I Discovered This on the Edge of the Grand Canyon

[@Desert.Drifter]

Thanks for watching and supporting me on KZbin! If you want more Desert Drifter content and community, check out my Patreon page here patreon.com/DesertDrifter?Link

[@wesleymadsen4357]

Horned Toad. They spray blood out of their eyes in self defense. We call them horney toads #texas

[@davidt1621]

Do you want to see how beavers have changed those desert dry creek and river beds into thriving wetland oases? (that's the plural for for oasis apparently) Surely the ancient people lived in such places. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jnaohJqEqZaYbJosi=9y4GLFNY3ufbVnzO

[@Curlylass]

Is it possible that the landscape was vastly different 600 - 800 years ago? Perhaps it was a lush valley with ample water, which would mean plentiful game, and not so rugged as to prohibit the settlement by indigenous people. Just thinking out loud.

[@davidt1621]

@@Curlylass Yes. The American western deserts of Ultah, Nevada, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico in the early 1800s had swamps and wetlands with many beaver ponds. Removing trees for mining and grazing cattle at creeks, along with the massive peak of a 300 year long beaver trade, caused the waters to recede away under the ground. Dams were made to catch anything that did flow. Many areas have been successfully been terraformed into wetlands in those deserts recently by introducing beavers. University researchers who work with conservationist groups move them from croplands and place them in the desert creeks after building a makeshift human version of a beaver dam. They take to it pretty well, but the heat is a difficult adjustment at first. They reduce the water temperature by building more dams which increases the depth of the water and sleep out the hot days in underwater lairs to come out for working at night. The new wetlands attract frogs, fish, bugs, birds, mammals, plants, trees, and creates a whole new ecosystem. I have no doubt that this existed when the ancient people lived in the canyons.

[@simhifree]

I'm feeling and thinking the same as you. ​@Curlylass

[@greghelms4458]

Mad respect for leaving as you found AND trying to have others do the same.

[@skolifoust49]

Totally agree. It stays wer you found it nothing but genuine Respect and love for the real natives

[@Caleb_Cheese]

I understand leaving the stuff you found is totally respectable, but i also feel like holding on to some of the history is respectable as well as leaving it to future generations could cause them to get destroyed in weather or break up to make it harder for future generations to find and or for it to be forgotten. Where as holding on to some if it would keep the history alive forever.

[@zubenelgenubi]

Can't help wondering if the variety of pot-ware scattered across such a wide area isn't an indication of the forced travel or one group fleeing with what they could carry before the threat of a rival group, IOW "conflict distribution"!! Conflict is what drove many into the crevices of those canyons for protection!!

[@AB1Vampire]

So much Respect for leaving artifacts in place for others to find.

[@EGlideKid]

Everything about your channel is quality. You may be the best lone explorer of the American southwest on YT, and having lived in AZ and been to the Grand Canyon several times as well as all the other lonely spots, I envy your youth and the time you have to devote to this obvious love of yours. I will always miss AZ, and the wonderful smells and colors of the deserts and rocks, especially after a rain. I cannot get AZ out of my heart, even if I tried. I have a great love for the southwest, and will always regret my career took me far away from it. For years, I kept getting the Arizona Highways Magazine and would ache with every issue when I saw the incomparable beauty of the photographs and remembered standing in many of the same spots when I was in my 20's. I am now 67 and unfortunately am in no shape to do what you do, so I live vicariously through every video you produce. Thank you for your efforts and the amount of time you put into your video productions. It's a blessing to watch your work, young man. Thank you.

[@truthbtruth8559]

Ditto! I'm 70 in a few years - Yikes! I wish I'd done these hikes in my younger years (35+ years ago) when I was very active and athletic. Living vicariously thru these super-fascinating, well prepared video productions is a treat! 👍😍❤

[@truthbtruth8559]

​@@JamesWoodring-mu2izWHY say that? We don't know their personal backpacking, exact location nor how far they are from public roads, etc so why complain? Do you backpack and hike? Just enjoy!

[@neepers]

His videos are nice quality, but his commentary is dumb as rocks. Great video skills and absolutely no education on what he's exploring into. "How did these people live without water?" He can only imagine the past as it is in the present "The ground isn't flat in places, how could they have lived here?". In previous videos, his education was such that he would call them 'the ancients', haha--like it's a fantasy video game. What I want is someone with his video skills, but without his dopey commentary. Someone like Myron Cook.

[@JamesWoodring-mu2iz]

@@truthbtruth8559 lol as a avid camper and hiker for 65 years who camped in conditions so cold we built fires in our cast iron pans inside the tents! ur comment means nothing to me ! look i like this channel but this dude is trying to make a simple hike into something it not! is just for clicks! lol how many times ur hero seen cold weather? ask him clown!

[@morphergaming0531]

Isn't it crazy wonderful how AZ gets into a person's essence, pulsing through the veins and it's not fully realized until they move away. I too dream of the day when I can return " home."

[@steven.h0629]

In High School my teacher Chris Hoy contacted the Havasupai Tribe and secured permission for a dozen of us to hike into their Village and camp out there for two weeks. The experience was amazing. The turquoise water, the falls and mineral Tubs are out of this world. Dummy me, was the first to jump off the edge into that gorgeous pool not realizing the water was near freezing. Nearly died not being able to draw a breath! Cheers Chris.. I recall it all like it was yesterday, lifetime experience!! 👍😎✊

[@watersipper1116]

Sounds like a great experience. Glad you survived.

[@UguysRnuts]

I know that feeling. Broke my front tooth in a panic to get out. Claire Hoy, the author of "By Way of Deception" was key to my awakening. Thanks for sharing.

[@robert-trading-as-Bob69]

I stuck my head into a rivulet on top of the Drakensberg mountains, Mont-Aux-Sources specifically, in South Africa in the late spring during the mid 1980's. It robbed me of my breath too, and gave me an instant headache! That was my very first hike, and I learned my lesson: fires warm up water.

[@marcosdenizatrailhiker2037]

And I’ll bet the Havasupai still don’t know what time the helicopter lands.

[@theogdirkdiggler]

​@@marcosdenizatrailhiker2037 anytime it wants?

[@thomasschimmeyer8715]

The "teardrop" shaped arrowhead is actually classified as a "Lanceolate" shape. It is from the archaic period, which honestly isn't as diagnostic as you would hope. Archaic period was 10,000 years ago to 3,000 years ago. I am sure people have been using the canyon and rim in the same way for as long as that. The pottery you found is however very diagnostic. The black on white pottery is Anasazi Tularosa pottery dating from 1225 to 1300. A very tight window indeed. the black on red is far younger most likely. It appears to either be Pueblo, maybe San Ildefonso. It could be earlier but either way I would guess 1820 to 1920 for the date on it.

[@BrookeMonfort]

Wow. Thank you, sir.

[@SenkouNoMahimeEne]

Hero here in the comments, thank you for this!

[@Johny-JJI]

I’m pretty sure they made all those dates up. How does anyone know what happened 1250-1300? They don’t even know what happened in 1940..

[@Ajidam]

Trust no white man. Ever!

[@wout123100]

@@Johny-JJI daft, get some education pls.

[@landorslam]

I like how there’s no random music with scenes of you walking or stuff edited in like that, it’s just the raw sound makes it more enticing

[@sallybutton6237]

There is some music all the way through 🤔

[@sandralouth3103]

I appreciate that too

[@sashatallyse539]

That’s exactly what I love so much about his channel. He uses music in an appropriate way and isn’t afraid to have some raw sound. I also hate how lots of “exploration” channels have shots where they obviously had to set their camera down and walk back to go get it.

[@bealynn2258]

The VIDEO Quality and FILMING is EXCEPTIONAL!! Thanks to Desert Drifters WIFE for her PROFESSIONAL Video Editing Skills!! Hope to see her in a new Video soon-ANDREW & EVELYN- they are a GREAT Couple!!😀❤️

[@bclark5955]

I would imagine that your discoveries and just the wilderness would be more of a spiritual experience would be very moving

[@esreveresrever2788]

thank you too mrs drifter!

[@timschrock23]

Like Nat Geo, only better in my opinion

[@skkkkkkrrrt7048]

Weird ass comment

[@matthewcraig8926]

Yes. This is so much better than anything on tv. Not only is the filming exceptional. They're also very educational. My kids love these videos. Complements desert drifter

[@olddog610]

In this time of complete and utter chaos, your videos provide a few quite moments to remember how things were before all this madness turned the world upside down. Thank you.....

[@greenspiraldragon]

And a reminder that history repeats itself. Chaos and madness came to the native Americans and turned their world upside down too.

[@rebeccabriggs2982]

​@greenspiraldragon yes it did and it's grown and grown to a now 'worldwide agenda'. The native peoples are our strength.

[@pamabernathy8728]

The moment I saw Desert Drifter on my KZbin feed, I was SO excited!!! Wanted to acknowledge you & the joy & wonder you bring me, before I watch this episode.

[@quinonesdeserie8679]

Me too

[@gdroege44]

Always great videos! 👍

[@junebrilly5302]

Same here! So well said ❤

[@shawnbell782]

Same here 👍🏼

[@charleneosborne344]

Me too,Me too! I'm hooked...

[@dcallan812]

Great video 2x👍 When I was still at school a group of archaeologists started a dig not far from my house. So on weekends I asked if I could join them. After about a week they found a Roman villa, with in tack mosaic floor in one room. It was so nice to be involved in uncovering it, something I will never forget.

[@jilllangman9343]

How exciting for kids! I was wondering what a tack mosaic floor was, but l think it was intact and the gremlins got it. What was the design?

[@mamm7223]

What an amazing place! The remnants of stone walls was a thrilling find! The Original People who lived there were tough, tenacious, and determined. The pottery sherds were beautiful! Thank you for taking us along on this adventure, and for sharing so much interesting information with us. Stay safe and drift on.

[@watersipper1116]

Couldn't agree more.

[@allendiaz9031]

Thank goodness for explorers like you who allow me to experience these wonderful finds.

[@imikewillrockyou]

Used to go hiking in the Arizona desert myself, ran into all kinds of native American cultural artifacts, the remains of rock structures and hieroglyphics, but never bothered to look for arrow heads etc. I always left everything as it was, respect the history.

[@julesjules1079]

I understand respecting history but felt a compulsion to sieve the surrounding soil to reassemble the pottery artifact, don't know why as I live on a pacific Island 1000's of miles away, am not American, in poor health, unfit and old. But my heart is young and spirit willing....

[@SenkouNoMahimeEne]

​@@julesjules1079 I too felt that compulsion back when I lived out there, that desire to find the pieces, fix it and see the piece whole- however, aside from respecting history, it's also frowned upon by the descendants of the people who made these things. In certain cultures out there, the things a person made/owned could be tied to their spirit, and when they died, those items would be broken to help free them and ensure they weren't used by others (thus disturbing their soul). Even today, certain tribes view these things similarly to human bones, so you technically aren't supposed to touch them at all. However, I still can't help but be curious and wish to see the whole picture. I mean, he picked up two pieces that looked like they'd fit together. Despite knowing his respectfulness, I couldn't help but want to see him arrange them the way they would have been before being shattered, despite how wrong that would be.

[@markkilley2683]

A big photographic study of what is left is needed.

[@njones420]

personally I'd rather have history saved and documented for the rest of humanity, rather than it being left to crumble away and be forgotten. Imagine if the Brits hadn't uncovered and documented all the Egyptian tombs, no one would know about them... all of the precious metal would have been melted down and turned into trinkets to sell at the markets, and all the mummies and _non-precious_ artifacts are just left to rot on the desert sands by the local tomb raiders (this is still going on to this day!!)

[@d7895482]

Letting artifacts whither away into dust doesn't help anybody learn anything

[@greenmanofkent]

What a refreshing change it is to see a video like this, instead of the sensationalist and misleading rubbish foisted upon us by other YT channels. Thank you, from Canada.

[@finefelinegirl]

I appreciate all of the KZbinrs who go out and film this amazing footage. There are so many people who would never be able to go out and do it themselves due to everything from mobility problems all the way to ability to afford to do those things; that’s my boat. So thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing and taking a few of us with you on your adventures! Be safe and we’ll.

[@woundedfox5109]

If ever there was a person to support, to share and preserve this world it would be you. I impatiently wait for next video. Keep it up my desert friend.

[@Tk.utelab]

What I was taught by the Paiutes was that the corrugated was to keep water cool in water pots

[@watersipper1116]

That is interesting. Do you know what tools they used to make the corrugation patterns on the clay?

[@Singa_GiGi]

@@watersipper1116 On one of the other episodes (forget which one) Andrew showed how using a fingernail could have perhaps made the corrugated pattern.

[@watersipper1116]

@@Singa_GiGi Thank you. I must have missed it. I might try going back to find that video.

[@Desert.Drifter]

Hey Troy. I watched an interesting lecture from Crow Canyon about corrugated pottery and the various explanations for why they did it. Did it conduct heat better, make the pot more durable, etc.? If I remember correctly, they said they couldn’t determine an exact explanation for why it would be “better” than non-corrugated pottery

[@flickwtchr]

@@Desert.Drifter The only thing I can think of, is maybe the corrugated pottery was primarily used for water containers with the corrugated surface making it easier to hold onto when wet. Perhaps that design maximized the amount of water successfully gathered and utilized, which would certainly be of value considering the environment with water scarcity.

[@cindymarielemons1220]

You always find the best places. I am in my 50s now and disabled so I can not explore like I did in my younger years. I explore through you, thank you so much for sharing. God bless you

[@chuckie5671]

Man, your commentary is outstanding along with your video presentation. Have you ever talked with natives about any of the areas that you have explored? As I watch your videos, I think about those people and how they lived and I feel a sense of sorrow for those people that were pushed out of their homeland and way their of life. They were such great stewards of nature and lived as part of nature, praising mother earth and thanking her for all that she gave to them. What a wonderful people they were, and still are, to have lived on this earth.

[@Desert.Drifter]

Some, I’d like to try to get some Native voices on the channel. Something I’m working on…

[@bigdogbob845]

@@Desert.Drifter Andrew, much respect for all you do. That would be an excellent idea to get an example of some Native voices on one of your videos. So many of the ancient tongues that people spoke have been lost as the last of the old ones who knew the languages are gone. Keep up the great work.

[@JohnBurman-l2l]

I like the way you have evolved from casual observing the past..to investigating and adding depth to the narrative.

[@Desert.Drifter]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@wendy645]

That's a Horned Toad, but a lot of us call them Horny Toads. Not in any salacious way, it's an adjective, like spiky 😊 The Navajo/Diné call them Na'ashǫ́'ii dich'ízhii, is said to have great spiritual power and is referred to as "Grandfather" (Cheii). Fun fact: they can squirt blood from their eyes to distract/confuse a threat/predator 🤩 I grew up in the area, and they're so fun to catch, give some very gentle pets for good luck, and let go ❤ I never had one eye squirt me, though. 😊

[@throngcleaver]

Great stuff, Wendy! I grew up in Colorado, and we called them horny toads, too. 😊

[@deesa3500]

We called them that too, my dad caught one, flipped it on its back and gently rubbed his belly, he fell asleep, not sure what he was saying to him while putting him to sleep. That guy slept quite a while, and he (dad) held him all that time, us kids were playing making all kinds of noise too. Anyway, he gently turned him over let him wake up and put him back on the ground, and he darted out so fast but turned around to see if we were still standing there, of course we waved, made more noise and that guy disappeared behind the sagebrush.

[@jimmyparris9892]

I think I heard that they were on the endangered list for a while. I hope they make a comeback. Think they only have one or two babies at a time. I'm not sure about that though. I guess I could google it, but I'm too lazy.

[@Doxymeister]

Good post about Horny Toads. We used to have tons of them in central Oklahoma, back in the 50's and 60's. Us girls would catch them and "hang" them on our sweaters like a brooch. One girl told me you could get them to bite onto your earlobe so you could wear one like an earring, but I've never even heard of a Horny Toad biting anyone, so I didn't believe her. Sad, we don't see them very often anymore--seeing this one on Andrew's video just made my day! ❣

[@blakebufford6239]

As a kid in the 60's I used to see them in the San Joaquin Valley in California where I grew up. I don't think they're any left now. Too much farming and development. Too bad.

[@gogogardener]

Interesting. My first thought was the semi circles were water dams. I'm a gardener. My dad spent some time as a child in areas like these. When I moved to the desert, he pointed out 'rock wells'. They may have been farming pinyon or juniper. The stacked rock warms in the day. At night it gathers moisture from the air , condenses it, and it drains to the soil. But, as you showed so much pottery, it seemed to be more than irrigation. Fascinating. Thanks for sharing.

[@gogogardener]

Also, the CCC conservation core built swales and dams in the desert to slow down the soil erosion during the Dust Bowl.

[@Blackbird_Singing_in_the-Night]

That probably makes more sense than my hypothesis: Junipers are growing out of the shelter circles because they ate Juniper berries regularly and random missed berries had seeded the ground. I have seen rock wells used in Africa to attempt to halt desertification by retaining some of the seasonal rains behind rock dams, so if there was a serious drought, rock wells would be helpful. Thanks for sharing your experience!😊

[@allanfifield8256]

@@gogogardener "corps" pronounced "core" in English.

[@patrickbuechel2599]

I miss the Grand Canyon, I love it. Every time I first see it it takes my breath away,,,few people go where you go, I respect your efforts as I have walked that way too,,,all over the Rocky states, from Rio Grand village in Texas north to Eureka Montana, east and west, down the middle and criss crossed, one thing always stands out, people lived everywhere, there are thousands of small cliff dwellings, with clusters of cliff dwellings in good water, game and foraging locations like small communities,,,then there are the small cliff villages to small town size cliff dwellings,,,like in Chaco Canyon there are small sites with kiva construction and even second and third floors in dwellings scattered all around the mountain/desert states,,,thanks for preserving your findings and thanks for taking us along, good show Drifter,,,

[@patrickrussell1888]

Canyon de Chelly is my go to.

[@davidsevers6842]

I live in northern AZ. And am an avid outdoorsman. Native American artifacts are All over the place. I am also fascinated seeing all of these things and thinking a lot about how the ancients lived. Thank you so much for sharing your adventures. 🤙🏻

[@JeanLannes-x6p]

They are not native. They are immigrants like everyone else.

[@ruinsandridges]

At 13:55 is a horned lizard. Very much revered by Native people and carved into many petroglyphs all over the Southwest. We see them on all our hikes and I made a video on them. They are amazing. At 11:17 looks like you walked past a grinding stone - metate - bottom left of the screen.

[@tonyvelasco5732]

Great catch on the metate! Definitely!

[@eleanordalrymple6710]

Yes. I spotted it too. From Australia! I eagerly wait for Desert Drifter, each show is wonderful. A pity I am too decrepit to visit my cousins in Tucson, and see some of this wonderful country myself.

[@douglaspierce7940]

I noticed that possible metate also. I think you're right.

[@craftywamama]

I agree on the horned lizard ID. We used to catch them as kids in New Mexico and called them “horny toads”. They are fascinating creatures.

[@Desert.Drifter]

Good spot! That shot was actually from another video about the GC, and I did make mention of it there

[@BearJwG]

Growing up in Texas I have an extensive collection of points/scrapers/drills i hunted with my father. As an adult i stopped collecting and now have a large GPS data set (with pics of each piece in situ) of every piece I find. Hopefully some grad student can utilize my data in a future study. An archeologist friend of mine has already used part of my data set in conjuction with a dig she is overseeing in northeast Texas (mammoth find, and a huge midden/hearth that could turn out to be tge second of its size/type). As a child we traveled from Texas to Kansas to see family often, and i always stared out the window at the scenerey thinking if i were a chief where would i take my tribe to ensure shelter, food, water. Maybe I was an odd child, but my interest turned into a career that has taken me from Mexico to Chile, and Nepal. Great video!

[@dadthejedi]

Be interesting to see any LIDAR images from that area.

[@maryannaarnold3817]

My parents lived in Arizona for 20 years after they retired from another State, and they call them "Snow Birds", and my parents stayed in AZ from September through Spring every year. I often visited them with my Family. Thank you Andrew, for showing us so many beautiful places in the Midwest and beyond.

[@matthewcraig8926]

I live in Northern Arizona. I'm 51 years old and all these years I have not explored those places you get to explore. Hopefully I will get out there soon, as I will be retiring in 2025. Your channel is awesome. My kids love watching your videos. I also like how you respect native artifacts. I wish more people had that respect. Anyway. Keep it up.

[@maplelafe7671]

​@@SMMBHQ-cg2zy ppppfff idiotas

[@marcosdenizatrailhiker2037]

Northern Arizona is absolutely beautiful and has so many places to explore

[@matthewcraig8926]

@@SMMBHQ-cg2zy My advice...don't dwell on the evil things of this world. Read your Bible, and don't put your hope in a man saving you, ie: Donald Trump. Good to be prepared as far as food and water just in case if we head into full out war. But don't live in fear esp spiritually. My advice

[@flickwtchr]

@@SMMBHQ-cg2zy There is nothing close to the truth for what you said, except the "dog eat dog" part of it. And most of that comes from those who constantly harp about the civil war they are lusting for, which does NOT come from the left. Christian Nationalists are chasing women across borders wanting to jail them, yelling "groomer" at teachers and librarians and criminalizing their speech if they dare to mention slavery, etc., and armed MAGA are showing up at LGBTQ events. Yeah, it's getting pretty terrifying out there. And who is threatening to deport millions of people and/or put them in camps, including homeless people? Well it isn't Kamala. Who is threatening to send in the military to quell protests if he gets back into power? That would be Trump.

[@Linsuesaz]

I know what you mean by it’s more of a feeling of awe for the ancients and a sense of overwhelming respect, wonder and amazement. Words don’t really depict the way you feel, do they? I get it. I have been in AZ for 39 yrs and that awe struck feeling only seems to grow more intense every time you have an ancient encounter. I just love it!

[@Desert.Drifter]

Well said Linda!

[@Linsuesaz]

@@Desert.Drifter 😊

[@CasualObserver99]

Thank you for taking us on your adventures! Amazing 😃

[@polyboroides2615]

Time index 19:00, the "tear drop" flint arrow head could be 3400 - 2400 BC. Interesting location. Thanks for sharing the insight of you adventures.

[@Desert.Drifter]

Thanks for the info!

[@Serge1074]

Desert Drifter you are an amazing individual, I love the way you explore and have so much respect not to remove those precious artifacts , thank you for sharing your discoveries and journey into history, be safe mate.

[@tomgarrett6303]

Dude is becoming desert documentary legend.

[@robmills7611]

No doubt! 👍❤️

[@clamsoup]

May it be

[@michaelchase418]

Becoming? He's been doing this for years and I have many late night sleepless nights where his videos have kept me company.

[@MrSnakerock]

Ws

[@StephanieHarring]

❤

[@KuldaevaWatercolor]

I really appreciate you not only showing us the stunning vistas of the South West, but also describing to us everything you see and sharing your thought process. People with limited vision greatly appreciate your wonderful work.

[@werquantum]

So cool that you “re-found” that perfect spear tip!

[@paulskaar8556]

I've revisited similar finds below the rim but never had gps. I love the feeling of "it's still here!". Thanks much for the short blurb on leaving artifacts in place. When I tell someone about the perfect arrowhead I found in the ditch I'm shocked at how many people expect I can show them...and I get a good chuckle when they realize they're signing up for a backpacking trip😊

[@judycraxton6455]

I love your exploration. I live in South Africa and grew up searching in remote areas for the art and artefacts of the San bushmen and Koi original people who predated us all on earth.

[@jughead6709]

Your content is among the VERY BEST of You Tube! Thank you!

[@christineplaton3048]

This segment with the history was the best. Loved the explanation about winter living.

[@Desert.Drifter]

Thanks for the feedback Christine!

[@christineplaton3048]

@@Desert.Drifter My favorite rock climbing video master! Was delighted to see the Mrs. when she joined you...

[@murraywagnon1841]

That first 'pit house' with the juniper in it looked almost exactly like a pit house I worked on in the 80's in the Chama River Valley with a team from UNM and Ghost Ranch.

[@Desert.Drifter]

Thanks for adding your experience. Love reading people’s insightful comments after the fact. I learn a lot!

[@GolDollar]

It’s so hard to imagine that pieces of clay pots could last for hundreds of years. I guess a lot of that is due to the environment. I believe that you deserve a lot of respect for your dedication to leaving things the way you find them. This is another educational and fascinating video. Thank you so much for sharing with us.

[@magnusmcgraw]

I'm not the type to comment on everything or give my opinion, but I just want to say that your work in your videos is so incredibly good and important to me at least that I am very grateful to you for it. And that comes from someone who lives far, far away from you in Europe. More precisely in Germany, Frankfurt am Main. Thank you very, very much for your effort and please keep up the good work! Greetings, Magnus

[@Desert.Drifter]

Thanks Magnus, that means a lot. I appreciate you watching my vids

[@magnusmcgraw]

@@Desert.Drifter Thank you for your message and I wish you all the best for you, your work and your family. Only through you and your videos am I able to see these pictures and videos and the detailed description of where and how the indigenous people built and lived centuries ago. No one else would do it so well and show their love for the subject in such detail. If I may say so. Regards, Magnus

[@zbutler111]

My absolute favorite YT channel out there. Thanks for sharing them with us.

[@AlderwoodLabradors]

Hey Andrew, so i discovered your channel this spring. I dont generally comment on people's content, but there are a few things I gotta say. You really come across as a genuine great guy. I enjoy your knowledgable commentary and passion for the life and history of the ancients. Love your respect for the sites and artifacts and you set an awesome example for all who watch. I never knew I be interested in the SW history but the way you tell the story captivating. I live in the Pacific NW and would not have a view into your awesome landscape without your videos. Oh, and your music clips are perfect. Thank you for great content, i look forward to new adventures as I have caught up on all prior videos. Keep it up!

[@tamirundell8392]

Andrew always has a great way of showing the beauty of the ancients.

[@nomadicam]

About 20 years ago, i hiked with someone who was very knowledgeable about these things. It was my turn to lead and i got us terribly lost, and we stumbled on a probably never discovered ancient settlement. I'll never forget the beauty of the things we found there, a 3 day hike from any road and far from any established trails. Anyway, it was up on a hill top and i asked why they lived in a place without water, and my knowledgeable hiking partner said that he thought it was probably the kids' job to haul water.... That the kids probably spent all day going from the water source to the settlement, back and forth, probably somewhat slowly, playing and laughing and getting strong and serving their community, all day long, every day.

[@bonniearmstrong6564]

This is an interesting idea, too.

[@wendywhite2642]

And they might’ve only used it in the winter when there was snow to melt

[@nomadicam]

@@wendywhite2642 oh that could be true too. This was the Arizona desert but it was high altitude. Not sure if it snows now but maybe it did then.

[@phlebgrl6064]

I was so excited to see the upload from Desert Drifter today! I didn’t think I would be seeing your videos since KZbin demonetized your content. It is my favorite show on KZbin and I feel so grateful that I landed on it today! Hope to see more of your work Andrew, keep your videos coming!!

[@chuckb470]

As I understand, they only demonetized the one video where he climbed the cut-in steps.

[@phlebgrl6064]

@@chuckb470 Thank you very much for letting me know! I thought I wasn’t going to be able to see his show anymore.

[@Desert.Drifter]

Chuck is correct. Definitely not banned by KZbin! Thankfully lol

[@fleetskipper1810]

Why does KZbin demonetize videos?

[@phlebgrl6064]

@@fleetskipper1810 With some videos it’s for censorship purposes, and with others it’s nitpicking on an issue they find in your video and then use it as an excuse not to pay you for your work.

[@gmc9987]

The most shocking thing about this video was not the abundance of undiscovered ruins but the fact that @Desert.Drifter had somehow never seen a horned toad before on any of his journeys through the southwest.

[@davemichelson1330]

The pottery is Black Mesa b/w, Sosi b/w, maybe a Virgin Anasazi type of b/w or b/gray, and corrugated, Deadmans b/r, and Tusayan b/r. Range date AD 1000-1200. Beautiful area. Lightning on the Plateau is kind of gnarly.

[@michaelwood3477]

So fun exploring with you. This is a great video story Desert Drifter. Thanks!

[@jonniewalker6925]

I am in awe, your reference for the flora and fauna and the ways of the ancestors. I would have a hard time not putting a beautiful piece of that pottery in my pocket but I’m glad people like you are out there exploring and wondering.

[@jill-ti7oe]

The stereoscopic photo was a real treat, many years ago I learned to cross my eyes to see the middle of three images suddenly pop into 3D, without the need for a device. I can still do it 😄👍🤙 Nice finds btw

[@kaliforniakontrarian-fc3tu]

as much time as you spend in the desert i'm surprised that was your first horned toad..much respect brother, love your work

[@Desert.Drifter]

Right? Don’t believe I’ve ever come across one

[@nancydelu4061]

I'm from Hawai'i, and I love the mantra, "Leave it where you find it!" In a lava tube, I once found a paper matchbook cover from WWII. My mum would have loved it! She was there. But, leave it where you find it. I took a snap.

[@TobiasLundqvist-ys2xw]

Wow! History is everything! Keep it up! Greetings from Sweden. 💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛

[@ftownpoints638]

Hey DD, I think the tear drop point could be either what's called a Cottonwood Leaf point which is 900-200 b.p. But it could also be from a wide range of time. I think they made blanks or like what u would call preforms shaped like that. When they would find a material source I think they would make a bunch of em shaped like that. Then they would take those back to camp and notch them to finish em off. That way, they weren't carrying around all the unneeded weight that they flaked off near the source. So when you find a lot of bigger flakes that might be where the material was sourced. Then where the small tiny flakes were near the camps or where they finished the points. I think it could be either. Hard to tell without more stuff from that area to go on. That's my opinion

[@bealynn2258]

YES!! A NEW Video!! ❤ THIS is an EXCELLENT Channel!! Sharing with Family & Friends!!😀👍🏻💯💕

[@quinonesdeserie8679]

Me too!!

[@robertkoehne1795]

Your knowledge and education levels have increased. You explain about artifacts and dwellings are excellent. Thank you.

[@robertkoehne1795]

There are very few FIELD professional archaeologists still getting their hands dirty. They are classroom educators working with past data. That is where you fill a void long gone. I witnessed this at UNLV. Your knowledge ,understanding of surveying sites will be used in future for educational purposes.

[@theresebennett5372]

This is an excellent video to watch. Being from the 49th state, I've only got to visit the areas you explore on rare occasions. Your presentation is totally enjoyable to watch. Plus, you do research and share knowledge with all of us. I appreciate how respectful you are of the past you walk through. Thank you so much for the videos you put together for us to see. It means so much to me. Have a blessed day!

[@Desert.Drifter]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@AlbertL.Marcum]

Wonderfully done. I live vicariously through your adventures as at 76 years of age, my back packing days are over. I look forward to your future treks.

[@meltaylor1374]

It never ceases to amaze me the areas the native Americans lived, there is a place here in southern New Mexico that is one of the most desolate and arid places you can imagine, it's in the middle of sand dunes with no signs of a water source for miles. It's at least ten miles or more to any kind of mountains, yet the area is littered with pottery shards like you can't imagine, you can't take a step without stepping on it. It covers a pretty large area, according to a archeologist friend of mine, some of the pottery dates back to Jesus's time. It's absolutely mind boggling to think and wonder what could have attracted people there and how on earth did they survive. Thanks for another great video.

[@bobmccarter4135]

Andrew, you’re amazing! Thanks for taking us all along with you on your adventures.

[@justinbentz1229]

I really like the cutaways in your videos. Where you show pictures/videos of what you're explaining. I could have watched two more hours. Your videos have really inspired me to get out in mother nature more. Thanks for sharing and be safe out there my friend 😎

[@Desert.Drifter]

Thanks for the feedback Justin. I’ve been trying to do that more, to bring a bigger picture context to everything

[@StolenPw]

My local museum collects shards and reconstructs the pottery back into their original shapes and its so cool to see old pottery come back to life and think about how it was used and who made it

[@garytull7730]

I always enjoy your videos, especially when you find interesting potsherds. This was a grand trip, the pottery was amazing. That large piece of black & white is beautiful, so glad you are so respectful about their place in history. Stay safe.

[@Desert.Drifter]

Thanks Gary!

[@riddick7082]

Another absolutely fantastic video from The Desert Drifter. They are all so thoughtful, informative and educational. And I really like the attitude of not taking anything with you but leaving everything where it has been for perhaps hundreds of years.

[@forced4ph]

I absolutely love your videos. The adventure. The sense of awe. The education. I don’t understand why it seems we do not do enough archeological work in the US.

[@allegrosotto2126]

“They” want it hidden 🤔

[@starlingballet6082]

BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO VISIT. PLACES I MAY NEVER GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT. 67 YRSYOUNG BUTBHHE OPIOID CRISIS HAS HASTENED MY CHRONIC PAIN CONSITION, OSTEOARTH. NEED A LEFT HIP REPLACEMNT. GOT LEFT KBWE SONE IN 2017. HIP WENT RIGHT AFTER. HMMM🤔 ANYWAY THEN XOVID CAME SO GAD TO PISTPONE HIP. ATILL WAITING AS CAREGIVERS QUIT W COVID BUT NOW THEY'VE RECVD RAISES AND NOW I HAVE A CAREGIVER AND WE ARE BACK ON TRACK. SHOWS LIKE YOURS ARE MOTIVATING FOR ME TO WANT TO BE ABLE TO WALK AGAIN AND BE SUCCESSFUL W MY REHAB. PLUS , ALL THE LEARNING IS WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ❤🥰🌹🌿🙋🏼‍♀️

[@goodboyringo9716]

The ancient people survived in those conditions because way way back then things were not the same as today. We don't know what it was really like back then but we think we do . The woods behind my house doesn't look nowhere near what it looked like 40 years ago. There may have been tons of animals to eat, today we killed most of them. Fresh water may have been everywhere, it's drying up today. Thanks for the great videos , keep it up .

[@jnm2088]

Thats exactly what I thought. 800 years there was probably a lake or river nearby.

[@chesterfieldthe3rd929]

Animals are supposed to be our companions, not food. Our society needs to find a better way. Just my heart talking.

[@goodboyringo9716]

@@chesterfieldthe3rd929 .... If animals were not food your butt wouldn't be here.

[@quartzite42]

Systematic study and a community of scholars can sure reveal a lot! One person's musings may not get far, but it's possible.

[@YewtBoot]

Your finds remind me of my first time in the Canyon. My GF at the time, a geology major, and I walked down the Hance Trail and stayed two nights. The down-canyon winds were intense in March and transported a lot of fine sand. I stepped behind a large rock and looked down to see an arrowhead that was broken. My thought was that someone was shooting at an animal and hit the large rock and missed. I asked what to do with the arrowhead. Someone else would surely pick it up for a personal treasure or to sell. We chose to donate it to the geology museum at Weber State, where I hope it still is available for all to see. A fun trip. 1978.

[@jennodine]

The Anasazi pottery shards are stunning. Chills!!!

[@Troutay]

I found a piece of pottery once. It was just the curved rim of the pot. I could still see the marks of fingers smoothing the inner lip. I have, since then, been fascinated with the ancient people of this area and your videos give me that same thrill that I got on my find. Thank you!

[@MrSomethingElse]

Yes! Back to the sane corner of youtube. Keep grinding my intrepid friend.

[@PeterLeavitt-vv1hr]

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with us! I've seen several of them and am awestruck by some of the climbs and descendants you make. I'm vicariously with you without having to show you how chicken I would be.

[@dtork47]

Always a grand adventure, thanks so much for taking us along! Stay safe.

[@kevinthompson5827]

Those little creatures are called a horned toad. And google has many pictures of them and the different colors. Great adventure today Andrew and thanks for taking me on it.

[@greymatter6834]

Nice man, thanks for hiking out for us. Happy travels from northern Minnesota. 🌲

[@escrows]

So much history..it's SO intriguing! Makes me want to take some time to explore these areas myself. There's only so much you can take in through a video, I want to experience the real thing!

[@cherylmillard2067]

13:51 It's a Horned Lizard.

[@vonschwendeman2611]

Also known as a horned toad or horny toad.

[@cherylmillard2067]

@@vonschwendeman2611 It's one of my favorites!!

[@lm1275]

The black and white pottery is from the mimbrre indians Mimbres, a prehistoric North American people who formed a branch of the classic Mogollon culture and who lived principally along the Mimbres River in the rugged Gila Mountains of what is present-day southwestern New Mexico, U.S. They also lived along nearby stretches of the Gila River and the Rio Grande. At the height of their culture, between ad 1000 and 1150 (known as the Classic Mimbres Period), the Mimbres lived in compact pueblolike villages of adobe and masonry, each village containing perhaps 200 people. Because of sparse rainfall in the area, they relied on irrigation to grow corn (maize), beans, and squash; they also hunted small game. The Mimbres are perhaps most famous for their pottery, which was decorated with imaginative black-on-white designs of insects, animals, and birds or of geometric lines.

[@VocalChainsStudio]

“Seems kinda far from water” Realtor: oh it’s a just a healthy hike to the creek, and CHECK OUT THE VIEW.

[@evaluther2379]

Thank you for catching the ambience of the area... I felt I was there in time.. ❤

[@devarskinnee8760]

That is do cool to find that circle of rocks,a.k.a circle of patience,a.k.a place to pow wow,great find son, always look for a circle of patience!!!thnks for the rode.

[@51marshmellow]

Love coming along with you to places I will never get to and to gather bits of knowledge that I wouldn’t attain were it not for you. Thank you so much!

[@eddieseachord4985]

Thank you for taking us with you. Love this channel. ❤

[@BubbaAnoymous]

Hey Brother, I’m raised in the panhandle of Texas. That is a horned toad. We don’t see very many now days. They’re running out of habitat. Chemicals and People are hard to live with! Thank You for your videos and responsible caretaking of our Ancestors Artifacts.

[@joannarippon3910]

I love when I see a new post from DD! I especially love when you find arrowheads/knife points. I can’t help but think of the talent these people had for crafting. Liked 👍🏼 & Shared ✅

[@puma30880]

Thanks so much for sharing, and for telling people to leave artifacts in place so others can find them, including professional archeologists.

[@dawnadriana1764]

You casually stepping on that jutting rock made me hyperventilate.

[@SharonSmiley-ev3zy]

This was so enlightening! The more I learn about this area, the more I realize what I don't know. What an intriguing, mind opening experience.

[@AlexB_yolo]

Dude! You found a massive ancient city!!! This is amazing! Thousands of people must have lived there through hundreds or even thousands of years!

[@GypsyOsprey]

I love the videos you make, was awesome to see you with Mrs. Desert Drifter in previous ones. Just one complaint…. You don’t make them long enough or often enough… hopefully catch you both on a trail someday …

[@Desert.Drifter]

They take a lot of time to edit! I’ll hopefully be releasing some longer videos in the coming weeks. I’ll have to play around with some different lengths

[@oo2free]

You are really distinguishing yourself from other people who are doing the same thing: going to these sites, making videos, editing them, and uploading them. The difference is that the sites you choose are much more exciting, and your thoughts and questions about them are enlightening. You did a great job solving the mystery of this site and the genius way the ancient Pueblo people thrived in their environment.

[@65twiggy]

That creature you thought was a toad is called a horned lizard. We used to call them horned toads when we were kids.

[@jeffreymorris4827]

They squirt black ink backwards if you try and pick them up 😅

[@cathylindeboo.9598]

Horny toad!!😊

[@edwardglamuzina3421]

@jeffreymorris : Hi Jeff, Your comment that they squirt black ink backwards, is only half true. They can squirt any color ink backwards,it just depends on the color ink in the pen and which direction he is pointing it.All the kids called this lizard a horny toad. With good reason .The horny toad would build up so much blood pressure that it could squirt blood out of its eyes, detering their prey like foxes, roadrunners and coyotes. But by having blood in its eyes all the time it could not see it's mate and therefore increased the horniness factor which raised their blood pressure even more which started a vicious cycle of high blood pressure and little if any sex. The animal kingdom is a fascinating place as long as have the correct information.

[@65twiggy]

@@edwardglamuzina3421 😂🤣😂🤣

[@terryridge4596]

Gam'yu! The primary tribal community in that area are the Hualapai ('Hwal'bay, which means 'people of the tall pines'). I've been all over the East Bluffs above Meadview and found several hide scrapers, matates, arrowheads, and spear points (projectile points). We did so with permission from the tribal elders and we were gifted most of the items we found. Many things we found were turned over to the Haulapai and they were actually grateful, which tells you a LOT about these people. That was some 40(ish) years ago. So many tales, so little time!

[@louellamoyer5578]

Thank you for the excursion! These moments are treasured with you and your wonderful wife Evelyn. I am always amazed by your dialogue with interesting facts and videography. I love the respect you have for history and a people long past. Looking so forward to your next episode. Again sincerely, thank you!

[@marciejones3538]

The lichen you were admiring is used for dying wool.

[@wendywatkins628]

After having watched many of your videos now, I can say that this old lady is in love with your presentation of these beautiful places. My childhood dream was to see Grand Canyon just once, and I did that when I was 40, and it's still my most favorite place I've ever been. This brings back such wonderful memories I wish I could share, but I can't because it was a very very adult experience. Lol. Keep up the wonderful work you do for those of us who cannot get around like that anymore.

[@Desert.Drifter]

Thank you for the kind words Wendy. The Grand Canyon is probably my favorite place on earth

[@lisakaye3935]

YAY! Another fun, educational adventure!