BEARS EARS: We hiked the National Monument that Trump slashed (and Biden restored!)

[@HomeGypsy]

Thank you. As someone who rafted the San Juan when I lived in Flagstaff (and born and raised in New Mexico), I really didn't know about Bears Ears. This is a beautiful tribute. So glad my two Senators have proudly supported Bears Ears all the way through. Will do all I can to help. Namaste.

[@HankLeukart]

Thanks, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

[@DivaInTheWoods]

I simply cannot believe that there are people who do not recognize once you destroy nature, it's gone forever! It's quite infuriating actually. The love of $ can never buy what pure nature provides for free. I guess some of us have a higher standard of values and integrity.

[@HankLeukart]

glad you enjoyed the video!

[@honusail]

Beautiful video, beautiful story. Thank you for creating awareness.

[@HankLeukart]

Hi, and thanks! Glad you liked it!

[@dubthedirector]

The native commentary really adds a lot to this video, looks like a great trip!

[@HankLeukart]

Glad you liked the video!

[@jt7638]

It is great that the hikers BOTH enjoyed their experiences and preserved them in this video. Thank you. Delighted that President Biden restored these lands to be enjoyed by you, your children and your children' s children - and if you never have children - thanks for being selfless about the interests of your neighbors' children!

[@HankLeukart]

glad you enjoyed it!

[@jjkaiser1954]

So the people who are against making Bears Ears a Monument don't recall what has been happening in Moab, where uranium tailings go into the Colorado River, are buried next to public schools and are for the most part in the dust in the wind. Sometimes when people are speaking of mining they may think of a single gold nugget, perhaps even silver. What they do not understand is all the poison and waste that is in our environment because of uncontrolled mining. It has to be balanced with conservation, our resources need to be blessed, these people need to be respected, and leave some of the Earth untainted.

[@HankLeukart]

yes, destructive and polluting mining is really the primary issue here. the faster we move to renewable, truly clean energy, the better.

[@michaelfitzgerald434]

Just wonderful. Beautifully done. For more remarkable videos on Bears Ears I suggest Dana Hollister's KZbin series. He has been hiking Bears Ears / Cedar Mesa for 30 or so years. You might want to connect with him.

[@dannyreyna2821]

Bears Ears is more interesting and more beautiful than Trumps tower

[@M5verdriver]

Thank you for this amazing video guys. Having Navajos talk about their native home and the political impact that have ripped them apart from what was originally theirs from the beginning was a very important part of the video. I hope all over landers/off roaders respect and have a sense of empathy given the savage history towards all native Americans the books don't talk about and fight together in keeping these amazing places away from any body that want to destroy it.

[@HankLeukart]

Thanks -- so glad you enjoyed the video.

[@hmckeddie]

Great video. My wife and I have traveled from Ohio to Southeast Utah to visit the Bears Ears area many times and consider it the most beautiful place on Earth.

[@HankLeukart]

Thanks, Hobie! Glad you enjoyed the video. It's a beautiful place.

[@DedMedved]

Hi! It's great that you are shooting a video about packrafting not just for fun, but for a big purpose, namely, to touch on the problem of land development. If I understood correctly, I speak English mediocrely. I am from Siberia, from the industrial region (Kuzbass), our region provides most of the coal in Russia. And suffer from mining primarily the indigenous population, the small people - the Shorians. You can see the Shorians in the film "The Great Siberian Traverse" from Sherpas Cinema kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZOsi3-uZsmcf7c After watching your movie, I thought, because I can also shoot my films for a reason, I can talk about the problem of pollution of their region, their rivers and taiga Thank you

[@HomeInWildSpaces]

Nice video Hank! We’re Utah natives and are very much concerned about our public lands. Thanks for exploring the issue and sharing your trip.

[@HankLeukart]

Thanks, glad you liked it!

[@michalphillip800]

man ,...... the bears ears is the bees knees

[@msoverland]

Absolutely fantastic video Hank! We've spent some extensive hours behind the screen watching footage on Bears Ears and your video was a amazing. If you're open for contact, we'd love to speak with you. Please email me at [e-mail] Thanks so much for putting this together and I'm shocked it hasn't had more views. Superb film work!

[@robertosoto5181]

GREAT VIDEO GUYS!! loved it!!! #trumpsabitch

[@HankLeukart]

Thanks, glad you loved it!

[@Nancy3116]

I wish I can help save Bears Ears and Grand Staircase but as a Canadian there isn't much I can do. Please fight to keep these monuments in their original size.

[@HankLeukart]

Thanks, Nancy!

[@Nancy3116]

Maybe you should do a Grand Staircase video too.

[@HankLeukart]

I love Grand Staircase and would love to get out there sometime soon and do one too!

[@wecantstayput4958]

Hank, this is a fantastic film and so necessary right now. My heart breaks over what is happening, and I love the way you’re fighting back by increasing awareness. Great work.

[@HankLeukart]

Thanks -- so glad you liked it!

[@akusantafe]

An excellent film about a most sacred place. Nice trip route, too, with the boating segment to Slickhorn! Wish I were willing to lug that much gear down the Honaker and up Slickhorn. Hats off to you, gentlemen!

[@HankLeukart]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! Yeah, we had a great time on the trip, despite the weight.

[@pasky7777]

Damn these guys are pro. Not just in flim making but in the outdoor. I am gonna subscribe.

[@HankLeukart]

thank you!

[@vandalnonesuch8274]

Be interested to see just ow much oil, coal and mining company stock Trump owns!

[@craiglenhard-rvrguyd]

I did a 3 day kayak/raft trip from Mexican Hat. Looked like a miniature Grand Canyon. The river is the third most heavily silt laden river in the world. Near the end of our trip the river had many sand bars due to the silt. Pumping to get drinking water was a chore. Was your trip up river from Mexican Hat?

[@joeoutabout2947]

You did a great job with this video. At my age the places you went are no longer possible for me, so it is awesome that people like you can show me these amazing places.

[@HankLeukart]

Thanks, Joe! So glad you liked it.

[@dannyreyna2821]

I love the native Americans people and their traditions but I know deep in my heart they will lose again. Corporations only care about money and more money and they dont respect anything but only only money....they will come with bigger guns and the courts in their pockets. I pray for Bears Ears immortality.

[@BDragonmasTer]

Danny Reyna it's really so sad. America really messed up and it's so sad that once the land is lost, it can never really be restored. It's no surprise that America is the laughing stock of the world with amount of support trump gets on all of his greedy and backwards ideas

[@raoulbsantiago80]

Danny Reyna ...I agree, these lands need to be protected by federal law. Now they are going to be sold, raped of their resources, and completely destroyed. I’m in shock, Native American land is being stolen...AGAIN! 😡

[@FrancoisLabelle-yf8tj]

It will take 50 years to redress what the pussy grabbing, lying Orange Buffoon In Chief has done to American politics, helped by the spineless dopes, special interests Republican party have been forever trashed by the biggest fraud ever to sit in the WH... Abe Lincoln is turning in his grave!!

[@v2gbob]

Great video, thanks posting!

[@HankLeukart]

Thanks, Bob! Glad you liked it!

[@v2gbob]

Of course. Love Slickhorn Canyon. Never been down to the San Juan however. One of these days. :)

[@herlingadventures]

That was a fantastic clip. Especially the commentaries about its history and the on going battle for conservation made me appreciate it even more. A must see thank you for this wonderful video.

[@HankLeukart]

so glad you enjoyed it!

[@skywolf2012]

GOT TO GO THERE BEFORE IT IS DESTROYED BY CORPORATE AND STATE GOVERNMENT GREED.

[@HankLeukart]

It's a beautiful place -- definitely worth a visit.

[@brandonjones6123]

Great film!

[@HankLeukart]

Thank you!

[@NorwegianXplorer]

Thank you!!!

[@emmieloper1791]

Such a cool trip. Thanks for this educational and entertaining documentary!

[@HankLeukart]

glad you enjoyed it!

[@huskerhank6231]

What politics taketh away politics can give back. I know with a right wing insurrection, the pandemic and economic ruin restoring protection to a remote corner of Utah seems trivial but hopefully it will occur in the next 4 or 8 years.

[@HankLeukart]

www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2021/01/biden-expected-to-reverse-trump-order-to-shrink-utah-national-monuments/

[@channelname1818]

Hi Hank! This documentary is a work of art man! Please keep inspiring us! ❤️🙏

[@HankLeukart]

Thank you! So happy you enjoyed it!

[@H.pylori]

In one word...OUTSTANDING!

[@HankLeukart]

thank you!

[@martinjcamp]

Can anyone please tell us exactly where the Trump Hotel will be placed? I can only imagine it will be between the two Ears, and with 40-foot gold-plated letters atop.

[@martinjcamp]

And YES, the Video was very nice, and the Native perspective greatly appreciated.

[@HankLeukart]

thank you!

[@saginawdan]

Beautiful and sad at the same time. Wonderful video, thanks - Dan (new subscriber)

[@HankLeukart]

glad you enjoyed it. thank you!!

[@WanderingBlock]

Great video, awesome trip, and interesting info! Thanks for sharing!

[@HankLeukart]

thank you! glad you liked it!

[@rickbarber7412]

Well done, thank you.

[@timrichmond6238]

Nice Video! Hopefully Biden can restore to original size and protection!

[@HankLeukart]

www.sltrib.com/news/2020/12/02/san-juan-county-asks/

[@AndreSaysHello]

Did you have to get a permit to camp and raft? If so, where did you get it, how much did it cost , and how long did it take to get it? The closest I was able to get to bears ears was by being by the natural bridges monument.

[@HankLeukart]

Yes, a float permit from the Bureau of Land Management is required year-round to paddle the 102-mile section of the San Juan River between Montezuma Creek and Clay Hills, Utah. Permits are issued through a pre-season lottery and by reservation for the permits remaining after the lottery. Permits can be reserved on Recreation.gov. In addition, a permit is required year-round for those hiking or camping in Grand Gulch or Slickhorn Canyon. Overnight permits must be obtained on the morning of the first day of the trip at the Kane Gulch Ranger Station, though permits can be reserved up to 90 days in advance by calling the BLM Monitcello Field Office. More info here: withoutbaggage.com/films/bears-ears/

[@UncleFjester]

Nice time lapses

[@HankLeukart]

Thanks!

[@MrStaybrown]

There are alot of grave robbers and pot thieves posing as campers and hikers to support their drug addiction, keep an eye out for them.

[@Goodgrief7811]

Awesome beautiful. Just natural creation of art and beauty.

[@HankLeukart]

Thanks, Chris! I'm so glad you liked it!

[@zimmerfraugudrun]

wonderful video, great hike and boating, than you for sharing. I have been there, it is a precious place

[@swatteamcda]

Great video! Very well done.

[@christineswan1937]

Thank you!!!

[@HankLeukart]

glad you liked it!

[@sarahgoodlaxson307]

Devastated I didn't hear about this travesty until today. Thank you for creating this video and doing what you could to raise awareness. We will continue to fight.

[@HankLeukart]

Thanks, Sarah! Hopefully, the fight isn't over yet.

[@sarahgoodlaxson307]

Even if it is, for this particular fight, this story & everything surrounding it has created a resolve in me to protect the land we have left. I can't stay silent while people rip these precious gems from us.

[@jaapongeveer6203]

What an awesome video!

[@HankLeukart]

Thanks so much!

[@galenfoulois7194]

Great documentary. Including Navajo tribal heritage perspective is so important. I am heading to the region tomorrow. River trip will have to wait for another time.

[@HankLeukart]

thank you, galen! glad you enjoyed it, and i hope you have a great trip!

[@mathewprime3556]

Beautiful video

[@HankLeukart]

Thanks, glad you liked it!

[@mountaindogg58]

Thank you for being perfectly imperfect!

[@HankLeukart]

glad you liked the video!

[@miguelk.6271]

If you're interested in getting involved, please check this out: www.patagonia.com/home/

[@startled911]

I live in England and have visited the US amore than a few times. Its lands are so diverse and beautiful. It shouldn’t be taken for granted, it’s way too precious for one crazy man to have torn up. So much native history and beauty to be lost! It really is sad to see what’s going on :(

[@markmark2080]

I LOVE the whole "Grand Circle" region, as much as possible should be protected.

[@HankLeukart]

yup it's beautiful

[@iliveinthewoods]

"Cryptic message"? "First pond, go right. Second pond, go left." LOL! It's a mystery wrapped inside a riddle! Hahaha! Great video! 1♥️

[@HankLeukart]

Haha! Yes, we definitely should have listened to the wise woman. It would have saved us at least a half hour of trying to climb up a wall that was impossible to climb.

[@petunialuna4801]

The Navajo migrated from the north in clans about 400 years ago. They took over millions of acres in the southwest from the Anasazi people, the ancient pueblo people who did live there for thousands of years. They were the cliff dwellers and built adobe structures. The Navajo took over three million acres +. It is a national tragedy that Trump gifted fossil fuel and mining corporations over two million acres here, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and the Boundary Waters watershed gift to toxic copper mining. These were protected areas with many court cases and EPA studies completed to continue protection. Trump wiped all that away with one stroke of his magic marker, and Biden is doing nothing to reclaim these vital and sensitive areas. So they are gone to ravaging by mining, fossil fuel extraction and toxic poisoning.

[@HankLeukart]

Biden is expected to reverse Trump's decision. www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/biden-expected-to-reverse-trump-order-to-shrink-utah-national-monuments

[@petunialuna4801]

@@HankLeukart thanks for the link but I was unable to read without signing up with my email. So far the only thing that Biden has done is put a TEMPORARY stop to giving NEW leases on federal lands. I am not aware of any of Trump's fire sale leases that Biden has reversed. Biden's nominee for Sec. Of the Interior indicated in her confirmation hearing that the temporary hold of any new leases was just temporary.

[@hendrsb33]

I have such a hard time listening to Trump speaking about anything. Having been to Bear's Ears myself, it's especially difficult for my ears to be assaulted by his backward double-talk. I just had to fast-forward past his lies.

[@guidobauer9184]

Fantastic film! Congrats ... you brought a lot of attention to Bears Ears ...

[@HankLeukart]

Thanks, Guido. Glad you liked it.

[@roberttalmadge8874]

Great, informative, wonderful video. Thanks you!

[@HankLeukart]

Thanks, Robert! Glad you liked it.

[@codygeewin5166]

NATIVE INDEPENDENCE!!!!!

[@paulbiontino6775]

Great Video, thank's /Donald is not cool/

[@anandazone1121]

Excellent work on this video!

[@HankLeukart]

Thank you!

[@sethredd1988]

It breaks my heart to see this video. It hurts to see us portrayed so villainous. The locals against the monument do not want mining, drilling, or oil production in bears ears. We are scared this diamond in the desert would be exploited by tourism, it’s solitude and majesty would be undermined by large crowds, advertising, visitor centers, and designated trails lined with parking lots. We are fearful of vandalism happening to the area and the ruins within them. We were scared access would be limited and many areas we have enjoyed would be closed “as many already have been”. It makes me sad to see that just becuase I am white, it is implied I have no sacred or spiritual tie to the land. I lived here my whole life, it’s all I’ve ever known. I love this land as much as anyone, our ancestors crossed this land to live through the-hole-in-the-rock. It hurts to see this become a (white vs native) issue as both races are on both sides. Nobody disagrees to it being protected. Most just disagree “how” it should be protected. I am an anti monument supporter, I want to visit this land as I have always done. It is my home.

[@HankLeukart]

Hi, Seth. Thanks for your honest feedback. I did try to include a voice like yours in my video, but I had trouble finding someone willing to speak on camera about it during the time I was backpacking in the area. While I respectfully believe that the Monument is best in the long run to protect the land as our population continues to grow, I fully understand and appreciate your concerns. I think it's important that no matter what happens with Bears Ears, smart people in charge of management need to think hard about the best way to manage the area to avoid the problems you cited: no one wants it to feel like a theme park.

[@tomh1304]

I shared the same sentiment. I thought "oh crap" now that they're making it a monument everybody is going to want to come out here. At the same time I thought "great" now this will keep the oil, mining, ORV and cattle boys from destroying it. Unfortunately what is happening with Trump's rollback is the latter. No sooner than he signed his proclamation the uranium mining companies, oil developers, cattle ranchers etc. were at the door of the BLM offices filing lease permits. You see now with this rollback less is protected than was before the monument designation. It's all about development and $$$. As far as it being a native vs. non-native issue. I don't see that. Like yourself I have a spiritual attachment to the land there as well. It's sacred to me. I see it as more of an issue of those who respect the land and those who don't.

[@odfarmboy]

Beautifully done.

[@HankLeukart]

Thank you!

[@kenlodge3399]

Great video, I really liked it in fact was surprised how much I liked it. Believe it's due to it being so primitive. I like primitive, I really do. I don't believe it's the most beautiful park slash area slash canyon slash hike and float down, no. I believe first Yellowstone, then the Tetons (my favorites of all time) and then Glacier NP are, hands down. But I really appreciate rugged beauty and all that is primitive. In fact when the narrator, Hank is it, stated you felt threatened, er no you said panicked, that shocked me as primitive is the epitome of Samatha. The desert is the rawest form of Land! It is the rawness of nature when you have in stark contrast a rich, full, abundant source of flowing aqua, Water! The contrast is simplicity itself. You are at once surrounded by the essence of limitation, being in the desert and the gift of abundance by having a fully flowing river. I cannot imagine a greater source of tranquility. I love primitive, how does one "panic" in the face of utter grandeur... One surrenders before such grandeur, all that is nature, is natural is laid out before you allowing complete understanding. If you said you were overwhelmed then that I can believe, but fearing in that environment is dissociative.

[@guidobauer9184]

May I ask the manufacturer of the inflatable kayaks you used in the film?

[@HankLeukart]

We're using Alpacka packrafts. They didn't sponsor us or anything -- but I bought a few of their rafts years ago. www.alpackaraft.com

[@kylerarick632]

As someone who has family in the area, that have lived there for generations, I don’t see the added value of making it a monument. People who don’t live there seem to think that the people of San Juan County are incapable of protecting and maintaining the land. The people always have and always will be dependent on the land and the environment. I think it’s interesting that you didn’t interview any residents who didn’t want the monument, but instead, simply attributed the shrinking of the monument to Trump being bad. Though your statistic go 60% of Utahns agreed with the monument, did you research how many people of San Juan County supported the monument?

[@HankLeukart]

Hi, Kyle. Thanks for your honest feedback. I did try to include a voice like yours from SJC in my video, but I had trouble finding someone willing to speak on camera about it during the time I was backpacking in the area. While I respectfully believe that the Monument is best in the long run to protect the land as our population continues to grow, I fully understand and appreciate your concerns. I think it's important that no matter what happens with Bears Ears, smart people (whether it be federal, state, or local) in charge of management need to think hard about the best way to manage the area.

[@WE_not_Me]

Fantastic work, sir!

[@HankLeukart]

thank you!

[@classicalmusic7430]

Why is the water looking so dirty?

[@HankLeukart]

I think that because it flows through the Utah desert, it has a lot of silt/desert sand in it that makes it opaque.

[@jeck1]

Anyone else having to watch this for a debate

[@HankLeukart]

A debate?

[@jeck1]

Yeah for a religious study class

[@HankLeukart]

@@jeck1 did you win the debate

[@3DGEM3]

Lovely video and stunning land! Trump shrinked the monument area, but have no fear much of the land is managed through many federal agencies.

[@lifeisshort-makeitsweet869]

Shocked at any thumbs down on this great, informative video. God is not happy with the human race I think, nor can I blame him. Thank you for this wonderful video!

[@HankLeukart]

Thanks, glad you liked it!

[@hikerstl]

There are two sides to every story. You only presented one.

[@HankLeukart]

Thanks for your honest feedback. I did try to include more opposition voices in the film, but I had trouble finding someone willing to speak on camera to me directly about it during the time I was backpacking in the area. So, I made those voices heard with news clips of cattle rancher Bruce Adams, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, and President Trump speaking in their own words, as a decent substitute. While I respectfully believe that the Monument is best in the long run to protect the land as our population continues to grow, I understand both sides of the issue. I think it's important that no matter what happens with Bears Ears, smart people in charge of management need to think hard about the best way to manage the area to make sure that it's not polluted by energy developers.