Escaping A Flood, I Stumbled On A Hidden Ancient Site

In this episode, I'm backpacking and exploring through a rugged region in the American Southwest. At one point, I become trapped in the canyon due to an unexpected natural event. As I work to overcome this challenge, I make an ancient discovery I'll remember for a long time.
#ancientdiscoveries #ancienthistory #exploration #backpacking
*PART 1*: • I Found an Intact, Anc...
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[@Erica_Brenda]

Those spirals on the petroglyphs at 14:18 are the symbol for water. The big one with the two petroglyphs that look like bird's feet (what you called turkey tracks) is the petroglyph that means a spring that you have to dig down to get. The little spirals up and to the right, attached to the longer lines, tell you that the water is not always there. They indicate water pools there after a storm. The far left shows two safe paths to get to the water. (What you called a necklace) The longer the lines inside the spiral, the more water there is at that site. The bird's feet always mean you have to dig. And yes, Clud Lightening and rain on the petroglyph at 15:43 which ties into the petroglyph to the right indicating pools only during or right after a storm. My brother and I found a site like this in the desert west of Las Vegas, NV, and followed the petroglyphs of a spiral with the bird's feet to a site the petroglyphs that read water was there. We dug down and found a spring that produced a large quantity of clear spring water. The hole filled so fast that it cleared all our mud we'd created hile digging the hole, in seconds. When you're in the desert, there's nothing more important than finding water, and thus, there are a lot of petroglyphs that show how to get to good water.

[@jada4334]

😮 amazing it's still giving water the life of the desert ❤

[@Erica_Brenda]

@@jada4334 yeah, after all these years, it was/is still there. It really is remarkable!

[@anitahood196]

Thankyou for explaining that.

[@joelleperry2057]

Do you know what the red prints mean around 20:22?

[@Erica_Brenda]

@@joelleperry2057 They are ancestral spirits watching over the living.

[@MA-un8on]

In my 74 years, I've never enjoyed watching something so much as I have enjoyed these videos! Thank you so much for taking us along. Your respect of the past and your connection to the people/places are quite special and refreshing. Thank you. I've climbed some mountains today! I've enjoyed the solitude, the 'Presence', the Peace.

[@mlthewi1287]

What a beautiful comment!

[@BreakOutOfTheAlgorithm]

One of the best comments I've read in months. 🙏🤠👍

[@mlgauss60435]

I agree! ❤

[@MrSomethingElse]

Respect Elder and, yeah, I concur.

[@dhw14]

Im walking with ya!

[@olybears57]

I live in a tiny house- 8’ wide and 26’ long. For us, the house is our kitchen, a place to shower and keep our things, and a place to lay our heads at night. All of our “living” happens outdoors! I imagine these ancient people lived in much the same way. So cool to see!

[@carlaeskelsen]

I was just thinking the same.

[@LaughingblueSu]

We live tiny too! So much closer to nature in a small house.

[@juriaan13]

9 by 23 for me..tiny homes unite!!

[@oldogre5999]

I live in a HUGE old house, I'm almost 3/4 of a century old now... Built this place over 50 years ago back when the wife and I planned on having a passel of kids!

[@otterconnor942]

I wish outside was livable for more than 3 months a year where I live. You'll have to enjoy it for the both of us

[@JayCWhiteCloud]

As a restoration professional and ecologist, I can't tell you how thankful I am for those who document places like this and also demonstrate SAFE and RESPECTFUL methods to travel in these sensitive locations. I know many do not condone or encourage doing what you're doing or going in these areas. I have issues with that because documenting them is critical and there are not enough "professionals" actually doing it, so the "amateur experts" are left to such work as you are so brilliantly doing. This architectural history does have a lifespan! One earthquake or major event landslide or just time alone will erase this physical history someday and this type of video documentation (et al) will be all that will be left for others to learn from. Thank you for sharing this and taking the time to make such wonderful videos…

[@Desert.Drifter]

Thank you for sharing this. I’ve been torn over the different ethical debates about showing these sites on the internet given their fragility and sensitivity. I understand both perspectives, and it’s a very tough gray area… I appreciate hearing your perspective. If you don’t mind my asking, what part of the country have you/do you do restoration and ecology work in?

[@CapricornGirl9]

@@Desert.DrifterI have found that many content creators do not disclose the location in their videos. Keeping these locations secret keeps them safe, and I am happy for that. Keep up the good work.

[@JayCWhiteCloud]

@@CapricornGirl9I too am grateful for this. Most of these sites are well known to many of us, who are concerned with such places, and "sharing them" isn't the necessary goal except to other academics, researchers, or those of the First Nation cultures that protect them. Many of the most pristine sites are near impossible to reach unless well-skilled in high-angle rope work, land navigation, and multiday treks in the backcountry.

[@louisegogel7973]

@@Desert.DrifterThe more people learn about other ways of life, the more everyone’s minds open and wonder can take place and add to brainstorming for us all. Education about a location’s fragility and guidance on how to respect these places is awesome. May you always be safe and steady, guided to the places that want to be shared and shown.

[@alexgladstone6799]

Your respect is appreciated.

[@xerosereify]

The image of some ancient parent painting their babies feet is so cute. Its like they managed to capture a tiny spark of joy and preserve it for many generations beyond their time.

[@Desert.Drifter]

Well said

[@pttpforever]

Exactly! The image that came to my mind was of many, many happy parents celebrating the birth of their child and recording it there. Imagine bringing that child to that same wall and pointing to one particular foot print and saying, 'See? You were once that small and now look at you!' A birth certificate for all to see and for a very, very long time!'

[@user-gw2bi9xr7e]

According to the Hopi, the painted feet on the wall mean that a baby was born at that house. Great adventure. Hiking in these canyons is endlessly wonderful, thankyou for posting.

[@user-zt7uo8eb1l]

From a rural Flagstaff boy of 67 living in NZ. I saw a lot of amazing ruins and natural wonders while growing up in the southwest. You're recording of your adventures is absolutely epic!! These native Americans are my roots ! Their connection with the lands around them is my connection with the land around me! You will always carry the imprint of these days within you. I know this and I thank you. Across time we walk.

[@ProBioMech]

Not nearly as much of that kind of thing to see in NZ. Some of the old Pā sites are interesting but you still have to use quite a bit of imagination.

[@kevinrichards1539]

What part of NZ?

[@marcduncan2948]

As someone who has been blessed with these type of journeys I cant tell you how much I enjoy your videos. I am about a minute from 70 and my knees are not the same for the climbs. Shade and cool water for all your adventures, thank you so much for taking us along!

[@peterdhanes8771]

I can imagine a parent putting their baby's foot print on the wall and then when the child is older the parent takes them there and shows them and says "that was made by your foot when you were very small". I can then imagine that child/person treasuring that experience for their lifetime and maybe even telling their children or doing the same. What a treat. The humanity seeps through if you are paying attention. Thank you.

[@williamburdon6993]

I have been putting marks on the doorways of our homes since my children were little, if I painted , I copied the marks on a roll of paper with their name and age , I am doing it with our great great children now, and whenever anyone comes over we measure and compare and have a great visit . It's a small thing that didn't cost any money, but everyone has enjoyed it for 60. years

[@kzarnold3678]

​@@williamburdon6993my family used to do that at the grandparents house all we have left is pictures of the wall with the names and dates but it's an awesome memory and a tradition that each family now has at our own house's

[@gingerblack4528]

Footprints on that wall is that ceiling! It looks like many generations must have lived in this space! I love the green painted unit that you found earlier with it's design still quite nice! Thank you for taking me along!

[@samesryals6952]

​@@williamburdon6993it's what life is really all about money isn't that cool it has no personality or creativity it's very dull in my opinion

[@samesryals6952]

​​​@@devinb5937it's just crap to you what a dull life you must live you can skim the surface or you can dive deep diving deep leaves much more to behold stop hating yourself try some spirituality in your diet that will help and I don't mean religion I'm not poking fun are trying to insult I'm being serious

[@tolentarpay5464]

I've NEVER seen a thousand+ yr old Anything in such a perfect state of preservation! If I hadn't seen that wattle-and-daub wall for myself I wouldn't have believed it! What a score!

[@Loralanthalas]

I was thinking they must have built it right before they stopped cliff dwelling. That place looks like a recreation it's so new. I hope it stays that way for another eon.

[@hans7856]

Who says it's a thousand+ years old?

[@mikomaxwell6313]

Visit Spain . You’ll have your mind blown ever minute

[@mikomaxwell6313]

@@hans7856the dude in the video .. did you even watch? He says it the first minute

[@hans7856]

@@mikomaxwell6313 Or visit Europe in general. The guy in the video also does not know the age of these things, as he explains often enough. An archaeologist needs to date them.

[@GrandmaBev64]

Beautiful site. The green paint and intact doors and dwellings, proves to me, their homes were painted bright and beautiful. I can see traces of bright paint on other sites, usually red and orange with patterns across the tops of the walls, but the colors are so faded, they look purposely erased. I have been studying the ruins for a number of years now, because I can see where some (anything the Calvary could find) of these places have been purposely destroyed. They liked to pour oil down the faces of Native dwellings and burn them out. This site is in pretty good shape. This is what all of the sites protected by canyon walls should look like. Not piles of rubble under the ledges. Natives built their homes to be protected from weather and the enemy. It's a nice change to see something this complete. Thank You for sharing this with us. The red paint splattered everywhere is blood spilled there. Was someone's baby killed? I've seen red splatter before in sites where war was waged. That red wall grabbed me. Then I saw the footprints. Wow! I interpret that wall as pain and blood spilled.

[@FCain-mf4tf]

It is just amazing how people lived in those cliff dwellings 800 to 900 years ago. AWESOME!

[@E.o.t.4637]

Seeing an owl... they are a carrier of ancient knowledge and a bringer of deep, mystical wisdom. When animals present themselves to us we need to take notice as you did. Thank you again for your knowledge and courage Andrew! It's always a treat to watch what you've discovered.

[@Desert.Drifter]

Thanks for continuing to watch and support the channel!

[@teressarenslow5992]

The answer to the question is 3! Lol!

[@joebombero1]

Yup, yup. Owls are indeed a powerful presence.

[@CarsCatAliens]

Or they are just looking for a snack/meal...

[@johnathandavis3693]

@@CarsCatAliens That, too...

[@davidhiatt5384]

In my 65 years I was lucky to have spend time exploring ancient sites from the Fremont culture in Wyoming and Utah to the Pueblo cultures of The desert southwest. My wife is a potter who wanted to study the designs of native cultures. Along the way I have seen amazing sites and explored the roads less traveled. Your narration in your videos is breathtaking you feel the land you hear the call of the next vista. Kudos and my respect for your hard work.

[@julieisthatart]

I was wondering if that small room that was so blackened and with only the small opening might be a kiln? what does your wife think, is that possible?

[@davidhiatt5384]

Native kilns were pits dug into the ground later they adopted the beehive earthen kilns.

[@julieisthatart]

@@davidhiatt5384 yes, of course, I knew that, and I have seen people firing in Mexico in an open fire too. I was just wondering if this was an unusual use of the cliff space as a kiln?

[@Desert.Drifter]

Thank you David

[@ShirleeChopping]

I used to hike around the Wind River area in WY untill I got multiple sclerosis. Saw many teepee rings and such, many artifacts. They were tougher back then than we are now. I love being able to get out again, and see through your eyes. Thank you! Many years I visited the Moab area. Saw many ruins on that trip. Thanks again for taking me back out there again. I miss it.

[@clytiesunflower4655]

The people had so much ingenuity, creativity and were so determinedly industrious! I feel great love and nostalgia for their invaluable hearts!

[@Aplusinskal]

I just lost a friend of 20 years. Your soothing voice, kind eyes and desert adventure calmed my nerves. Thank you so much for being you and doing what you do @DesertDrifter

[@pippalongstrum4780]

I’m so sorry for your loss.

[@kozzackkelt]

Condolences on the loss of your friend. May you always have good memories of them.

[@willoughby1888]

A friend is precious to have. Every day is a gift, every heartbeat. Memories live on even after a death happens. I've lost a whole lot, but yet remember everything I have lost because I haven't "lost" them at all. It's said "Death isn't the cruelest thing, it's the being forgotten that is."

[@DianaKirby3]

I'm so sorry. I lost a dear friend 9 months ago and my mom to COVID 2 years ago. I was thinking the same thing about Andrew's voice in this video.

[@kathybrandt6060]

I am truly sorry to hear that you lost a friend of 20 years..

[@Turner7834]

These videos blow my mind. I live in England and we’ve thousands of years of history but with the exception of some Castles and buildings we’ve hardly anything so well preserved and untouched that shows how the normal people lived. The wattle and daub was exceptionally well preserved. Thanks.

[@jeannerogers7085]

In this context, I believe "wattle and daub" = "adobe."

[@rallycrosscraig]

Same here watching from U.K. and enjoying these films a lot

[@althomas6496]

I'm old and of native origin, mostly north central native, not many sites exist off native people in this area, a few mounds but nothing as preserved as the sites you go to and the respect for them shows in your videos, I can feel their lives through what you share ..I would never be able to see them at my age if not for you, thank you.

[@betsyholway7500]

For the ancient ones, the smaller the space, the easier it is to keep warm

[@jameswestbury8060]

Easier to build also

[@Loralanthalas]

All that wood in the winter.

[@poundtowntwistedarts1359]

Thank you so much for sharing your life with us.

[@asmodeus1274]

@@poundtowntwistedarts1359👈 Gets no support, resort to giving himself a thumbs up for a lame comment.

[@WWZenaDo]

Agreed. They spent most of their lives outdoors, and the shelters were mostly used at night and in inclement weather.

[@thefrontalcortex7043]

This is quickly becoming my favorite channel. Thank you.

[@Desert.Drifter]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@artcflowers]

​@Desert.Drifter thanks for the hike and views. Can you please tell me the maker of your cap? Ive been looking for that style and all i can find are those truckers caps which make me look like frankestein's monster! Hehee. Seriously, who makes your cap? Thanks

[@artcflowers]

​​@@Desert.Drifter✌️see my comment request above

[@lornahardin4563]

I am amazed at your stamina climbing up to these awesome cliff dwellings on mostly nothing. I'm 82 this month and a new subbie. I love going with you to places I could never get to. Your canyon walks are so inspiring and serene. To see these cliff dwellings up close makes my imagination go back hundreds of years to visualize these remarkable peoples.

[@user-vu3dr1wg2x]

One thing I never heard you talk about is snakes and other bitting critters. You walk at times with nothing protecting your ankles or lower legs. I used to hike/hunt in areas like you travel into. I always see Rattlesnakes everytime I go out. You put your hands and feet into some pretty dangerous areas. Seems maybe you might be doing hikes when it's super cold and that would make sense. I love your channel very much. you take us into some great areas. I'm 81 now so yuo are my proxy on these hikes. Your commentary is spot on and easy to understand. Thanks for doing what you do my friend. Take care and be safe.

[@radientbeing]

Thanks for your amazing videos! Fortunately at 85 years old I am still able to do some of what you do here in Sedona Az. I especially enjoy bushwacking/steep hikes to take photos/videos in places no human being has visited (energy spots). A few thousand miles of hiking in the canyon's of Az and some jungle hiking in Costa Rica in my life so far. Retired mathematician/physicist.

[@Woodsgal59]

Way to stay young! Bravo!

[@PhilipPedro2112]

...that no one's visited for a while, anyway

[@primesspct2]

I hope I can say the same think at your age! Thanks for sharing!

[@catzcradle]

Perhaps you found a birthing place. I know there are birthing caves where the women would go when the time came. I'm just wondering if maybe this is one of those places. My heart truly soars with emotion during your videos. I especially cherish the fact that you educate preservation of not only these sacred ruins, but of the land surrounding them as well. ✨Thank you!✨

[@markgiles8527]

There are spots close to where I live in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia that shows similar spirals. Different people making the same or similar patterns. Strange and wonderful.

[@PelicanNorth]

Your video titles can seem like click-bait, but then you actually deliver the goods! Thanks for bringing us along. I appreciate your authentic, calm storytelling.

[@MarciaLeeful]

I know in my life time I will never get to see those amazing places so I sure am pleased to get to see them through your videos. Takes you back to a difficult era in time and helps to see how these small groups of people lived! Thank you so much!

[@lynettecockburn332]

Can you all hear that baby giggle? Thanks for THE most amazing video . Kindest regards to your wife for lending you to us all.

[@Lb-df4xi]

The imprint of the tiny baby feet touched me in a truly emotional way. I just imagine a proud Father and Mother holding their baby up and placing their tiny feet there. They never imagined how many years it would still be there for us to see all this time in the future. And that people all around the world would see those prints. How incredible

[@larryyoung2071]

I really enjoy your videos. I am 78 and can no longer backpack and watching your videos brings back lots of good memories for me. I love Utah and have explored quite a few different places in the state and had the honor of visiting some very nice ruins over the years. I have also noticed how sites have been disturbed and things such as pottery shards are much scarcer, unfortunately. I really appreciate your emphasis on leave things as they are for others to enjoy. Keep up the good work.

[@Madskills-hw2ox]

Those little rooms would have been awesome compared to sleeping in the cold. We live better than kings past. Very grateful to have hot running water and a warm bed. Great videos my friend. Thank you!

[@Desert.Drifter]

Yes, much we take for granted

[@Mark-sp6vq]

The green cannot be foilage based. It would decay to brown and black very quickly. Oxidized copper is most likely

[@rossmacintosh5652]

I was thinking the same. If the green was from chlorophyll, microbes would have eaten it long ago.

[@gazelam]

I thought the exact same thing. There’s a lot of copper in the area, so it’s likely accessible to a degree.

[@Zippidyzay]

Also fades, unless you strap copper to the wall.

[@Howard-bj1jq]

The oxidized copper ore would be the mineral malachite.

[@piratessalyx7871]

Was thinking same copper flakes ground into paint

[@Jeff-vh4do]

I just wanted to thank you for the wonderful videos. You show the proper respect to the ancients. Your skills with camera work is top notch too. The babies footprints were the highlight of my watching. Keep these videos coming. I can't get out there as much as I want, anymore so it's nice to watch it a through your eyes.

[@anthonycolbourne4206]

14:55 beside the turkey tracks there is a 1/4 moon. It's kind of fitting that you found a raincloud petroglyph. 19:58 looks like the kids were having some fun throwing mud balls at the wall.

[@AlanDayley]

Spectacular finds! The green “paint” I have never seen nor heard of before. The small room with the ladder and roof still on it. The waddle and daub walls. All so great to see in place and original instead of as a reconstruction. Thank you! (And thank your wife for supporting your adventures.)

[@deplorable1-2]

I have never seen a less-than-ruined ruin with paint before you showed me today. I am astounded. I am no longer looking at some fallen down rocks. I am looking into a person's pantry, front room, and kitchen.

[@davidstokes925]

Glad you’re still alive and kickin’. Thanks for taking us along on another awesome hike!

[@dr.maturin4648]

Wow, man, what a trip! I've had similar experiences in side canyons of the Gila country. I know the feeling; like you're being watched. barely tolerated., those walls closing in. Thanks for being so respectful. Peace.

[@melodicdreamer72]

I think for the most part these people lived outside. The whole area out there was their living space. The small enclosed space would have been just for shelter when sleeping and keeping warm when the temperatures dropped.

[@davidanderson8469]

For defense too.

[@Loralanthalas]

Working and gathering all summer to store your grain and wood you'll need for the winter under these sheltered crevasses that typically gather water run off. Then huddling in the winter waiting for the spring again. This is beautiful land. I couldn't imagine trying to live off it. I was amazed at how m life is actually here in the Mohave and southwest. This place must have been heartbreakingly beautiful before it turned into desert country.

[@kayhansen9229]

What do you think are the odds about discovering these things that nobody else has. I mean can you tell if any other people have been there besides the Indians. Like I'm just wondering you know are there still a lot of undiscovered ruins are you know are they all discovered have they all been documented have archaeologists really explored these areas well I mean what's the deal what's the background have they done a lot of extensive carbon dating or other means of dating have they looked at all kinds of things have they studied the wood rings just anything to you know date them really really knock it down I'm just wondering.

[@hans7856]

​@@kayhansen9229 Most of it has been explored and plundered.

[@owenmaddocks1506]

That's your guess

[@cathymarshall8327]

I've seen that type of cryptobiotic soil. I didn't know what it was. I feel so bad now because I walked on it thinking it was just old dried out dead plants. Darn! Thanks for teaching me what it is. Won't do that again. Love your videos! Thank you!

[@AsTheWheelsTurn]

I wouldn't know either and I do beleive I have encountered that stuff as well, I just thought it was oddly dried out mud. I will respect it now if I see it again. That is why videos like this are so valuable

[@cheezedawgb]

I was fortunate to have a scout leader that taught us what it was on a camping trip in southern Utah.

[@Desert.Drifter]

I’m glad to hear it was a helpful piece of information. Thank you for taking it to heart

[@IndridCool54]

That first little ruin is one of the most beautiful ruins I’ve ever seen. I don’t ever recall seeing a painted structure before. Whoever built it was a craftsman. I’ve lived in my 19ft travel trailer for a couple years now and I can definitely relate to living in a small space. Owls are harbingers. Thanks again for sharing these videos! Amazing! 🦉😎✌🏼

[@arealglitterb0y]

I love the way he talks about how it makes him feel and what it makes him reflect on. Feelings that only one could truly feel being face to face with these structures

[@peterronald4726]

My wife and I live in Warrnambool Australia and just love watching your videos; amazing sites, so well presented, your gentle and sensitive commentary. Love it. Thank you! P&S

[@sandykelly9982]

Maybe it's the time of the year but I'm surprised at the lack of spiders and their webs. Loved seeing the baby's feet (thank you mom or dad for sharing your child with us🥰). Hundreds of years later WOW! Can you imagine raising a child or children on that cliff?

[@kevinbarry3380]

Fantastic to see the infant foot marks. Little did these people know how long evidence of their existence would last. Thanks for another wonderful video. CynthiaB

[@steveilg6134]

in other cliff dwellings similar structures lining the cliff rim exist, perhaps an ancient form of toddler-catchers!

[@mariposa5900]

Great Work !!!! It's wonderful to see how native tribes lived way back when !!!!! Great Finds !!!!! I. Don't think anyone ever Been To These places , you MIGHT be the first, and first to FILM. Thank you so much !!!! And to see alot of not destroyed is wonderful !!!! Teresa

[@upscaleshack]

Don't be naive. He's not randomly stumbling across undocumented sites. These sites are all on public land and mapped, documented, and monitored by government archaeologists. He's visiting known sites because exploring a canyon with nothing in it wouldn't make very interesting youtube content.

[@fredwood1490]

The wind blows down the canyon, blows dust and ghosts words long gone, down the canyon thoughts and dreams. Time blows down the canyon, passed stone and mud, mud and sand and sage, stone stacked on stone, bourn back down by time, worn away, good walls, good memories, worn away. Water flows and rages and lays down and dies, lizards and snakes and grasshoppers watch the owl to see where she will go, who she will kill how she will ride the wind through time. A laughing child defies time, walking on the stone, riding the wind, riding time through tomorrow as though yesterday never was. Today. And again. And again Time blows down the canyon, blows dust and ghosts, rages and dies.

[@jaynecushman3231]

Beautiful poem

[@dwaynewladyka577]

The first priority of these ancient people was survival. It was almost a continuous thing. It's something that we take for granted now, with our modern amenities. Pretty amazing how they maneuvered around these steep cliffs. What is really intriguing is how they got those footprints and other pictographs put on those surfaces, because of their height and angles. This was really great. Cheers!

[@Loralanthalas]

Clearly you've never lived in CA. "Life in the fast lane" was one wrong step/ missed paycheck from disaster the entire time 😂

[@dwaynewladyka577]

@@Loralanthalas I've never lived in California. Life In The Fast Lane is a song by The Eagles.

[@jackvoss5841]

The first priority of all peoples is survival. Courtesy of Half Vast Flying

[@upscaleshack]

This Hobbesian philosophy went out of style 450 years ago.

[@GoneCarnivore]

I envy their life

[@juliereyes8783]

Spectacular video. The Kiva with ladder was unbelievable. Baby footprints and petroglyphs were also amazing to see. Thank you for taking us there.

[@jimmadsen2529]

There a few things i consider the holy grail of SE Utah. Intacts pots and kiva ladders are the first two. The last would be a basket. What a precious find, I admire your energy and effort.

[@bigfoot99]

Also sandals

[@Desert.Drifter]

Thanks Jim. Happy trails

[@murrayspiffy2815]

You forgot feces. - Not kidding. Scientists can gather so much information from an old turd - that's it's unbelievable.

[@pttpforever]

Your work is just fantastic, Andrew! What a joy! What a lovely group of people you've gathered here, too! Greetings, Gratitude and Respect to ALL!

[@mamm7223]

What an incredible place!! The rock formations alone are stunning. The petroglyphs were amazing, especially the "necklace". The 'wattle and daub" wall are surprisingly well preserved. What really got me was the baby footprints...they made me smile but also made me sad at the same time. Your narration is always so soothing, and so informative. Thank you so much. I'm glad that the canyon flooding wasn't any worse than it was, and you were able to get out safely.

[@karennewberry4694]

Wattle and daub.

[@mamm7223]

@@karennewberry4694 Sorry about that! Arthritis contributes to typos all too often. Thanks for letting me know.😄

[@phyllisbonner8900]

What an amazing day. So many things like the green paint, the footprints and kiva, the owl. Sometimes it makes you want to weep. Thank you for sharing.

[@flowc9372]

Yes! The little foot prints nearly did me in.

[@Desert.Drifter]

Thanks Phyllis, the owl was a special guest for sure

[@axerxes3981]

Drifter... thanks for sharing your adventure with us. I admire your respect for the ancients and they're way of life and what they have left behind for us to wonder at. Your work and your integrity is muchly appreciated. God bless you Young Man!! Ax

[@jlr307]

Thanks for these episodes Andrew. I like your camera work too.

[@lindanavroth]

Hands down the most interesting sites I've seen on any channel so far. The green paint, large petroglyph panel (mercifully not defaced), the small footprints, and THE KIVA! WOW! Thanks for sharing this one!

[@kimk8365]

I don't do heights. Thanks for walking me through this. If I was there, I would probably cry, absolutely incredible, just incredible.

[@alexhale2696]

As a Navajo, who is from those areas about the owl, it usually means bad luck. Not instantly, or tomorrow; and it doesn't have to be you as well. It could be towards your loved ones. It could be next week or in the coming months, even taking years. (For instance, I had distant relatives from my uncle's wife, whose kids are half white, living in Chicago. Their mother was Navajo, and they had an owl visit them at their home, perched on the tree next to the second floor window of their bed. At first, they didn't do anything about it. In the end, it got eerie for them, so they knew their old traditions & asked their mom on the reservation for help. They saw a shaman/medicine man & he was upset. Because he saw that this owl was visiting them for months. He said he'll try to do a prayer for them but didn't know if it would help. In the end, a couple of weeks later, they found out the mother had cancer. And she died a couple of months later.) We usually do a prayer for such things as this before anything bad happens. Now don't get me wrong, I didn't say owls are bad luck like a black cat(which they too are not), I'm saying they are informing you there will be something bad coming your way. Mind you, it's just a tradition my people believe in.

[@raymooney6506]

Thank u for showing the heritage that most people don't realize is out there

[@sevenirises]

To say this is astounding is an understatement! It doesn't seem the canyons/ancestors weren't taunting you but more guiding you to show who they were. The large pictograph looked to be the story of creation with the one wearing the necklace the creator and spin offs of other worlds from him. Thank you for this wonderful video.

[@guitarshapedpizza]

Clearly my favorite episode. What other given to be with you on this canyon visit. I'm so intrigued by the petroglyphs. And the wall drawings. I totally should have been a anthropologist in the American Southwest.

[@jennlizzy2019]

Once again I am compelled to tell you, many Thanks. I would not have the joy of seeing these places if not for your curiosity, passion, and your generosity in sharing your treks.

[@dmdavis4551]

Awesome trip, I too so enjoy these videos and I'm 75. HA, Us old folks sure love your explorations as we can probably no longer climb or hike that far anymore. So living vicariously through you is such a joy. Love your knowledge and respect of the ancients along with encouraging others of that respect. Thank you so much.

[@klr420addme]

Hello everyone. What a wonderful video. Your respect for these ancient sacred sites is most admirable. Keep sharing these treasures as they are a living record of our ancient ancestors and their culture. One thing that really stood out to me were the footprints on the wall. They appear to be from a baby sasquatch or a baby " hairy man" as they were called by many Native American tribes. The splayed right great toe is a dead giveaway. If so, it could be one of very few (if not the only one) pictographs to depict this interaction between the ancient people and this most beautiful creature. What better way to illustrate the presence of these beings than pressing their very feet against a rock wall in order to record this event. The ancients may not have had cell phones, but they made good use of red ocher to record special events. Truly amazing

[@clamsoup]

I love your videos as we all speculate on the who, what, when, and why? Last night a Navaho elder popped up in my algos and he said that the oral traditions of his people distinguished between the Cliff Dwellers, Pueblos, and the Anasazi. According to him the Anasazi came from the south and made slaves of the Pueblos. The Navajo came from the east and the cliff people joined them. I have zero knowledge on the topic but I love the wondering.... And the wandering.

[@Shoop...]

The Anasazi did not come to build or homestead, they came to dominate and take. Generations had to flee and hide from these monsters every day of their lives or succumb to a fate much worse than death. I amazes me that any Ancestral Puebloans even survived this dark period in time but those that did were certainly fierce and the very best of us. Any construction that is attributed to the Anasazi was likely built with the backs of others and always in sheer terror.

[@vasil12361]

Wally Brown!

[@none_ya001]

I literally just watched that video! Very interesting! I was about to say the same thing about the cave dwellers and that, that is who most likely had made these homes on the cliffs and coves?

[@jackiemack8653]

​@@Shoop...But yet people are under the erroneous impression that there was no discord amongst native Americans. People will be people no matter what.

[@FHDesert]

I live in the Arizona desert, basically since the early 80's. Growing up alongside the natives, I have learned of many historical (by mouth) stories of certain tribes slaughtering others, and enslavement is deeply rooted in their past. Some were very brutal, and through that came dominance. Its been happening for eons. The natives in my area still share these stories from long ago.

[@elaineedwards3189]

The owl against that amazing background! 😮❤❤❤

[@Desert.Drifter]

Yeah, loved his guest appearance!

[@murrayspiffy2815]

Some shots are great - some are spectacular - that one was somewhere north of spectacular.

[@harrieelliott7170]

Thanks for taking us along. Have really enjoyed your commentary and the journey of present and past.

[@anthonyv6962]

Another great adventure, thanks for bringing us along.

[@Oldfartonthemountain]

7:45 Thank you Drifter. Being old n not very healthy, I get to live vicariously though you. Thank you again

[@SensiProductionzBlindDogVideos]

Thanks for being so humble and sharing your positive energy with us. How great would this world be if we were all so in tune with earth. 2024 is the year to explore! Thanks again brother. Till next time

[@henrywight4057]

Owls, especially great horned owls are amazing creatures. I had the good fortune to see one when I was younger. I had taken a break along a trail in the woods of Pennsylvania and in a hemlock tree about 20 feet in front of me I saw these huge eyes open. Realizing it was an owl I sat very still. He/she leaned forward on the branch and with about 6 flaps of its wings was 60 feet higher in the tree. I will never forget that.

[@rynneivarsson751]

Wow! Thank you for this wonderful snapshot of history. I can't get over how complete, how intact, those structures were. This is maybe the first time ANYBODY has seen that level of preservation in this type of site outside of a handful of hikers. Great production, also. That green paint has me mesmerized, it can't be very common? That's part of what I really enjoy about your videos, I see things I want to go learn more about so.... off to google I go! Thanks again. -Swirls, meandering lines - I read someplace that it's theorized they may have indicated the path or map of a waterway, the swirls "watering holes," or other points of accumulation. The people either "you are here," or other clans. Who knows though, but... maybe. Kinda like a system of community built free KOA campsites for seasonally nomadic hunter gatherer clans.. the hand prints, "we were here..."

[@user-zg2ew1nu2g]

The fact that you have not found any preserved bowls and such items tells the story that others were there and took them

[@none_ya001]

He finds broken pieces all the time but is respectful and leaves them in their place. I'm sure with time yes during the cowboy days some things were possibly taken back then too and some have just broken over time.

[@user-zg2ew1nu2g]

@@none_ya001 You can find fully intact bowls and such for sale online.

[@unclejesseandtherippers4047]

I wonder how museums acquired all the pottery from this area since it’s so scarce.

[@user-zg2ew1nu2g]

@@unclejesseandtherippers4047 They buy it from people who take it. Seriously.

[@inharmonywithearth9982]

Yes these had mummies a hundred years ago and their goods. These are tombs. In the late 1800s and early 1900s wealthy people paid more than gold for mummies. They had mummy parties and believed the powdered body parts were medicine. The grave robbers claimed them to be from Egypt when these were sold. Nobody lived in these tombs and those were not graineries either. There are no farmlands or even arable land nearby. I've been to most all of these in the 1960s and 1970s. There is nothing to eat in these waste places. They were were homes for the dead. I traveled with a prospector who even spoke several indiginous languages. These are the facts.

[@mweatherby2968]

I never seen anything like you show us Andrew. The places are beyond beautiful, beyond amazing. To think of who could have been there, how long they stayed. Some of those pictures on the rock looked familiar to me. I'll keep to myself because it would only be a guess. I look forward to all of your videos and the peace it brings me. And I'm sure besides you wife, someone always know where to go look for you if you not back in a certain length of time. I know they would find you. But hey we are who we are and were still going to worry and pray for your safe return and a new video of wonder.

[@robertmassmann228]

Really enjoyed your travels into the past and happy to see your respect for it and saving it for others to see.

[@Mtnfarmer55]

Thanks so much for sharing. Being disabled these days, I really appreciate your sharing those amazing wonders. Enjoy your travels. And thanks again.

[@none_ya001]

Absolutely breathtaking. Your discoveries are truly beautiful. Thank you for taking is along, a huge thank you for the respect you show for everything, and for the knowledge you share. Too many people now days don't show respect for our history. That Horned Owl was beautiful. I'm a believer in signs and believe that was a sign from the ancestors.

[@KHAZ-tl4pt]

From 14:10 to 16 I was mesmerized! I found myself stopping and freezing certain areas of your video, to take in all of the beauty. Also trying to take in the meaning that was projected by the originator. Wow, you have shown some awesome stuff, but this REALLY got to me. Thank you for sharing your amazing discovery!

[@JWade-pe6td]

By far, one of my favorite new channels.....so grateful

[@ObamAmerican48]

I wish I still had the legs and back to do this. Growing up in south-central Colorado, I believed that the only place one could find actual cliff dwellings was Mesa Verde or the dwellings removed from Mesa Verde and taken to Manitou Springs CO. Even in college my assumption was that Chaco Canyon was the only other dwelling besides Mesa Verde. So Andrew, thank you for taking me/us on your journeys, and allowing us to see these remote dwellings. And thank you for modeling reverence and respect forthe Ancient Ones. This is a wonderful video!

[@dnavid]

thanks for another great vid. Traveling thru the 4 corners you see some marvelous things and always wonder what is beyond view. I love what you are doing and where you are going.

[@barbaraclark9423]

Best video yet! Thanks for bringing us along!

[@brainwrite]

Love your gentle, adventurous spirit. Your videos are among my favorite content on here. Thank you. Please stay safe and don't stress yourself or family out for our entertainment-we can wait for new stuff!! But amazing!

[@robertmckinney1898]

These posts are always a treat to find, thanks.

[@TheGlobetrekkinGal]

Thank you SO VERY MUCH for sharing your Southwest canyon explorations through your wonderful, beautiful and educational videos!

[@designfabrication512]

I found your videos after a trip to Big Bend a month ago. I have to say I love your videos and your respect for the environment is great. Keep it up.These videos are relaxing and intriguing. Keep it up. Cheers

[@theshootindutchman]

Absolutely gorgeous scenery🙏 The great flood laid down wonderful beauty for us to enjoy😄

[@mawest4775]

I have explored this canyon many years ago and am happy to see it looks the same as it did. I hiked it during a dry spell though. Thank you for not giving out the exact location to your explorations. Too many people completely destroy these amazing sites.

[@dianesmigelski5804]

As curious as I am to where all the places are that Drifter goes, I agree. It’s best to keep quiet. 👍

[@BCVS777]

Agree!

[@shaynejenkins446]

Its in the Bears Ears National Monument, Grand Gulch to be exact. Its called the green house ruin along with a bunch more ruins and is well known about. Marked trails the whole way.

[@artphotoscamp5788]

Thank you for your reverence of these sites. Seeing them thru your videos is wonderful. And my feet are still dry !

[@GregStenson]

These videos are amazing. I tell people all the time that the desert is truly magical. Loving this series.

[@GGsInterests]

Thanks so much for showing what you have found and for stressing preservation and respect for these ancient sites.

[@laurawgarts]

How fascinating! It's hard to imagine what this was like a thousand years ago! Thanks for taking us along on your treks!

[@jackvoss5841]

As an elementary school student, I was taught that the Navajo had built the pueblos. As an adult, I learned that the pueblos were vacant hundreds of years before the Navajo found them. Interesting. Courtesy of Half Vast Flying

[@upscaleshack]

Navajo are Athabaskan speakers who are relatively recent arrivals in the Southwest, originating from the Pacific Northwest. They arrived after the Pueblo cultures had peaked.

[@jackvoss5841]

@@upscaleshack G’day, Upscale. That coincides with what I heard. The movements of peoples is interesting. The spoken languages were a means of detection. Now, DNA shows more accurate pictures. It both answers some old questions, and raises a lot more new questions. We’re an odd, interesting animal. My best to you. Courtesy of Half Vast Flying

[@Desert.Drifter]

There are still different theories on it all. I don’t have an answer, but it’s interesting to ponder about

[@careyreynolds2889]

Fantastic! What magic you found, the green paint and the baby feet, just amazing! It makes my heart smile to know these places still exist and sit quietly, in these remote places with only the wind and sun as constant companions. Thank you for such a lovely, thoughtful and fun episode and channel and all your effort that goes into each one. Respect!

[@roxanepalmer8125]

3. Three licks. Loving your channel. Thank you for taking us along with you to see and hear this fantastic content. Your subject knowledge is fascinating.

[@lenwenzel7440]

One of my favourites of your many explorations. Thanks I really enjoyed this one.

[@cosmicrancher2169]

Maybe the "rain" petroglyph was a warning about the flood potential of the canyon.

[@lonnieslick9313]

Good point

[@DollBarbiePlay]

Man, I've been binge watching all of your videos. Great videos keep them coming!!

[@joshuajackson6442]

Beautiful, amazing! Thank you for the journey!!

[@Erica_Brenda]

I lost a friend to a flash flood while we were in the backcountry of the desert southwest. We were in a canyon without any signs of rain, and my friend was holding the 16-foot boat while I went back to park the truck and trailer. Suddenly, a thunderstorm occurred about 15 miles away, and a massive wall of water, about 50 feet high and the width of a football field, came down and washed him and the boat into the Colorado River. Despite an extensive search of the area and river, we never saw him again. Flash floods are extremely dangerous and can happen faster than one can run. Therefore, it's essential to be aware of the weather situation in surrounding areas when exploring canyons.

[@karensagal8230]

So sorry for your loss.

[@Erica_Brenda]

@@karensagal8230 thank you