our ancestors. ❤
You have become my favorite channel on UA-cam. I have always been fascinated by the Native American culture and how much of it's history is hidden. I love in the East and I have been visiting the mounds that were built and even found some Native American trail marker trees. The mounds remind me of the sites I visited years ago in Central American in how they are arranged. I have visited a few sites out West and now I can see more through your work. Thank you!
Hey bud!! I understand your enthusiasm for this stuff!! Since you live in the East..as I do...thought you'd like to hear about something on my area! I live in central Pennsylvania. In Susquehanna county are cairns...or spires....piles of rock 20 or so feet high. Nicely constructed so are in fairly good shape! Were they boundaries!? Most feel they Weren't graves! Hit me back if you find it on Google...give me your opinion...ideas!?
I really appreciate your comment! I am hoping to come out east and see Cahokia and other mound sites in the near future! I would love to see some different landscapes
Those cairns look really cool. What strikes me about the mounds we have in the Eastern part is they are organized like the sites I visited down in Central America. I have visited a few parks with mounds in Florida, Alabama and Georgia, they are all organized just like the ones in Central America. @@davidklein1667
@@TheTrekPlanner that one is on my list also. I most of the states, they have parks with mounds in them. So far I have visited most in Florida and some in Alabama and Georgia. I have a special needs child, if I don't show up two weekends in a row, meltdown city. He likes to travel so I am hoping one day we can do some extended travel.
Worth the wait! Your videos are always done with such care and respect. Thank you for searching out these places, hiking, going hungry & thirsty at times. You bring a great skill set to both the videos and commentary.
There were three buildings, side by side. One still remaining, which is the two-story you did such a great job photographing. The others are only marked by smoke marks of those two structures. The other structures were smaller. But the trailings below show it was a very organized chan who lived on the cliff faces. Thank you for your respectful research of the amazing site!
I know of many ruins around Arizona, New Mexico and Texas (and have been inside many of them, where strictly allowed by the foundations overseeing them), but I’ve never seen these! They’re spectacular! Even if personally allowed, I would never dream of entering any of the structures depicted in your video because the very real risk of damage to the historically priceless structures is sky high, not to mention the risk of great bodily harm or death. I hope the amazing rock art there was documented prior to so much erosion. The Rock Art Foundation in Texas, for example, has documented thousands of rock paintings that no longer exist.
I would be nice if you had at least told in which state this photography was taken. These are defensive dwellings where the residents went when invaders came. Thanks for the impressive views and for not climbing up to them.
Your work as an empirical researcher is fabulous, what I love is your great passion for what you do, you are young, you can study that. Thank you for what you do for your audience, every weekend I start having breakfast and looking for new or old videos, it is a delight for me to enjoy as you enjoy.
Drones have transformed the way we see the world. You gave us a great view of these amazingly well-preserved structures without risking any damage to them or safety risk to yourself. I'm glad you don't specify where you find these special places, and impressed how respectfully you treat both the ancient cultural features and artifacts and the natural environment like fragile soil crusts. You're setting a good example. I love your videos!
This looks strikingly similar to Montezuma Castle in Camp Verde Arizona, which was built by the Sinagua people sometime between 1100-1400. If you're in Arizona I suggest checking out Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot both are near Camp Verde, and Tuzigoot since its a hill top village rather than a cliff dwelling, you can actually enter the main structure and go out on the roof to view the village and surrounding area.
Outstanding! Thank you. Are you using a new drone that has better obstacle avoidance? Or are you simply more comfortable flying it close to ruins now than you were a year or two ago? Your drone photography here was the best you’ve had in any of your videos, definitely much closer up than before. Either way, please tell us what make and model of drone you use. Thanks!
I love seeing your discoveries and your various technical skills are certainly developing. I'm seeing these sites through a non-American perspective. I'm in England. Anything this old in England would be well protected and certainly logged with some quasi-government bodies such as English Heritage or the National Trust. I get that America is so vast, especially these desert areas. Here's a challenging thought! Ancient ruins in England, or in Europe in general, would be made by the ancestors of modern day British or European people. The modern day descendants of the Ancestral Pueblo are listed as basically four tribes - the Hopi, Zuni, Acoma, and Laguna. I wonder what people in those tribes would think about these ruins and what should happen to them? Another thought is that life must have been very hard for these people. They seemed to live in such perilous conditions. There seemed to be a need for extreme concealment. Or were these mostly storehouses and granaries for people who moved around an area and left caches of food to return to? I guess there is a lot to learn!
The notices he found referred to "The Archeological Resources Protection Act" and being on public land. So there is legal protection for their preservation. Given the remoteness, it's unlikely there are any physical protections (fences, etc.) or patrolling park rangers, but the signs make it clear. Too bad they couldn't have placed something more sturdy than plastic-covered papers held in place by rocks. The National Trust and English Heritage do a great job with historical sites! My favorite is Bodiam Castle.
It kind of took my breath away when the first structure came into view. I felt like i was there! Thanks for taking us along. I've found ancient dwellings when i was on a multi day hike days from any road and i got lost. One of the best days of my life
Driving through Utah, I realized it'd been a while since I'd walked my miniature dachshund. It was a nice day, so I didn't mind that she had taken me far from the highway. She turned a corner around a big mound where if you looked up, you would possibly be first person in this desolate desert area to see a lone petroglyph high above.
Stunning! I'm up in Canada and this is so unlike anything I've heard about up here. My husband was born and raised in AZ so he probably learned something about First Nation people in school. I'm not exactly sure which state you're in (either I missed you telling us or you've not told us lest idiots try to find the area to loot or destroy it. Whatever! I'm so thrilled I stumbled on your channel!! ❤❤❤
@@jeannerogers7085Thank you for sharing this information! That makes alot of sense. Not all people would be as respectful and honor the history tucked away like these dwellings. And Jeff used such Perfect music to accompany his narrative. MUCH RESPECT ❤ to Jeff and for Your explanation🪶✌🏼
A lot of these canyons were well watered and fertile 700-1000 years ago. The introduction of maize from mesoamerica caused a population boom. There was a lot of game and the canyons were easily defended and isolated. It's easy to see why they would contain thousands of ruins. Drought conditions reduced these areas in precolumbian times.
@@edgarlara-p2b yes, it's been going on for thousands of years. Drought conditions can last for hundreds of years and can come on suddenly. It may have to do with the shift of the jet stream. Why this shift occurrs is anybody's guess. Incidentally, droughts in the SW, Midwest, and mesoamerica are associated with cooler, not rising temperatures.
Thinking of those vertical grooves Jeff (Geoff?) referred to as possible sharpening grooves, I couldn't help notice the similarity in the pictograph that had a bunch of vertical lines below a faded shape. (Is it a rain cloud?). Maybe the grooves have some relationship to whatever the pictograph was representing?
Just found your channel! Nice work! You seem to have a good attitude and the healthy amount of respect for archaeology and history, well done it is rare. Be well.
Fabulous! Grand slam home run with this one. Well done Jeff! I am wondering who put the warning signs up and how long ago they were put in place? Any thoughts on this?
Our Federal and State governments, Forest Service, BLM, Park Service all attemp to preserve and protect. There are many volunteers who protect ruins in person for weeks at a time.
Having explored perhaps hundreds of this type of ruin over the decades, I'm here to tell you that almost every site in Utah this large and accessible has been catalogued by archeologists (State or University), after previously being plundered by pothunters going back to the late nineteenth century. That said, just being in the presence of these dwellings always inspires awe. And your video and drone shots conveys this, and the respect we should all feel for these places. And you pose the interesting questions: -Why did they build in these inaccessible, difficult places? -Where did the water come from? I would add: Where were their toilets? How did they keep their toddlers alive on those ledges? Well done.
Ive read the climate was a lot different when those houses were built and as the area became more of a desert around 700 AD they were gradually abandoned. There was likely plenty of water and natural (temporary) pools and (permanent) seepages, wild game, birds and eggs, and wild grains, roots, etc in that area's heyday.
Except for the comments you never disclosed the location. I see Utah mentioned but being a dumb cdn don't know know it is related to grand canyon mysteries. OK I saw dragons or demons in the pictographs. I'd hide too if that was in the valley below.
Robgrey6183 mentions most of these have been cataloged. Have you ever tried to get more info from the registries on sites you have visited? That could make these videos even more informative.
I think that you were right about not going nearer than you did. It was beautiful from the drone’s perspective. We could see far more of it than if we were standing at it’s base. ❤
Thanks again. This is just incredible. I want to go to sleep but just can't stop watching your adventures and these amazing places. It brings history to life. I just love what you're doing.
I've marveled at southwestern cliff dwellings for 30 years. Just last year I visited a region of France that is totally reminiscent of this: medieval cliff dwellings that were inhabited by early man. This is where Cro-Magnon Man was discovered. It was so strange seeing practically the SAME cliffs and ancient ruins, but among grey rock walls amid the French greenery. Very cool. Thanks for sharing.
This is amazing! Some of those look in near perfect condition, almost like the people had just left a few days ago. Wouldn't those who built these be proud to know that their hard work is still standing strong! Thank you for taking us on this adventure and for being so respectful of the area. Your drone flying skills are great!!
It's amazing to see how these buildings are tucked in here and there all over the landscape. Obviously this one has been visited by whoever left those signs, so there must be some way to get there. I hope all future visitors are as respectful and careful as you are.
The timbers sticking out of the wall would have been there to either support a balcony, which were common, or it could be what's left of a floor from a part of the building that has now collapsed. Excellent work!
This is an exceptional video. So glad your drone skills are now such that you can slowly approach these ruins from many angles, to the point that we forget we are not actually looking into the ruins ourselves! Thank you for sharing your love of the ancients with us. I look forward to your next adventure.
I've been watching you for a while now, and you have gotten so much better at this!! I wonder if professional and famous archaeologists watch your channel..
Amazing…love the drone views! To me, this is so much clearer and better views than being up close physically…my new favorite channel to look forward to!
First of all I'm amazed and thankful that Google Earth enables this type of investigation, and that drones are easily available to carryout further investigation in a safe manner. And especially thanks to you for all the time and effort you put into these adventures!! Some photoshop color manipulations might draw out some more details from the faded rock drawings....
The overhang on the support beams could have been a) because it was easier to leave them that length than cut to fit; and b) they could’ve been used for hanging storage, or drying racks for clothes, skins, or food
Kinda weird that you couldn't find a way up there, as they must have brought in lots of materials to build these dwellings (stone/wood/water). Maybe they used ladders to reach these edges?
That means a lot, thank you!! In one of my previous videos, someone commented I was going too fast with my drone, so I decided to slow it down a bit! So glad for the feedback as it helps me try to change and improve!
I grew up in southwest Utah and feel bad that I never took the time to really explore the area. After retiring from the military I moved to northern Utah and have been exploring and fishing the Uinta mountains. I found your videos a few weeks ago and it has motivated me to get out and explore these places more I grew up around. Keep up the good work.
Absolutely awesome video! Loved the slow panning shots. The way you are documenting these sites will put in the history books for sure! I would nominate these videos for the national archives
Very cool finds. Thank you for the trek. These are most likely not prehistoric. Wood lasts in the desert, dry rots, but it would be gone if it was even post-contact with Europeans.
Wow! Just WOW!!! I just discovered your site and I'm already hooked. I live in Canada and have explored a few places in Nevada and Arizona that have petroglyphs. They totally astound me. I feel such a connection to them and the whole south west. Thank you so much for filming this amazing place.
This was a wonderful adventure. Those structures hugging the rims of the cliffs are amazing. I can’t fathom how in the world they were able to traverse up and down while carrying loads of building materials. It blows my mind when I consider the many skills of ancient mankind.
Imagine being a young mom...so much to do...grind corn for meals. Soften your man's moccasins!! How on earth did they keep their toddlers safe from falling!?!?
Amazing! My dad just sent this video to me and I'm floored. This is something I used to do (minus the tech) many years ago. The desert is an incredible place with so many little secrets we have yet to find. Greatly admire your respect of the area! I was wondering if the black lines going up the cliff face could be soot or ash? This place could be much bigger than we thought!
The black lines on the cliff faces are called desert varnish. Not soot or ash. It is a layer of iron minerals coming out of the stone face by wearing and rain and staining the surface. Saw this many times visiting ruins in the southwest. Accent people used to scratch into the desert varnish to cut it away and expose the natural stone underneath to a create petroglyphs.
I agree,this one of the best sites I’ve seen on your channel! Absolutely incredible stone work in an impossible location! Surely an easily defended perch! But obviously difficult build and even more dangerous to maintain and inhabit..once again proving the resilience and creativity of an adaptive race of survivors..absolutely stunning!!👍👍👍
I think the ancient wall drawing is a story of the giant serpent that flew through the sky that created the mountains. Which really was a asteroid that crashed into the earth. Many serpent, dragon stories are told in alot of cultures. Great find by the way 😊
This place is so remote and difficult to access that it has remained pristine. The house you show starting @ 05:15 is a work of art. If these ruins were located in a more accessible place they almost certainly would be designated a national monument. For my part, I'm glad they are so remote and inaccessible. Even if I can't see them in person this is one of the few times in my life I have been able to look at a work of man that has sat there virtually untouched for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years. My only worry is they seem so fragile. Sooner or later the endless cycles of freezing and thawing and the never ending wind will cause them to fall.
@@lolux6577 Exactly! I can’t wait to go walk around and go inside those places and take a TON of souvenirs !!! Hopefully I’ll get lots of $$$ on ebai selling them. I bet I could make at least $10 a brick. 👍🏻 that’ll be $1000s right there. 🤑 BTW… did you see the directions. Or gps coordinates because I completely missed them. 😭 No? I guess I’ll have to cancel my ruinous, greedy trip since I have no idea how to find this place. 🤷♀️
Those are beautiful! Just think how different the terrain was then. Those are some hefty logs from decent sized trees. You know there had to be some big trees growing nearby.
Very interesting findings. I can't help but think that some of these ruins date back to a time when there was much more precipitation in the area and not as dry as it is today. When you see the size of the timber that is still preserved in the ruins suggest there were standing forests of relatively large trees. Is it possible the ruins that seem impossible to get to these days were actually accessible from trees growing up close the canyon wall? Or they built substantial ladders from the trees that once existed in the area?
WHAT A FIND, JEFF! 😃😃The lower portion of those walls were erected with such artistry and skill--modern contractors would be hard-pressed to replicate these buildings, given the perilous site location, limited tools and resources (building materials, water to mix the water). Incredible.
I once visited the Gila Cliff dwellings. That was in the mid 70's and they were impressive. There the park service also had corn planted in one area. Your video was very informative. Makes one wonder how they actually got to their dwellings. We had a rock on the Oregon coast called Duckbill; it was a sandstone hoodoo rock formation at Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area. The 18 Million-Year-Old Rock formation served as a tourist attraction along the Oregon Coast and was photographed frequently prior to being toppled by a group of teenage vandals on August 29, 2016. It is said that they thought it would be fun to tip it over; now gone forever. May those people never have any children. Thank you for being respectful of the ancient housing.
This is a truly fantastic video. I mean it's great. The quality and the subject matter are both top notch, and the narration is done very, very well. You've set yourself a high standard now pal. Great work!!!
Your assessment of the angle (which side is facing the sun, and what time of year) is astute. Could you include in your videos what time of year or the month that your videos were shot. It would help viewers understand better the ruins you show us. You could do that with text blocks at the beginning or end of your pieces or with an audio explanation. You do great work.
I really admire your perseverance to hike in to the locations you find to share with us. This was a fantastic find. I’m old now and can barely walk to the fridge to get my sandwich. Subbed a couple of weeks ago when a vid popped up. Loved hiking in foothills and mountains when young growing up in Wyoming.
That dribble of water you showed, might be the reason life was sustainable. Urine (human and animal) has many properties for use in anicent glues, so may be in the mortar. What ever was going on that humans had to hide in inaccessible cliff side structures? Great find. Well done. I do similar trips into the Egyptian desert between the Red Sea and Luxor.
This was incredable . I think the poles that was sticking out was probably like a balcony to walk out on . That repair looked like a window that had been filled in . Maybe they built a window there but it let in to much of the elements and decided to fill it in .
Exactly what I was thinking. I bet that originally that T-shaped door opened onto a roof The Viga sticking out under the T-shaped door I am sure tied that wall to the roof next to it. I also agree that the patch job looks like a filled in window and I am sure it was for the reasons you mentioned.
Sir, you do a wonderful service providing all of us with great videos and analysis of your finds. Your skills as a trek planner, explorer, archeologist, videographer, drone pilot, writer, Editor, to say a few are amazing. I'm sure you don't have a whole crew helping you so my hat is off to you. Thank you. Keep up the great work. I wish you well, be careful out there
Great find. Given the notices, it seems this should have been cataloged by a professor or a US agency. You might want to contact an archeology prof. at the closest large university and discuss what you found and if they can find more history about it and the people that lived in the area.
Thank you for exploring these ruins and taking us along. The whole time I’m watching I try to imagine how these ancient people designed and constructed these structures. The landscape might have been much different then.
It’s cool to see the Marks on the ceilings above the ruins from fires. There must’ve been other dwellings because there are burn marks in areas where there is no buildings anymore. Very cool! Thank you!
The logs protruding form the walls of the structures are called vigas (pronounced vee-gaz), and are usually perpendicularly overlain by smaller sticks called latillas (pronounced la-tee-ass). This method of construction was used in building intermediate floors, and roofs. I believe these are the names that were given by the Spanish, as viga is Spanish for "beam"..
Man it is incredible how they built those structures right on the cliffs edge and flush with the walls. Sad to see the remnants crumbling so much but some of those were absolutely beautiful in their preservation. All in how the water and wind hits probably.
pretty amazing stuff. I've visited a few such ruins also. Hidden away in such places, always hidden from the human eye. These people certainly had to hide and make their place very defensible. I wonder how many people lived in this place? I assume they had some sort of planting area somewhere, but quite probably far enough away from here. I found grain/ corn storage places too, even with some old cobs still there, (long ago the corn eaten by rodents). Wood supports for roofs still there after centuries. With that dry weather and overhanging rock, they were well protected. I have heard theories that there was a super prolonged drought, of perhaps 50 years, that finally forced these people to move.. Very nice footage with the drone, and I admire the respect you treat this with.
Using a drone is the most respectful way of observing these fragile dwellings - well done
Wow, those were awesome. What hardworking people they were. Thanks for being so respectful of these places.
P.S. you’re getting really good with your drone skills.
@divinelightshine
@divinelightshine Why on earth did you think it was a good idea to post such a nonsensical, inane, and obnoxious comment? Are you an unhappy, insecure elementary school kid?
Obviously preserving ancient archaeological sites matters vastly more than fueling the curiosity or treasure-seeking high of some juvenile, selfish individual who wants to collect a souvenir, or take a selfie in the doorway of one of these ancient dwellings.
@divinelightshineRespectful of what the rocks represent - the people who built them.
not devine at all.@divinelightshine
We are still hard working poeple! lol! I assure you that some of us are still working this hard for life! Your comment is lovely, I just want to remind people that we are still here, m'lady! You are probably native decent...
This was truly an exceptional find. I was in awe watching this video. Your slow drone shots made me feel like I was watching a National Geographic special. I love your enthusiasm as well. It is truly contagious.
We just need to date it
Wow! Thank you, Deborah! I took over 30 minutes of drone footage so it was tricky to figure out which shots to keep
Send the footage to the national archives
I can confirm this feeling - The editing and the panoramic dronefootage is freaking professional quality
theres no way in, because it was flooded back then..it would be interesting to catalogue, allthe structures heights from a point. see if there built the same hight up the cliff. which would mean, it was flooded..@@TheTrekPlanner
I just recently discovered your channel and I have to say that I appreciate the level of respect that you show when approaching and studying these sites. I am an archeologist and my main area of study is the peopling of the Americas. I am retired now but most of my work involved monitoring and documenting a few dozen sites, both prehistoric and historic, and documenting any evidence of looting and erosion that I discovered. There was and is a disturbing amount of looting of archeological sites here in the U.S. and in all countries and continents across this planet.
I am very impressed with the view of this site provided by your drone. That was some masterful drone flying.
Yes exactly! If you find a site like this, please notify a local university and/or Parks and Wildlife. Archeologists need to get there and record the current state. If everyone stomped all over the site, it would destroy and contaminate it. You will still get credit for finding the site, and the researchers will let you know what is okay to touch/walk on! We have so little information about the ancient peoples of this land; please help preserve it for future generations!
BTW, your drone shots are incredible and the music you chose is spot on. Thank you for bringing us along on your wonderful adventures!
music reminds me of donkey kong country
all I can say is Wow and thank you very much with posting your drones videos. I am one of the people who thanked you before for doing what you do because I am handicapped and 68 and could never even hike anywhere these days. I wish there was a way to get You Tube into an idea for presenting awards for people like you. You are a great young man and I bet you were even a great kid for your parents. I would recommend to You Tube that they give you an award for the best Southwest explorer that knows how to preserve delicate areas and presents in an educational manner. Thanks again for your hard work and every time I go onto You Tube, you are the first site I look for.
You have no idea how much your comment meant to me. Some of these trips are harder than others, but seeing comments like yours, really inspires me to keep going. Thank you immensely
-Jeff
@@TheTrekPlannerI thought this one of my old comments thanking you!!!
One thing bud!!! Time to up your game!!! Soda before a hike!? And nothing with you I suppose...hmmm!? I was a life time scout....til events caused me to resign that once proud organization. They taught me...BE PREPARED!!! Put together a go bag you can keep in your vehicle....remember....4 basics...5 really. WATER!! FOOD. FIRE, SHELYER....I add medical. Not to preach...but we need you dude!!! Stay safe!!¡!😊😊😊
I'm with you Gregs. I discovered alot of stuff hiking back in my 20s and 30s. In my 60s now and 7 kids later, I'm tired. Loving these videos.
@@davidklein1667 The soda was a mistake! Never again will I drink a mountain dew before/after a hike! haha I don't think it's apparent in the video but I did have a backpack full of water and snacks.
@@TheTrekPlanner I was one of those ppl too! We're all over yr channel lol. Disabled now, I used to plan all trips around a hike. Good for you having water/snacks, tho i wouldn't expect less after watching your vids. haha Mountain ew! It happens . Oh and this find was AMAZING. WTG TY
This is your best video yet dude! 👏🏻
Agree 👍
Agree!
👍
I was just thinking the same exact thing.
You can see the black streaks up the wall of the cliffs from the smoke of their fires.
Thanks Jeff for all the time you take going to these places, editing and posting your videos, looking forward to seeing it!
Brandon
Hey Brandon! Thank you for your comment and for watching!
This is so awesome. The Pablo people are my ancestors by the way. My grandma was related to them and her mother and father were direct descendants. My family has old blankets from our ancestors that have been passed down for hundreds of years and they gave them to a museum after my grandparents passed away. We had pottery too. I was taught how to make pottery and weave baskets by my great grandparents and cousins. It's a native tradition. We also have sports and dancing. I love singing traditional tribal music too. I always felt like it was in my blood. I miss the smell of burning wood and cooking fish on the open fire with corn on the cob. It reminds me of gathering with my family in the desert and camping out with multiple tribes. 😊❤
Wow thank you so much for your comment! I love hearing stories and experiences like these. I would love to see those blankets. Do you know where those are at?
I know the villages of Acoma and Oraibi were occupied back then when the people were leaving the cliff dwellings and are still occupied to this day, I still remember grandmother making piki every morning and singing while she ground corn
Pueblo
If you ever want to venture out farther north check out Jarbridge NV,
I am in absolute awe of your ancestors,they were amazing architects, everything is built to perfection.You must be so proud of them.I am 76 and live in the UK and Its like watching history opening up before our eyes.I am so happy to be able to see the wonderful artwork and everything they have left behind.Take care and God Bless You.
My Grandaddy mined granite from the mountains in the small town of Las Vegas, New Mexico. On the small mountain we hiked near his home there was an old stone "arena" built into the side. At the top of the mountain there were small fish in the little pools of water (which still amazes me to this day). I had so much fun catching horned -toed lizards, finding scorpions and just exploring. Thank you for sharing this wonderful adventure!
That's amazing. I live in LV and love learning about the history here. I wonder if the hermit built them! 😄
Keep up the hard work, you remind me of me 40yrs ago. Very good work.
This sort of thing is the best use of UA-cam. This guy is passionate about his interests and is willing to do the hard work that is necessary to the exploration of these sites. And we all get to go along! Thanks you. Do as much of this as you can while you are young.
Yes Thank you so very much ❤. I love this because it’s something I’ve always wanted to do!
There is a technique called hyperspectral imaging. This exploits a wider range of frequencies than we can detect normally in standard camera imaging. Essentially it creates a light spectrum for each individual pixel in the image and is extraordinary powerful at identifying image information hidden in normal imaging. Using this on the pictographs I suspect would be extremely informative.
That is very interesting. What additional equipment or imaging software does it require? Is it some thing that the average photography and videography hobbyist could purchase and use or is it more expensive and specialized? Thanks.
And could it be mounted on a hobbyist drone?
🤯
I. Want. One. Now! 😮🤤🤤🤤
It's hard to imagine the kind of effort it would take to move all of the rocks and logs to such precarious places. You deserve an award for all of these discoveries!
The new iPhone 15 has Spatial Video that is designed to be used on the Apple Vision Pro headset.
I'm another bedridden viewer who enjoys your videos. Although I grew up in Utah, I'm now living in S.E. Idaho and I live vicariously through programs like yours. Thanks, and keep on doing these stories 👍
PS, be extra careful about picking up pottery shards because a few years ago, several land owners were prosecuted by the department of the interior for collecting pottery from their own land.
Mostly because it's considered to be protected under the antiquities act.
Anyway, have fun and keep making videos. Thanks, Collin.
God bless you brother or possibly sister
@@collincluff7955really?.. Everything I’ve ever been told by people who own land down south is that it’s theirs, and they have the “rights” to whatever is found. Now what they do with things they find is what’s most important.. but I’ve on someone’s land down by Moab about a decade ago and they have countless ruins on their land.. and it’s so archaeologically important that the archaeological department from BYU came down and studied the area there, and they found that it’s the oldest known indigenous site in North America at over 40,000 years old. We were there about 6 months before BYU went and it was absolutely amazing what was there.
This was just incredible! How people could have lived there is amazing! Thank you for sharing this with us, and being so respectful.
Beautiful structures. Thank you for being respectful of their fragility. Your drone work is excellent.
I have 175 college credits in Architecture & am a General Contractor for a living, but I learned something from you today. THAT is why I Sub & here is my fat thumb up!
We are living in a great time for technology to help us see the past. Drones get such a bad rap, but you just proved why they have become so useful. Your editing is great, I hike and discover stuff too and I easily felt like I was there from what you presented to us. Also using the enhancement software was an added bonus to give us an idea of the possible look of the pictographs. Keep searching for these cool places and sharing them with us.
much of which has been hidden away, lied to us about or just not acknowledged . ie: smithsonian ...
It's always the way, amazing tools like drones, when accesible to everyone just get used for stupid things most of the time.
@@dsc7772 Go get your pals and storm the Smithsonian. 🙄
@@dsc7772 Isn't it obvious why??? We would not be seeing this if they didn't try to protect it.
In North African construction of similar structures, if saws or axes were not available or of high enough quality, inter-floor timbers were often left long and untrimmed to save labour. For hidden granaries, these protrusions could in theory be used to drape some vegetation to disguise the appearance from afar. In peace time they could be used to hang items to dry in the sun and wind (rushes or palm leaves, both of which could be used to separate layers of stored goods or weave containers, or fibres for rope - which was of vital importance for some cliff-access granaries)
The "repair" strikes me as an attempt to disguise a window that looked too prominent looking at the front elevation, whereas the side door/window would be less visible (only from some angles on that side)
These were not defensive structures, used for fighting more that they were hidden structures for safe storage and difficult to access, so camouflage and blending in with the rock face from a distance would probably have been important factors.
my thought was it had been too open, letting dust, water, and birds a place to land, so "board" that thing up
it is likely that these structures are north african. Dr. Barry Fell indicates that north africans were in the US southwest on anceint times. see his book Saga America
@@raymondtonns2521 these are pueblo ruins sir.
@@raymondtonns2521
Quite the appeal to authority, seeing as though the deceased Fell's area of actual expertise was starfish and the like. He was a zoologist, not an archæologist.
he was a linguist first archaeologist second@@annakeye
This is a treasure of a find! Thank you for sharing. Never would’ve gotten to see this without your video. Be safe. Blessings on your journeys.
Wow I am humbled by your explorations. This is an awesome discovery, and the fact that you could explore with your drone amd leave the scene untouched by your presence shows much respect for the earth and our ancestors. ❤
You have become my favorite channel on UA-cam. I have always been fascinated by the Native American culture and how much of it's history is hidden. I love in the East and I have been visiting the mounds that were built and even found some Native American trail marker trees. The mounds remind me of the sites I visited years ago in Central American in how they are arranged. I have visited a few sites out West and now I can see more through your work. Thank you!
Hey bud!! I understand your enthusiasm for this stuff!! Since you live in the East..as I do...thought you'd like to hear about something on my area!
I live in central Pennsylvania. In Susquehanna county are cairns...or spires....piles of rock 20 or so feet high. Nicely constructed so are in fairly good shape! Were they boundaries!? Most feel they Weren't graves! Hit me back if you find it on Google...give me your opinion...ideas!?
I really appreciate your comment! I am hoping to come out east and see Cahokia and other mound sites in the near future! I would love to see some different landscapes
Those cairns look really cool. What strikes me about the mounds we have in the Eastern part is they are organized like the sites I visited down in Central America. I have visited a few parks with mounds in Florida, Alabama and Georgia, they are all organized just like the ones in Central America. @@davidklein1667
@@TheTrekPlanner that one is on my list also. I most of the states, they have parks with mounds in them. So far I have visited most in Florida and some in Alabama and Georgia. I have a special needs child, if I don't show up two weekends in a row, meltdown city. He likes to travel so I am hoping one day we can do some extended travel.
Worth the wait! Your videos are always done with such care and respect. Thank you for searching out these places, hiking, going hungry & thirsty at times. You bring a great skill set to both the videos and commentary.
There were three buildings, side by side. One still remaining, which is the two-story you did such a great job photographing. The others are only marked by smoke marks of those two structures. The other structures were smaller. But the trailings below show it was a very organized chan who lived on the cliff faces. Thank you for your respectful research of the amazing site!
I know of many ruins around Arizona, New Mexico and Texas (and have been inside many of them, where strictly allowed by the foundations overseeing them), but I’ve never seen these! They’re spectacular! Even if personally allowed, I would never dream of entering any of the structures depicted in your video because the very real risk of damage to the historically priceless structures is sky high, not to mention the risk of great bodily harm or death. I hope the amazing rock art there was documented prior to so much erosion. The Rock Art Foundation in Texas, for example, has documented thousands of rock paintings that no longer exist.
I would be nice if you had at least told in which state this photography was taken. These are defensive dwellings where the residents went when invaders came. Thanks for the impressive views and for not climbing up to them.
This was so awesome. You did such a great job of photographing I felt like I was there
Your work as an empirical researcher is fabulous, what I love is your great passion for what you do, you are young, you can study that. Thank you for what you do for your audience, every weekend I start having breakfast and looking for new or old videos, it is a delight for me to enjoy as you enjoy.
Thank you!! I am having so much fun doing this and I'm glad you are able to "join" with me as often as you can! 🙂
Drones have transformed the way we see the world. You gave us a great view of these amazingly well-preserved structures without risking any damage to them or safety risk to yourself.
I'm glad you don't specify where you find these special places, and impressed how respectfully you treat both the ancient cultural features and artifacts and the natural environment like fragile soil crusts. You're setting a good example.
I love your videos!
This looks strikingly similar to Montezuma Castle in Camp Verde Arizona, which was built by the Sinagua people sometime between 1100-1400. If you're in Arizona I suggest checking out Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot both are near Camp Verde, and Tuzigoot since its a hill top village rather than a cliff dwelling, you can actually enter the main structure and go out on the roof to view the village and surrounding area.
You mean Mesa verde.
@lindatyler3372 No he has it correct. I used to live in Sedona and I have been there.
I think you have it mixed up with Mesa Verda down by Phoenix.
Camp Verde is in AZ. Mesa Verde is in CO.
Thanks for taking me along on your hike, I really enjoyed it. Excellent drone work.
I really enjoyed those slow drone shots where we could admire the structure. Very well done.
Astonishing! It’s just TOO COOL. My inner archeologist is freaking out.
Great find, great trek, great video!
Thank you so much for watching! 🙂
@@TheTrekPlanner PLEASE - I want to look at this area in Google Earth. Where is it? THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!
Outstanding! Thank you.
Are you using a new drone that has better obstacle avoidance? Or are you simply more comfortable flying it close to ruins now than you were a year or two ago? Your drone photography here was the best you’ve had in any of your videos, definitely much closer up than before. Either way, please tell us what make and model of drone you use. Thanks!
I love seeing your discoveries and your various technical skills are certainly developing. I'm seeing these sites through a non-American perspective. I'm in England. Anything this old in England would be well protected and certainly logged with some quasi-government bodies such as English Heritage or the National Trust. I get that America is so vast, especially these desert areas. Here's a challenging thought! Ancient ruins in England, or in Europe in general, would be made by the ancestors of modern day British or European people. The modern day descendants of the Ancestral Pueblo are listed as basically four tribes - the Hopi, Zuni, Acoma, and Laguna. I wonder what people in those tribes would think about these ruins and what should happen to them? Another thought is that life must have been very hard for these people. They seemed to live in such perilous conditions. There seemed to be a need for extreme concealment. Or were these mostly storehouses and granaries for people who moved around an area and left caches of food to return to? I guess there is a lot to learn!
The notices he found referred to "The Archeological Resources Protection Act" and being on public land. So there is legal protection for their preservation. Given the remoteness, it's unlikely there are any physical protections (fences, etc.) or patrolling park rangers, but the signs make it clear. Too bad they couldn't have placed something more sturdy than plastic-covered papers held in place by rocks. The National Trust and English Heritage do a great job with historical sites! My favorite is Bodiam Castle.
It kind of took my breath away when the first structure came into view. I felt like i was there! Thanks for taking us along. I've found ancient dwellings when i was on a multi day hike days from any road and i got lost. One of the best days of my life
Driving through Utah, I realized it'd been a while since I'd walked my miniature dachshund.
It was a nice day, so I didn't mind that she had taken me far from the highway. She turned a corner around a big mound where if you looked up, you would possibly be first person in this desolate desert area to see a lone petroglyph high above.
Stunning! I'm up in Canada and this is so unlike anything I've heard about up here. My husband was born and raised in AZ so he probably learned something about First Nation people in school. I'm not exactly sure which state you're in (either I missed you telling us or you've not told us lest idiots try to find the area to loot or destroy it. Whatever! I'm so thrilled I stumbled on your channel!! ❤❤❤
It is customary to not reveal the exact location of ancient artifacts, rock art or ruins, to prevent vandalism.
@@jeannerogers7085Thank you for sharing this information! That makes alot of sense. Not all people would be as respectful and honor the history tucked away like these dwellings. And Jeff used such Perfect music to accompany his narrative. MUCH RESPECT ❤ to Jeff and for Your explanation🪶✌🏼
A lot of these canyons were well watered and fertile 700-1000 years ago. The introduction of maize from mesoamerica caused a population boom. There was a lot of game and the canyons were easily defended and isolated. It's easy to see why they would contain thousands of ruins. Drought conditions reduced these areas in precolumbian times.
See, this proves that global warning is a thing.
Drought conditions reduced these areas in precolumbian times.....were these....climate changes???? oops
@@edgarlara-p2b yes, it's been going on for thousands of years. Drought conditions can last for hundreds of years and can come on suddenly. It may have to do with the shift of the jet stream. Why this shift occurrs is anybody's guess. Incidentally, droughts in the SW, Midwest, and mesoamerica are associated with cooler, not rising temperatures.
Thanks for answering my question. "Where is the worst place to be during an earthquake?"
That loose rock looks really scary!
@@edgarlara-p2b Yeah, but not manmade, as the liars would have us believe. Worship the Creator, not the creation.
Thinking of those vertical grooves Jeff (Geoff?) referred to as possible sharpening grooves, I couldn't help notice the similarity in the pictograph that had a bunch of vertical lines below a faded shape. (Is it a rain cloud?). Maybe the grooves have some relationship to whatever the pictograph was representing?
I'm both envious of your many adventures and explorations, and grateful that you share them with us. Soooooo cool! Thank-you!
Just found your channel! Nice work! You seem to have a good attitude and the healthy amount of respect for archaeology and history, well done it is rare. Be well.
Thank you and all people who works in the field of archaeology! Thank you for trying to help us understand our human past!
Fabulous! Grand slam home run with this one. Well done Jeff! I am wondering who put the warning signs up and how long ago they were put in place? Any thoughts on this?
Our Federal and State governments, Forest Service, BLM, Park Service all attemp to preserve and protect. There are many volunteers who protect ruins in person for weeks at a time.
This is mind blowing! Most amazing to see the drone shot close. ups. So grateful to you for bringing this treasures to us.
Having explored perhaps hundreds of this type of ruin over the decades, I'm here to tell you that almost every site in Utah this large and accessible has been catalogued by archeologists (State or University), after previously being plundered by pothunters going back to the late nineteenth century.
That said, just being in the presence of these dwellings always inspires awe.
And your video and drone shots conveys this, and the respect we should all feel for these places.
And you pose the interesting questions:
-Why did they build in these inaccessible, difficult places?
-Where did the water come from?
I would add: Where were their toilets? How did they keep their toddlers alive on those ledges?
Well done.
Ive read the climate was a lot different when those houses were built and as the area became more of a desert around 700 AD they were gradually abandoned. There was likely plenty of water and natural (temporary) pools and (permanent) seepages, wild game, birds and eggs, and wild grains, roots, etc in that area's heyday.
Except for the comments you never disclosed the location. I see Utah mentioned but being a dumb cdn don't know know it is related to grand canyon mysteries.
OK I saw dragons or demons in the pictographs. I'd hide too if that was in the valley below.
Robgrey6183 mentions most of these have been cataloged. Have you ever tried to get more info from the registries on sites you have visited? That could make these videos even more informative.
I think that you were right about not going nearer than you did. It was beautiful from the drone’s perspective. We could see far more of it than if we were standing at it’s base. ❤
Thanks again. This is just incredible. I want to go to sleep but just can't stop watching your adventures and these amazing places. It brings history to life. I just love what you're doing.
I've marveled at southwestern cliff dwellings for 30 years. Just last year I visited a region of France that is totally reminiscent of this: medieval cliff dwellings that were inhabited by early man. This is where Cro-Magnon Man was discovered. It was so strange seeing practically the SAME cliffs and ancient ruins, but among grey rock walls amid the French greenery. Very cool.
Thanks for sharing.
This is amazing! Some of those look in near perfect condition, almost like the people had just left a few days ago. Wouldn't those who built these be proud to know that their hard work is still standing strong! Thank you for taking us on this adventure and for being so respectful of the area. Your drone flying skills are great!!
The ancestors of the builders are very proud of them and return regularly to honor them. They are glad we find them so difficult to locate.
It's amazing to see how these buildings are tucked in here and there all over the landscape. Obviously this one has been visited by whoever left those signs, so there must be some way to get there. I hope all future visitors are as respectful and careful as you are.
Fantastic drone footage! You have an exceptional camera on your drone. This is a great place to visit, beautiful. Thanks for the video.
The timbers sticking out of the wall would have been there to either support a balcony, which were common, or it could be what's left of a floor from a part of the building that has now collapsed. Excellent work!
A whole village! Three stories, at least. Good to see some ruins that aren't blown to hell. So fragile. Beautiful! Great video
This is an exceptional video. So glad your drone skills are now such that you can slowly approach these ruins from many angles, to the point that we forget we are not actually looking into the ruins ourselves! Thank you for sharing your love of the ancients with us. I look forward to your next adventure.
I've been watching you for a while now, and you have gotten so much better at this!! I wonder if professional and famous archaeologists watch your channel..
Amazing…love the drone views! To me, this is so much clearer and better views than being up close physically…my new favorite channel to look forward to!
First of all I'm amazed and thankful that Google Earth enables this type of investigation, and that drones are easily available to carryout further investigation in a safe manner. And especially thanks to you for all the time and effort you put into these adventures!! Some photoshop color manipulations might draw out some more details from the faded rock drawings....
The overhang on the support beams could have been
a) because it was easier to leave them that length than cut to fit; and b) they could’ve been used for hanging storage, or drying racks for clothes, skins, or food
Yes....or were they adding a porch...or "patio"...!?!?
They used a rope and baskets to bring the stones and water up. They didn’t carry it up. Think easy first. 11:13
Kinda weird that you couldn't find a way up there, as they must have brought in lots of materials to build these dwellings (stone/wood/water). Maybe they used ladders to reach these edges?
I was there a few years ago and came in from the left, hugging the cliffs. I got right up to them. I need to go back as I missed the petroglyphs.
Your production value and skill with your drone work has greatly improved as you gone along! Great video! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
That means a lot, thank you!! In one of my previous videos, someone commented I was going too fast with my drone, so I decided to slow it down a bit! So glad for the feedback as it helps me try to change and improve!
This was an amazing find. So ancient and seemed sacred. Excellent drone footage! Great work. Love your adventures!
This was so cool to see, obviously was a great undertaking to build this. Thks for the effort it took to show us this
I grew up in southwest Utah and feel bad that I never took the time to really explore the area. After retiring from the military I moved to northern Utah and have been exploring and fishing the Uinta mountains. I found your videos a few weeks ago and it has motivated me to get out and explore these places more I grew up around. Keep up the good work.
Unita Mountains? That must be near the Uinta valley and Skinwalker Ranch.
Thousands of years ago those most likely weren’t edges. Maybe full size flat areas. Terrific video.
Absolutely awesome video! Loved the slow panning shots. The way you are documenting these sites will put in the history books for sure! I would nominate these videos for the national archives
Very cool finds. Thank you for the trek. These are most likely not prehistoric. Wood lasts in the desert, dry rots, but it would be gone if it was even post-contact with Europeans.
Wow! Just WOW!!! I just discovered your site and I'm already hooked. I live in Canada and have explored a few places in Nevada and Arizona that have petroglyphs. They totally astound me. I feel such a connection to them and the whole south west.
Thank you so much for filming this amazing place.
This was a wonderful adventure. Those structures hugging the rims of the cliffs are amazing. I can’t fathom how in the world they were able to traverse up and down while carrying loads of building materials. It blows my mind when I consider the many skills of ancient mankind.
Imagine being a young mom...so much to do...grind corn for meals. Soften your man's moccasins!! How on earth did they keep their toddlers safe from falling!?!?
That t shape door they must have blocked the bottom opening and still be able to see out as an adult
@@carolwright7503 Or possibly recognized that we are narrow from the knees down. Torso area wider, plus room for items carried.
Amazing! My dad just sent this video to me and I'm floored. This is something I used to do (minus the tech) many years ago. The desert is an incredible place with so many little secrets we have yet to find.
Greatly admire your respect of the area!
I was wondering if the black lines going up the cliff face could be soot or ash? This place could be much bigger than we thought!
The black lines on the cliff faces are called desert varnish. Not soot or ash. It is a layer of iron minerals coming out of the stone face by wearing and rain and staining the surface. Saw this many times visiting ruins in the southwest. Accent people used to scratch into the desert varnish to cut it away and expose the natural stone underneath to a create petroglyphs.
I agree,this one of the best sites I’ve seen on your channel! Absolutely incredible stone work in an impossible location! Surely an easily defended perch! But obviously difficult build and even more dangerous to maintain and inhabit..once again proving the resilience and creativity of an adaptive race of survivors..absolutely stunning!!👍👍👍
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed this one :-)
Imagine if you sleep walk ......
Amazing journey you had & awesome drone shots. The enhanced colored pictures were so beautiful.
I think the ancient wall drawing is a story of the giant serpent that flew through the sky that created the mountains. Which really was a asteroid that crashed into the earth. Many serpent, dragon stories are told in alot of cultures. Great find by the way 😊
Amazing I like how you respected the cultural significance of these structures well done 💕
This place is so remote and difficult to access that it has remained pristine. The house you show starting @ 05:15 is a work of art. If these ruins were located in a more accessible place they almost certainly would be designated a national monument. For my part, I'm glad they are so remote and inaccessible. Even if I can't see them in person this is one of the few times in my life I have been able to look at a work of man that has sat there virtually untouched for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years. My only worry is they seem so fragile. Sooner or later the endless cycles of freezing and thawing and the never ending wind will cause them to fall.
No duh.
That is what we mortals call a double edged sword ...Only a God gets to use a flaming one. You are not God.
@@bellelise. Thank you for your comment. It is always nice to hear from a modern day caveman.
Pristine?
And now it’s know to the world, it will be trashed and pillaged :(
@@lolux6577
Exactly! I can’t wait to go walk around and go inside those places and take a TON of souvenirs !!! Hopefully I’ll get lots of $$$ on ebai selling them. I bet I could make at least $10 a brick. 👍🏻 that’ll be $1000s right there. 🤑
BTW… did you see the directions. Or gps coordinates because I completely missed them. 😭
No?
I guess I’ll have to cancel my ruinous, greedy trip since I have no idea how to find this place. 🤷♀️
Those are beautiful! Just think how different the terrain was then. Those are some hefty logs from decent sized trees. You know there had to be some big trees growing nearby.
Loved this episode! Cliff dwellings have always fascinated me.
Very interesting findings. I can't help but think that some of these ruins date back to a time when there was much more precipitation in the area and not as dry as it is today. When you see the size of the timber that is still preserved in the ruins suggest there were standing forests of relatively large trees. Is it possible the ruins that seem impossible to get to these days were actually accessible from trees growing up close the canyon wall? Or they built substantial ladders from the trees that once existed in the area?
WHAT A FIND, JEFF! 😃😃The lower portion of those walls were erected with such artistry and skill--modern contractors would be hard-pressed to replicate these buildings, given the perilous site location, limited tools and resources (building materials, water to mix the water). Incredible.
Editing and style are awesome. The laborious job undertaken by the ancient ones impresses me.
Keep sharing! 😮
I once visited the Gila Cliff dwellings. That was in the mid 70's and they were impressive. There the park service also had corn planted in one area.
Your video was very informative. Makes one wonder how they actually got to their dwellings.
We had a rock on the Oregon coast called Duckbill; it was a sandstone hoodoo rock formation at Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area. The 18 Million-Year-Old Rock formation served as a tourist attraction along the Oregon Coast and was photographed frequently prior to being toppled by a group of teenage vandals on August 29, 2016. It is said that they thought it would be fun to tip it over; now gone forever.
May those people never have any children. Thank you for being respectful of the ancient housing.
This is a truly fantastic video. I mean it's great. The quality and the subject matter are both top notch, and the narration is done very, very well. You've set yourself a high standard now pal. Great work!!!
Your drone footage and navigational skills are the best. Thank you so much.❤
Your assessment of the angle (which side is facing the sun, and what time of year) is astute. Could you include in your videos what time of year or the month that your videos were shot. It would help viewers understand better the ruins you show us. You could do that with text blocks at the beginning or end of your pieces or with an audio explanation.
You do great work.
It must have been a terrifying world they lived in to go to such lengths to protect themselves.Great video,great discovery.
I really admire your perseverance to hike in to the locations you find to share with us. This was a fantastic find. I’m old now and can barely walk to the fridge to get my sandwich. Subbed a couple of weeks ago when a vid popped up. Loved hiking in foothills and mountains when young growing up in Wyoming.
This is a great video. Really enjoyed it.
I love the respect you gave to history by sending a drone in for tight shots.
Well done sir !! Subbed !!
Thank you for showing us these ruins and for modeling respect and reverence for them so others may enjoy them!
That dribble of water you showed, might be the reason life was sustainable. Urine (human and animal) has many properties for use in anicent glues, so may be in the mortar. What ever was going on that humans had to hide in inaccessible cliff side structures? Great find. Well done. I do similar trips into the Egyptian desert between the Red Sea and Luxor.
Other humans is what was going on.
This was incredable . I think the poles that was sticking out was probably like a balcony to walk out on . That repair looked like a window that had been filled in . Maybe they built a window there but it let in to much of the elements and decided to fill it in .
Exactly what I was thinking. I bet that originally that T-shaped door opened onto a roof The Viga sticking out under the T-shaped door I am sure tied that wall to the roof next to it. I also agree that the patch job looks like a filled in window and I am sure it was for the reasons you mentioned.
Awesome adventure,thanks for taking us along , would love to see these in person such neat history
Sir, you do a wonderful service providing all of us with great videos and analysis of your finds. Your skills as a trek planner, explorer, archeologist, videographer, drone pilot, writer, Editor, to say a few are amazing. I'm sure you don't have a whole crew helping you so my hat is off to you. Thank you. Keep up the great work. I wish you well, be careful out there
Such a fascinating little village. It’s unusual to see so many roofs showing their adobe finished topsides once used as work and play areas.
Great find. Given the notices, it seems this should have been cataloged by a professor or a US agency. You might want to contact an archeology prof. at the closest large university and discuss what you found and if they can find more history about it and the people that lived in the area.
Thank you for exploring these ruins and taking us along. The whole time I’m watching I try to imagine how these ancient people designed and constructed these structures. The landscape might have been much different then.
It’s cool to see the Marks on the ceilings above the ruins from fires. There must’ve been other dwellings because there are burn marks in areas where there is no buildings anymore. Very cool! Thank you!
I loved this video. I felt I was there!! My heart got heavy with nostalgia. Thank you!! Muchas Gracias!!
Nice piloting on the drone shots! Great find, that's incredible that there are still so many places that seem so unexplored!
The logs protruding form the walls of the structures are called vigas (pronounced vee-gaz), and are usually perpendicularly overlain by smaller sticks called latillas (pronounced la-tee-ass). This method of construction was used in building intermediate floors, and roofs. I believe these are the names that were given by the Spanish, as viga is Spanish for "beam"..
Man it is incredible how they built those structures right on the cliffs edge and flush with the walls. Sad to see the remnants crumbling so much but some of those were absolutely beautiful in their preservation. All in how the water and wind hits probably.
I have a fear of heights and living right on the literal edge like that would keep me up at night
@@TheTrekPlanner Same, though I've mostly conquered mine. Still I can get a wash of vertigo and panic every now and again to remind me though!
Outstanding drone work Jeff, and nice music too. Really enjoying your channel!
Thank you, Randy!!
pretty amazing stuff. I've visited a few such ruins also. Hidden away in such places, always hidden from the human eye. These people certainly had to hide and make their place very defensible. I wonder how many people lived in this place? I assume they had some sort of planting area somewhere, but quite probably far enough away from here. I found grain/ corn storage places too, even with some old cobs still there, (long ago the corn eaten by rodents). Wood supports for roofs still there after centuries. With that dry weather and overhanging rock, they were well protected. I have heard theories that there was a super prolonged drought, of perhaps 50 years, that finally forced these people to move.. Very nice footage with the drone, and I admire the respect you treat this with.
Fancy waking up to that view every day. What an amazing find.