A Desert Enigma Revealed: I Discovered an Unknown Object on Google Earth

I found this strange circle in the desert on Google Earth. It was unlike anything I had ever seen. As I searched the area for clues to what it was, I found a second one! Stunned, I knew I had to hike in to this area and find out what these were.
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#googleearth #ancientdiscoveries #hiking #exploration #adventure #ancientarchitects

[@jimdingle4521]

Im 206 years old and this brought back memories of stacking rocks in the desert. Thanks!

[@CamperGirl03]

😂😂😂

[@michaeltaylor4984]

Whippersnapper. In my day, rocks stacked you.

[@terryparke3499]

Temporary residences of the dead. The fact that they are constructed of low stone walls without a visible door makes me think the intention was to keep something in and people out, to act as a boundary between the living and the dead. They are constructed like nests. Could they have been used as a form of sky burial, like the Sioux practiced? Any remains not carried away by birds would have been removed by tribal members after a certain time had passed. The nest-like structure makes me think they were carefully constructed that way to be open to the elements, and are too delicate for defense, observation, occupation or storage. Using them for signaling seems like overkill. They don’t need two. And they are difficult to get to. That difficulty is intentional. No one but their builders would know they are there. I think their purpose is mostly sacred, a way station for the souls of the dead, and not meant for the living.

[@patrickdempsey9706]

Thank u sounds plausible was curious

[@trueaussieray9093]

Sky burial was my thoughts to

[@occultustactical6138]

I noticed the lack of a doorway. You may be correct.

[@GoldenLion8]

Zoroastrians had "Towers of Silence" (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_Silence) - maybe this is something similar?!

[@terryparke3499]

@@GoldenLion8 Yes, I agree. Thanks for sending that. I did not know about the Towers of Silence. I am familiar with the Tibetan tradition, practiced contemporaneously, of sky burials which involves chopping the corpses up and feeding body parts to vultures. The bones are ground up, I believe. Sometimes the skulls are placed in a wall. One video I saw showed a guy visiting the skull of his grandfather. If the Sioux raised platforms for the dead, it’s not too far fetched to conjecture that their ancestors, short on wood, would use rock outcroppings for “processing” the dead. If the living can dwell temporarily on rock walls, so can the dead.

[@surrelljr]

Being Native American, I’m not offended by your visits there, some of my family is from the Great Basin. I would like to see them, I’m in my 60’s so if I went it would be few. And putting artifacts back is the way it should be, we have technology to record it nowadays. I’m fascinated! Get a look how the old ones lived, I’ve ran into sites in Wyoming and I never told anyone because I don’t want them disturbed and possibly robbed. (I might tell professional archeologists so that the knowledge won’t be lost. Keep up the great work!!! And please, safety first, wouldn’t want to hear you broke a leg and died of thirst.

[@s.engelsman4521]

Please tell an archaeologist about your finds before they are found by someone who doesn’t care about preserving it and might even deface or destroy parts of it! There are so few of these special sites left.

[@sorbierenchanteur9012]

have you got an answer ?

[@surrelljr]

@@sorbierenchanteur9012 for now I’m going to keep handing it the way I have been, however a solution should be found. Like consulting the right professionals first.

[@howlingwind1937]

I don't know much about American history, I live in Australia, I think it was for sky burials because the big carrion birds would have easy access. And the structures wouldn't be seen from the ground so others couldn't rob the grave. Some of our first nation people use to build big platforms, don't know if they still do, and they probably utilised the high rocks in the Kimberly's too. I'm not as bendy or spritely as I use to be, and have mobility issues, so the activity you are enjoying I enjoy vicariously, thank you for the adventure! Cheers!

[@takingupmycross9869]

Cool! Thanks for sharing!

[@howlingwind1937]

@@takingupmycross9869 💖

[@mstrdiver]

The drone shot @ 06:30 reminds me of circle forts I recently visited in Ireland. The only thing missing was some greenery, but the construction was so similar.

[@howlingwind1937]

@@mstrdiver ❤️

[@mirisquires9922]

some of the designs painted on aboriginal waka canoe are similiar to Mayan designs. same shape as Maori and Asian fishing canoes.

[@Jesus2023sav]

You make me smile. I grew up playing in the deserts of Arizona , California and Nevada. My dad was in road construction. So we lived in what was called trailer camps. Early 50's until 1964 We stopped in Las Vegas. I saw things like you find. We would spend all day exploring the desert and hills around them. My mom would pack us a sack lunch , a canteen of water and an emergency whistle around our neck on a string. She would say go play. Be home when the sun hits the top of this mark. Then say don't make me come look for you. Plus we were not allowed to enter any caves. Red Rock Canyon was my favorite place to go. Now you can can't get back into the really awesome areas anymore. It's a federal park now So much fun. I will be 70 in a couple months. Be safe. Have fun and thank God for technology and for you sharing what you find.

[@Desert.Drifter]

Thanks for sharing your story and thank you for tuning into the channel!

[@Tinatortoise]

I grew up in a town, not very exciting. Our time piece was the streetlights. We had to be home before they came on and just like you, the threat, "Don't make me come looking for you". Haha happy times xxx

[@Jesus2023sav]

@@Tinatortoise exactly Nothing worse than getting restricted to the front yard.

[@harrywalker968]

think you need to ask the local tribes, what they are.. seeing they keep a record of there whole history.. the britsh,,blue coats, who ever,, asked the indians about the country,, they said beware of sabe, / b/foot, & skinwalker,, they laughed.. not laughing now,,eh.. after that, the indians said very little,,seeing white man was stoopid.. @@Desert.Drifter

[@teofiloaviles8002]

These places need to be protected.

[@rossmacintosh5652]

Based on some googling, the "E.E. Shafer 1896" graffiti is likely Elmer Elsworth Shafer 1863-1939. He was born a Methodist in Ohio and died in Benton, Iowa. He invented a product called 'Copperene', a liquid which was based on Copper Sulfate, and had it marketed out of Chicago. It would deposit copper onto any iron or steel to make it solderable. It was successful enough that he was able to buy a Franklin car in the early 1900's with the proceeds. He also owned and ran a threshing machine, and would travel around the county threshing the other farmers grain. He started the tradition of sending sons to medical school, with his son Lee. He married three times, and had children from all three marriages.

[@pieterbezuidenhout2741]

Thanks for info, gives more color to the video.

[@52ponybike]

Franklin cars were upscale and had air-cooled engines. I have a rear differential axle with the remains of its wooden spoked wheels. Looks like Shafer did some traveling.

[@naturalmilkhoneyandzenretr9508]

Thank you for the info

[@goodiesgumdrops1164]

I love a fellow History nerd❤

[@bigkings.8804]

Yes it did. At first glance I thought it was just some crazy person scribbling nonsense. But to my find you Sir are a genius. Thank you for the info on Shafer. That added to this video.

[@rhesreeves5339]

I've seen 2 episodes and I'm getting two things. There's a trove of cool stuff we have never seen and you are good at finding it! I can't imagine anything bringing out the kid in me more than hiking to find caves,pottery, weapons and especially art. This rules!

[@doryliggett8407]

Just want to thank you for these amazing desert views. Hiking with cameras, drones and going where I’d never be able to.

[@patrickbuechel2599]

I did stuff like this for 47 years,,,I'm 74 now,,,I miss it. But great videos like this are astounding,,,thank you😮😊❤

[@chuckzehnder530]

Great job! I used to do what you are doing, but am now 83 so must search vicariously through you. Thanks so much!!!

[@villagelightsmith4375]

76, and ditto.

[@KaliKali-hv9bt]

42, and ditto.

[@dr.davidmiller6682]

I was thinking the same thing! Im 76, with double knee replacements, and while I can still hike, squeezing up through a rock chimney etc is I think a bridge too far!!

[@mkaberli614]

Me too.

[@Thom3748]

Just turned 76. I am in god shape, but free climbing like is now a bit beyond me.

[@rjpoldfart]

I would normally skip videos like this one, but decided to watch. So glad I did. That was one of the coolest things I've watched in a long time. I live in North Carolina and have never been out west as far as Arizona. It seems like a magical place and I've added it to my bucket list now. Thanks for allowing others to go on this journey with you Desert Drifter!

[@duncanish44]

East coast transplant here in love with southwest . Come plan a trip. No guides nothing needed for these incredible adventures. Be cautious and bring plenty of water. It is like an alien world!!

[@noahway13]

Carteret Co. NC!!

[@willoughby1888]

Half of me was listening to you here in the present, and looking all around, the other half was imagining visiting the past so I could be there with whoever it was that had been there at the time it was used. Now, if only I could also add a portion of each half in order to project myself into the future and see what they all will make of these two places in a thousand years, well I'd be all set. Thanks for bring me along with you like you did. That's exactly what it felt like anyways. You sure are good at doing "thoughtful" when you create videos. That shows how considerate you are. "Maine" says "hello" again.

[@thomashammack7743]

Im curious,have you ever reached out to local natives to see if they have legends at least.

[@2nickles647]

No legends sir. The Anazii built these structures as a safe place to live. Many dwellings exist this way. High up in the cliff walls for protection.

[@CountMeOut33]

@@2nickles647legend would be whom were they hiding from o.O

[@WootTootZoot]

@@2nickles647 Ancestral Pueblo

[@billrobbins5874]

Appreciate watching. Be careful out there. 👍

[@jamiewolf4601]

@@CountMeOut33 Recent evidence shows the ancestral pueblo were hiding from Aztec tribes from the south.

[@marshalbass7098]

Dude your drone footage with the music was epic. Well done.

[@PorterWood09]

If a fire was lit, you’d see it for miles. This was so cool. Glad you went and shared it with us!

[@michellenorthrup2059]

I wish you would do a collab with Trek Planner like “I found something what is it? We’re almost there, should be right around this corner”. ….. and it’s Jeff. Lol. Love you guys, thanks for taking us with you and being respectful to these sites. I miss the desert so much! ❤

[@sheilakirby5616]

OR PERHAPS EVEN SCOTT WALTER'S ***

[@yokokurama3]

And the POV guy

[@amariebfree5326]

I was going to comment this, and that the Trek Planner found circle structures on top of balanced rocks that are similar if maybe smaller then these.

[@ObamAmerican48]

From what I can tell you've not revealed where these are located. Sincerely, THANK YOU. Many people who discover these ancient treasures don't treat them with respect.

[@karenedwards746]

My husband(now 80) was brought up with 6 brothers and a career criminal father who was always hiding out from the law when he wasn’t in prison, in this area. He said they played in places like this as kids . Raised in the backseat of an old car and when lucky they’d have a small travel trailer but parents stayed in it while all the kids slept outside or in car. A very tough life he never could forget. His dad was brutal to all of them. He’s in an Alzheimer’s unit now and my one prayer is that all those memories are lost

[@bobbyjonkey13]

I'm 69 and I always loved walking and exploring, and Your enthusiasm makes watching You on these journeys make it all worth while besides the awesome finds.

[@themountainwanderer]

Only discovered this channel the other day. Subscribed almost immediately, and now I am hooked. I love your explorations. So glad you are not disclosing these locations. Those places are so sensitive and obviously exposed to people who don't care to protect them.

[@sauzachn]

This must be a joke, everybody knows about this site

[@davidl.williams7366]

Thank you! I'm 90 now, so It's good to see someone doing what I used to do on a smaller scale. It brought back memories.

[@michaelmcconnell7302]

" i did it better" ok guy 😅

[@Shwwoomm]

​@@michaelmcconnell7302 I think he tried to say he himself used to do it on a smaller scale. Which is probably the case since the creator of the video now has acces to google earth and a form of funding through youtube and patreon mybe even? But you can interpret the sentence in 2 ways so i getya :p

[@michaelmcconnell7302]

@Shwwoomm yea you're probly right

[@outdoorsforachange]

​@@michaelmcconnell7302 rude, man.

[@aprilY619]

@@michaelmcconnell7302show some fg respect

[@WhiteDoberman]

I find very few YT videos beneficial, but this is fantastic. Tipi rings are circular patterns of stones left from an encampment of Post-Archaic, protohistoric and historic Native Americans. Those may be ceremonial areas, but their positions suggest they are solar summer solstice rock configurations.

[@BigBadBaj71]

Live on the East coast but was in Sedona 3 years ago. Lots of hiking and ancient ruins and glyphs. My favorite was Antelope Canyon X. Had an accident with my phone when I got home and lost all of my 1,000+ pictures / videos. Kind of reliving it through your vids. Thanks for sharing.

[@jakemoeller7850]

The petroglyphs are well worth the trip! Gorgeous and fascinating. They remind me of kivas...ceremonial locations? What a wonderful place for performing ceremonies!

[@Desert.Drifter]

Yes, it does have the feel of an above ground kiva/ceremonial place doesn’t it?

[@theeddorian]

One of the problems with the "warfare" idea is that those rings are located away from water and food supplies. Hunting might be marked by chipped stone debris within or around the structure. I recorded an enclosure in the Sierra Nevada on a mountain top. It was elongated rather than roughly circular, and had a very dense accumulation of very small pressure flakes inside. The same mountain also had had cairns that supported vertical splinters of rock when it was first noted, but these had fallen or been vandalized by the time we recorded the site. The enclosure also had ash, and carbon. The entrance was located so that anyone tripping while exiting would fall around 300 feet in a series harsh bounces. The characteristics of the site raised the possibility that the sun rise of sun set was observed because the crest of the SIerra to the East, and the Coast Ranges to the west were visible in clear weather for perhaps 150 miles. This view offers a continuous view of solar rising and setting locations throughout the year. So, while hunting is very likely, ceremonial activity is also possible.

[@KitYeeScott]

It is well known they natives used signal fires on lines of site, with the carbon at the center it is obvious these rings contained fire at some point. The ring would help contain it in windy conditions & provide a warm place for those tending the fire. Just a suggestion

[@theeddorian]

@@KitYeeScott The signal fire idea may work for some rings. You can test that by locating rings and testing view sheds. You can do that using a GIS system and good digital elevation data. The two rings discussed in the video are too close together to be signalling each other. One might be a replacement or alternate. In the Sierra at least, at the altitude of the ring I described, you'll want a fire at night regardless, and on the very peak of a mountain, shelter from the wind as well. Also, it's very remote. There was a late prehistoric camp in the valley directly below. In fact, if you tripped leaving the ring you would be in that valley after a long fall, punctuated by about three bounces. The fall would not be survived. So, I'll stand by my idea that the ring was set up to watch the sun rise or set, and perhaps the weather over the Pacific. You do not want to get trapped in the Sierra, travelling on foot, because an early season storm moves in and drops two or three feet of snow.

[@ranchob3751]

I loved this video as I have hiked/jogged this trail many many times. My husband has climbed up to the structures, but I myself haven't as they were a little too technical for me. We too have always wondered what they were for and people in the area I have asked haven't really known either. I'm sure the anthropologists would know. I have spent almost 20 years in the area and know of many word of mouth only areas that are hard to access. If you have a private email and are interested I could tell you of a few. One in particular was shown to me by my son. It is petroglyphs, but one is of a snake close to a very small arch (I considered it more of a hole in a rock), but it is a spiritual place where a few who know about it hike in on the day of the summer solstice. At the exact moment of the solstice the sun shines through the small arch and creates a triangular arrow that illuminates the head of the snake. It is fascinating to think of the ancient ones knowledge of astronomy and what it meant to them as the snake spiritually can represent rebirth, transformation, eternity, healing, protection, etc.

[@stuart6478]

Our a place where some people thought it would be cool to build something because they were bored. There's a fine line between your imagination and the boring truth. The boring truth tends to be more impressive.

[@Paragon23]

The snake with the triangle during the solstice sounds like the snake by Moab?

[@The-Cosmic-Hobo]

I just wanted to say that I love the respect you show. Well done, and thank-you for sharing.

[@IslandTides]

Amazing spot. Looks like a sacred spot from long ago. AND I love the selfie stick that doesn't show on cam!

[@YewtBoot]

Enjoyed the fun surprises on this outing. Those petroglyphs are indeed numerous and unique. I hope you can share them with NPS and other anthropologists for ideas and provide more info here if you hear back.

[@dondavis1203]

'Lajitas'...Spanish for small flat rocks. There is a small village in the Big Bend area of Texas named Lajitas for all the limestone flat rocks in the area. Living quarters and animal pens have been assembled with the rocks and desert mud and a mixture of grass for many years in that area. Ancient, scattered ruins are within eyesight from the major highway through the area. Watching your video with all the limestone flat rocks brought to mind my journeys to the Big Bend. I often wondered if the local natives from the past were the first to build their homes from these numerous materials. Now I will search for my answer. Thank you for your hard work and showing us things we could never see without your great channel.

[@Evan-us7fz]

Thank you for these videos, you are a a great presenter and explore. You wonder and enthusiasm and gentleness shine through. I live in England, and it is wonderful to see such things. Thank you again.

[@andydouglas2108]

In Scotland we have these dry stone rings for herding sheep. Lots of them! Keeps animals out and sheep in!

[@oneword3576]

lol I am gonna guess its not for sheep on top of a freaking jagged cliff...

[@weareallbeingwatched4602]

In America they had lots of Scottish people who had been recently kicked out of Scotland

[@Saor_Alba]

​@@oneword3576 I think he was pointing out that they were of identical construction to dry stone rings, dry stone rings are common in Scotland as are dry stone dykes/walls and are identical to this structure. Some structures are ancient but others are not so old, only a few hundred years old which is not that old comparatively with some megalithic structures in Scotland that go back as far as 5000 to 6000 years.

[@KrisHughes]

Aye, also fae Scotland, and "looks like a sheep fank" was my first thought. Followed by lots of petroglyphs of sheep, and the drystone work looks very Scottish but that's probably a coincidence. However, no sheep herder in their right mind is going to round sheep up into a pen on an inaccessible height. Unless... they are wild sheep. The wild "bighorn" sheep and "rocky mtn goats" (possible the wrong habitat for them?) can climb rocks like crazy. If you made enough noise and commotion in the valley, maybe the wild sheep would go up onto these ridges where they could then be trapped in the pens??? Wild speculation, I know.

[@robshirewood5060]

Yes i have seen many on walks in Scotland, similar flat rock construction, there are also towers built the same way, similar to a Broch.

[@user-zv9xe2pj9v]

See all the shale sitting on top of the mesa at the end? You can see it remains undisturbed while there is no structure on top. Where you are standing is a structure with no loose shale on the mesa. This indicates that they did use the existing shale on the top of the mesa, even chipping out to looser ones for their construction and they did not transport the rocks from down below. These little fortifications make a very secure place to sleep as well after the sun goes down on a warm summer night! Thank you so fun!!

[@elonever.2.071]

I noticed that too and was going to mention it.

[@joek511]

Good eye / observation. I never picked up on it. The dates, and pictographs tell me native Indians. Either for hunting or protection from settlers or both. Built for hunting at first, then later used for defense. It's obvious settlers were there. They may have killed the Indians.

[@charlesspringer4709]

Yes, I noticed too. There is too much loose stuff to be only used for the structures. They must have cleaned those table tops of all loose debris. Maybe for safety and bare feet adn shoved to over the sides. One wonders what else the threw out. Also I see no signs of paths or foot prints or boots in the soil around the rings. I don't think anyone has been up there in a very long time. A stratigrapher could tell from the the amount of soil brought by the wind in that location.

[@user-ek8zu2gv4t]

That is EXACTLY what I thought. They MAY have used the material from the tops.

[@oneword3576]

again... there was another video like this that had a long narrow cliff walkway into some homes. That is a terrible defense position and you can be sieged in super easy. So if it is very easy to keep people IN rather than out.... its a prison. I think these were prisons for exiles. You wouldn't want to live there. How do you get supplies constantly? But super easy to have one person drop off supplies for a couple people every couple days if its exiles or jail

[@santafecanon]

When describing hunting scenarios, remember that the bows , spears, atlatles (sp) of the times only had effective ranges of 20 to 40 yards. I have found lots of stone hunting blinds over time and they are mostly close to water sources, game trails and narrow passes where animals are restricted to narrow crossings. Thats why you find arrow heads on passes, saddles and springs. The ancients also drove game ahead of one group toward a narrow passage where another group lay in wait. Hunting from these circle structures, out in the open would be totally ineffective. Spotting and signaling to a distance group of hunters might be a guess. Deer and sheep can see you from 2 miles.

[@Desert.Drifter]

Spotting game, and then signaling others within line of sight seemed pretty plausible to me. Thanks for the comment

[@1nvisible1]

*@**8:19** great petroglyph of dog. From that artwork alone I'd guess it was a hunting blind, maybe mountain sheep of some sort.*

[@santafecanon]

Scouts signaling others about the presence of game or enemies has gone on for eons of time and still used today. @@Desert.Drifter

[@bargainboondocker3420]

From the elevation above the surrounding area they may have been used with a cover of branches to hunt eagles. But then there's no door access to either of them.

[@santafecanon]

Interesting take. Very plausible. Then again, this will always be a mystery. From all appearances, this was not a habitation, built rather quickly perhaps in haste for protection. A mystery.@@bargainboondocker3420

[@KrisT60211]

Incredible. Thanks for sharing your experiences. Many of us would never be able to see what you see or do what you do - you are appreciated.

[@ellenhross]

I love your shows. The pictographs were fabulous. Thank you for your arduous efforts. I'm 77 and so happy to be along on your adventures.

[@sueandeva573]

I'm so happy I found your channel. You share your experience very close up, and I catch my breath sometimes!

[@CalderdaleKid]

Greetings from The West Riding of Yorkshire, England. I came upon your channel quite by chance and saw this video. Really amazing to see the landscapes & really liked your video.

[@Desert.Drifter]

Awesome, thanks for watching. Hope you stick around for more content!

[@CalderdaleKid]

@@Desert.Drifter already subscribed and even told people about your channel 😊

[@i-am-vonnegut]

We have thousands of miles of boundary wall construction like that. It's known as dry stone, or stane if your in Scotland, walling. It's used mainly for garden walls or in fields as fencing. It's great for nature.

[@deborahjones3956]

Wow! Nice adventure, thank you for taking me along. I don't get out much anymore.

[@Matlockization]

Very impressed with your adventure and discoveries. I like your theory that the circular structures might be safe havens, although I can't help but think they might also be areas where smoke signals were made. However, I didn't see any charcoal remains.

[@sparklita1]

Yes, they could have had roofs for shelter, and the dogs looked as though they were herding the sheep. Also wondered if that guy could have done the pictographs with his sons.

[@Matlockization]

@@sparklita1 It just depends on how old they are, but I'd be more at ease with a crew of guys with similar age & experience.

[@user-lj8fu1ji8f]

I really enjoyed this adventure with you. Be careful climbing. 😅

[@user-lh4po9yw2s]

Possibly a sky burial site? In ancient times some cultures would allow birds to eat the dead, then they would retrieve the bones once they've been completely cleaned by vultures. I don't know the ancient funeral practices in that area, just a guess.

[@santafecanon]

I have not heard of that practice among the anasazi cultures of leaving burials out, but I am not the one to say. So much we do not know, Any evidence suggesting that practice is long gone to the wind. You know that has been thought about and studied and an internet search could be quite revealing. One group of natives could have done that without it being widespread as the structures we saw are one of a kind.

[@2nickles647]

Never heard of Sky Burial. Plus if the Anazii did that. They wouldn't pick up the bones. An old burial site would still wrench of decay or pots would be there also.

[@shadowsbane631]

Could they be protection from wind easier to build fire? Awesome video presence btw, also when you decide to take of the pack I get nervous. The shots from the gopro on a stick seem so unstable and exaggerated very cringe! Seems risky be safe!

[@cynthiachoate2536]

Watching you makes my legs weak. I don’t know how you can walk those ledges so fearlessly!

[@shirenen8807]

Hello! I’m a new subscriber and have been really enjoying “going along” with you on these treks!!! So completely interesting. I have seen Petroglyphs in the area of Canada that we spend our summers, but have not been to the great Western states. I’m enjoying your travels immensely. Thank you for your adventurous spirit!!!

[@davidconnor123]

Hi Andrew, greetings from England. I find your videos fascinating the way they show how people lived amongst that spectacular scenery. Keep up the good work, I am a history buff new to your channel and love what you are doing.

[@Desert.Drifter]

Hey David! Thanks for the kind words and support. The vids will keep coming!

[@robshirewood5060]

@@Desert.Drifter Same here from UK, fascinating items, stay safe.

[@rethamoore4282]

How beautiful the view!! Thanks for sharing!❤

[@user-cr1ho3es3z]

Just like a few others I think what you do is so cool and I enjoy watching you and seeing things I’ve have never seen before! I like the drone view, I’m l 63 and live in a small northern town of 5’,000 people here in Wisconsin. Thank you Joyce!

[@jamesparker5688]

Your adventure offers up more questions than answers, and the wall art was amazing. The locations were difficult to get to let alone build what looked like outposts of some kind. Thanks for taking us along on your journeys, be safe. ✌

[@marthastrayton]

It was totally enthralling! You are brave and thank you for taking us on your hike!!❤

[@phyllisbonner8900]

What a great discovery. So interesting. Thank you for taking us with you.

[@justinsutton6087]

Incredible videos man! Thank you for doing these. Im so jealous and hope to get down to see some of this soon. Keep it up brother.

[@philipbrown2086]

Excellent work, mate. Very nicely put together. Thank you!

[@mrbbqcraig]

Dude, don't worry about not filming when you have to use two hands LoL 😉... Awesome vid and you got my sub.... cheers to you 🤟🎶

[@Kens64chevelle]

Those are really amazing finds. Definitely designed to be hard to get to, and hard to see from any location surrounding that ridgeline. What intrigues me is that the typical door isn't there on either structure. They also don't seem like they'd be hunting blinds being set back as far as they are from the edge. I'm thinking that they fit the idea of a lookout post, but if so, then what are they protecting?

[@billmcfadden7488]

Hey Desert Drifter... great videos, and like many others in your audience, I am now too old to partake in such adventures. However, I once did, having lived all over California and a few places in Arizona too. Like them, I get to still go hiking and exploring vicariously through your videos. Super precious to those of us who have the spirit, but lack that physical prowess we once possessed! So, a HUGE THANK YOU from another one in that boat-full of fans! With regard to all these ancient sites, pictographs, constructions, etc., I'm curious if you map and report the sites you find to authorities that can help insure their protection for future generations to investigate and preserve? Or, are these sites already sometimes known, but forgotten?

[@Jasper_Seven]

Thanks once again for taking me to a really interesting place that I'm probably not going to get to. Need to get that geologist guy out there to tell us about the formation. Keep living the adventure while you can. God bless.

[@bobwhite5995]

FYI - there is a similar structure, ancient Anazazi "fort" in Stillwater Canyon on the Green River in Utah (Canyonlands N.P. territory). It is featured in several youtube videos of canoeing down Stillwater Cany.. It is more complete in its construction. Check it out? Bob W. (Vanc., WA)

[@robertmacleod]

With the amount of petroglyphs's depicting sheep and hunters with bows it would be logical to assume that these structures were hunting blinds. They would hide in them till sheep came within range and surprise them. The images depict their hunting exploits and provide a message that this is a good place to hunt sheep. The structures don't seem to have the mortar that more permanent Anasazi structures have in cliff dwellings, kiva's or graineries. Great work on your videos. Always fun to watch as I have spent many days visiting cliff dwellings and am always amazed at their ability of these ancient people to adapt and survive in such a harsh environment.

[@Desert.Drifter]

Thanks Robert. They didn’t have the mortar, but I wondered if it’s just broken down over time because they are so exposed to the elements up top? It reminds me of pit houses and ancient Pueblo sites I’ve seen in Arizona out in the open. I don’t know 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@Nopaants]

If I lacked respect for the hieroglyphs I would sign it and put a ridiculous date like 2378 or 204 BC just to mess with everyone in time. They’d have KZbin videos debating time travel forever. So satisfying.

[@ReMcDevitt]

The one petroglyph 2 ftx2ft “sheep”looked like a target for arrow practice

[@Nopaants]

@@bill9540 not burying bodies in that environment. Above ground or cremation.

[@KrisHughes]

That makes a lot of sense, and maybe the men and dogs made a commotion in the valley knowing that the sheep would go up on these ridges, because their rock climbing ability (the sheep) is notorious.

[@kerryfwilliams78]

I just started watching your channel! Wow! So many amazing spots! This video blew me away! I grew up in Arizona on South Mountain I spent so much time exploring lots of desert with my Dad, all around Arizona. As far back as I can remember to now, I am blown away by pictograms and petroglyphs, and any structure! WOW! I am fortunate to still have family that lives in Window Rock, and get to go there every couple of years and hike. Your vids are epic man! Thanks for sharing! Love how you never talk about location!

[@kipmay5101]

I’m loving your videos. These adventures are taking me where I can no longer go even if I wanted to so thank you for making your odyssey’s available for those who appreciate this fascinating part of history of the remarkable ancient populations who inhabited the Southwest. The drone footage is an added special feature that I love.

[@geraldsmith8878]

What a great find! I think it would be for signaling or star watching. It would be a terrible place to retreat to. With no water or food it would only take 15 days or less for the retreators to die. What is interesting is that there was no signs of pottery. Thanks for shareing with us.

[@ranchob3751]

There is plenty of water down below.

[@alanharmon9970]

You have got to admire the climbing skills of the Camera man ,that he climbed up with the Camera and filmed as he climbed 😄

[@robshirewood5060]

My guess is that the actual stopping place would have been down below so pottery etc would be down there, and only a limited number of spotters or whatever would scale the heights to the "shelters" or whatever they are. Food and water would logically be in short supply at times and to waste energy climbing in the heat or cold would be disadvantageous.

[@robshirewood5060]

@@ranchob3751 yes but in such areas is it there permanently in sufficient quantities for whole families or groups, nomadic peoples move from area to area with their animals if they have any and there has to be enough for both people and animals as well as the wildlife in order to conserve and preserve the populations for the future visits. If they wipe out the animals or take away their food source then the area becomes somewhere they cannot gain from in future. I am looking at this from a subsistence and survival level. Even where i live in the UK which can be very wet it is often hard to find water to drink that can be made potable or in some areas non existent at times of the year. Out there in the heat or cold it would be very much more vital and a finite source. Even the commentator/ cameraman has trouble at times finding water, it must have been harder for the groups.

[@curtisburrell8122]

That area is amazing with stuff. I’ve been to that sight with friends years back. May be something done many years ago or done not that long ago. People do stunts like this all the time in Moab. We spent all night building something similar up by dead horse point. Guided by a full moon and some psilocybin we had a grand time and laid within it and watched the stars.

[@Josecannoli1209]

I’m 635 years old now and want to thank you for showing the world me and my fathers sheep hunting petroglyphs

[@BigBlue1026]

I thoroughly enjoyed being along with you. Thank you! I would love to get an idea of the age of some of those rock circles you visited. They look as though they could have been there for a thousand years.

[@danduzenski3597]

Thank You for the walk and the gliffs. It was nice to get out.

[@Desert.Drifter]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@dortesandal4303]

This was so gorgeous. The best walk I ever had in my sofa. Great👍

[@Desert.Drifter]

Wow, that’s high compliments. Thank you!

[@sharoncrawford4786]

I wish I’d found your channel earlier , I’m trying to catch up ! Living in England we have nothing like the amazing places you visit , I can’t go with you , but I feel like I’m there anyway . Thank you for taking me along x

[@retrodog65]

Love the quality and time and attention to detail..your perfectionism put to fantastic use for others' pleasure..Nice!

[@MrAtrophy]

I honestly hope you document the GPS co ords and give them to the local tribes and archeologists but never tell anyone else. the stuff around 7:30 and on is priceless art and history.

[@FarginIceholeful]

Native Americans don't want archeologists anywhere near their sacred grounds. That is a terrible suggestion and I hope you don't promote any more government/native interactions.

[@sheilakirby5616]

ABSOLUTELY MY FRIEND *** FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND RESPECT FOR THE ANCIENT AMERICAN PEOPLE *** PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DON'T INFORM THE SMITHSONIAN OF SUCH A DISCOVERY ***

[@thomasshingleton9289]

I honestly, as a Native from the area, hope you don't tell any "agency!" Thank you.

[@JTube571]

Unfortunately, no matter how remote his finds, it seems like the idiots still seem to find them and make their mark. I don't understand why people can't just leave stuff alone.

[@fredhogg4361]

you seriously think that these are new finds - naïve fool

[@jamesn.economou9922]

This place is fantastic! I would guess, not a lot of modern humans, have been up there. My guess, is that they were look out positions, originally, but that is because of their location. The whole sandstone wall they are built upon, is a mind blower in itself. Thanks for making the climb, and sharing it with us! This place is terrific!

[@robertlester2855]

There was a lot of graffiti, and a well-traveled trail. This has seen a ton of foot traffic.

[@patricklerch6802]

The road you were walking down why didn't you drive and in some of the shots I could see roads in the background not very far away

[@ranchob3751]

This trail is actually very well known and is in the hiking books. It has been "loved to death" by too many people as evidenced by the defacing of the petroglyphs.

[@ranchob3751]

The side he was hiking up is designated as hiking/biking only. The dirt 2-tracks you see in the distance are on the other side of the hill and are jeep trails that have come up a class 7 difficulty obstacle rating. You have to have modified jeeps, dirt bikes or side by sides. Some people do mountain bike the entire loop, but it's a "hike-a-bike" going down the side he came up. @@patricklerch6802

[@GiguereSylvain]

Great video. Much apreciated. A little more images at the end, just to continue admiring all that beauty, after the comments, would have been much apreciated. Great work. Very insightful. Thanks for sharing.

[@Kindle1234]

Great videos, have learned a great deal with your adventures. You should have your own TV channel. Be careful, stay healthy on these hikes. Just came across these videos a couple weeks ago and have really enjoyed them.

[@TheMrRichard]

Would love a collab between you and The Trek Planner, Jeff!!

[@markd4926]

Thanks I’m 120 and can’t do this anymore

[@DGLaserCraft]

Excellent video and presentation of your findings. Thank you for the time you put in for others to enjoy - it is appreciated.

[@Latnman101]

I am so glad to have found you. Love your adventures!

[@lancebiddle3883]

I wonder if these were a place to have vision quests or ingest psychedelic substances for spiritual ceremonies. It does seem odd to me that there is no remnants of a roof or fire pit. But, in the desert where rain is scarce maybe the roof isn't so necessary. The walls would protect you from wind. Fires might be dangerous to have that high up because rivals would be able to see your fire from far away. Could be a great place to lay back and stargaze out of the wind? Love the mystery.

[@JG-ly2ij]

This explanation and the sky burial seems from the outside the most likely. Open to the heavens, protected from the sides. The internal form is shaped like and Andy Goldsworthy cairn sculpture. Note the slightly teardrop form to both.

[@Noneyobusiness851]

That's clearly a landing pad for a UFO😂

[@sandrakisch3600]

This is so amazing. Just watching how you got up to these is unreal. Love these circles. Would be nice to know why.

[@ConnieWojahn]

Who constructed these, and why, is lost to time, that's what makes this so intriguing. Thanks for the take-a-long.

[@SimonSozzi7258]

Perhaps a sacred space for sky burials. After the vultures have taken most of the body up to the sky, the bones are retrieved and given a second burial beneath a house or special place. Perhaps? Strange that there's no entrance and if it were taller we'd see the fallen stones. If fires had been lit there iver time it would change the color of the rock beneath it. Maybe they're just lookouts.?. You've got some really great finds. There must be some information out there about these? Like many of these things, we may never know. Beautiful. Thanks.

[@chanoanechanoane2214]

Love the drone footage. Nice music too.

[@Desert.Drifter]

Thank you! I’m testing out music in certain situations. Thanks for the feedback

[@rickygoodyear8836]

Incredible find and landscape, thanks for sharing your adventure!

[@deleabutler8095]

I recently found you on KZbin & am really enjoying your adventures. With all the pictographs of sheep I thought maybe the stacked stone rings might be holding pens??

[@alainaaugust1932]

There are hand-and-foot holds on the walls of the crack you climbed. You used some. Others not, but the camera caught them. They just look like small curved indentations on the rock face. Keep in mind that the ancient Puebloans were both shorter and thinner than we are. The climb up the crack would have been easier for them. They probably just scooted right up. All these high desert formations seem to be multi-purpose look outs. They could spot both animals to hunt and human rivals at a distance. The rock art repeated motifs like at 8:06 might be some type of score keeping or record system. We know some descendants of early Indians out west “counted coup,” as named by French explorers, coup being French for blow or hit. It was brave to raid an enemy to see how close you could get to them without killing them. If you got close enough to hit one of their braves, you “counted coup” and were the big man around the camp fire that night. If you survived of course. Most did because it was more like a frat house prank-unless that enemy had previously stolen your sheep or horses. Then it could get deadly. If this is record keeping, it may be from ancestors who also kept track of all their enemy-annoying victories. Or of the number of mountain goats they found in the area.

[@craigp3160]

At 8:00 were these guys fighting? What you see here are two people, the larger one is a man and the smaller one is a woman (perhaps adult and child) and the larger person is walking to the right along the wall going to higher ground (notice the direction of the feet) and the smaller one is being helped as she is being pulled up by the larger person. The larger person has his left hand in a crack meaning he is holding on with his left arm\hand and in his right hand he is helping the smaller person.

[@michaelkuhn3690]

Another possibility is perhaps an attack by giants. In the region the natives have stories of them cannibalizing natives. The single pictographs could be representing many of either side. I have a feeling it's certainly possible in the given scenario. It doesn't seem logical that such small populous tribes would be fighting for land. I think they were united and territorial with little fighting in that era. Why would people go to such extremes and difficulty to put a structure there. If giants tried to breach this kind of restricted access the chances of survival are slim and none.

[@Huey4214]

Thanks for taking us along on your adventures, love your channel. I will bet not to many people have been up there in the last 500 years.

[@Greengrass1972]

I'm so glad I found your chanel, I could watch your videos all day, your knowledge and research is superb, keep up the good work buddy 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇺🇸

[@garytull7730]

Both circles seem relatively undisturbed and in great shape, thanks for taking us along. If these were actually "occupied" as watch towers or game spotting sites it would seem likely there would be some evidence of people being there. I didn't notice any pottery pieces, maybe they were burial sites (?)

[@Desert.Drifter]

Yes, no artifacts around. I don’t know if that’s because others have taken them away at some point, or if there were never any there… hard to say

[@haroldclark5867]

Have you ever encountered skeleton remains?

[@ngaourapahoe]

Stunning scenery ! you are so lucky to be able visit those places.

[@valriew270]

Thanks for bringing up my heart rate climbing up steep inclines and jumping over big spaces. 😂😂😂 My mother and I are really enjoying your videos. Stay safe and thank you for all the videos and for respecting the ancestors as well as those living today and in the future by not taking anything nor destroying anything you find. We really appreciate it!

[@andrewsock1608]

You need to sift through the dirt in these round structures for charcoal. This will help determine if it is a signal fire. I think all the trees and bushes there are small and light meaning they would blow off the cliff if stacked up there for signal fire. They would need to build a rock ring to hold the wood there ready to light for signal. I believe it is a signal tower used to warn of weird white killers approaching. If it is a signal fire it may have never been lit and there is no charcoal. Also if it was a signal fire it would have been packed full of wood meaning it would not be used as a defence as you couldn’t get in it.

[@RNielsen-ly9wx]

Sifting through the dirt at an archeological site is a very ignorant thing to do. Please don't

[@andrewsock1608]

@@RNielsen-ly9wx ya that’s true but look harder I meant. Ignorance is letting it disappear unrecorded

[@billsalcido7878]

deserts weren’t always deserts. It could be from a time when the region was much more lush and many more predators. cool find! thanks for sharing

[@washingtonroad6738]

Totally agree. For example, the Tucson region was lush farmland with a river, 250 yrs ago. The Spaniards modified their agricultural practices and screwed up the river, and -- today -- it's arid. So a 500 yr old or older site could have been completely different.

[@caseycardwell3308]

Really enjoying your videos. I'd be keen to hear you give desert hiking/backpacking tips along the way, or even some melding of how the original inhabitants would have done it.

[@nufsteve]

Fascinating stuff! I’ve been reading some of the comments and I’m wondering, if they were hideouts or retreats, wouldn’t the drawings lower down give them away? Just subscribed also.

[@diannehull7635]

A kiva or sweat lodge maybe. Those are round generally in puebloian

[@marjoriegarner5369]

The thing about the circle rock structures is that they have no entrance/exit. That fact alone knocks down a lot of theories about use.

[@diannehull7635]

True, but kivas were built to enter through the roof made from timbers and clay which would deteriorated through time

[@titanostrongman]

The drone footage made me do a double take! How are you liking the drone so far? I know you mentioned that you weren’t sure about the noise etc.? You did an excellent job capturing drone footage and adding it. Great work good sir!

[@judyklein3221]

Fascinating place. It's fun trying to imagine what it might have been used for. Thanks for sharing!💕

[@gregdavis1487]

That was amazing, thank you so much for taking us there. What a phenomenal effort you gave to get there, hats off, salutes, standing ovations, and cheers!