John Day Clarno Unit: Up Close With the Fossils

[@MattCookOregon]

I didn't mention drones. Just like last video, fly outside the monument and you have nothing to worry about.

[@randalljones4370]

I think I was about 8 when my dad (an OSU Botany Professor) took me to spend 3-4 days at Clarno. We were part of an organized/authorized dig in the years before the National Monument status, around '66 iirc. I remember a steep slope, few real trails, and lots and lots of scorpions... especially behind the cubic-fractured fine/light colored sandstone. As you'd see a nice leaf specimen, more likely than not a scorpion would roll out as you pulled the little cube from the wall. I also remember the only overnight shelters were a group of open ended A-frame large lean-tos. Someone there said they'd been put up for cattle shelters originally, and the simple wood-frame/plywood bunks on the walls were an afterthought. The year-round residents were the bats, which hung like grape-bunches from the ceiling. There must have been end-caps for those A-frames, because they didn't show 'sign' of long-term bat inhabitation... those endcaps were probably leaned up against the outside walls, tho I don't remember seeing them. Leaf and fruit/nut fossils were everywhere you looked. Also, the chukars... I remember hearing that it was over 100 degrees 3 out of the 4 days, we were there, and those 'turkeys of the desert' would be on nearby pinnacles, laughing at us with their characteristic calls. "Silly humans, they don't belong here.. looks like we'll have to call in Brother Vulture to clean up pretty soon". Please take these memories with a grain of salt. The memories of an 8 year old do tend to embellish, but that's the nature of storytelling, I guess.

[@MattCookOregon]

Sounds like a great time. An extended stay would be a blast. This unit I have only seen twice so it feels the most remote to me. Loose fossils on the trails have all been taken but oh well.

[@reginarobinson2080]

One of my favorite places to visit. And digging for fossils in Fossil is pretty awesome.

[@MattCookOregon]

Very cool. This one is a bit out there so most of us don't get to visit often. I want to check out the wilderness there.

[@user-ConnorKaroThompson]

Grew up in wheeler county. Thanks for showing our beautiful home!

[@MattCookOregon]

Awesome. I like it out there. Less nonsense!

[@antonioloredo8800]

Great video Matt, lots of information you provide here. Always enjoy your work videos.

[@MattCookOregon]

Thanks Antonio. Hows the drone?

[@toandfro2377]

I fear our whole world will turn into a desert. I love watching your vids before I go to sleep. So interesting and relaxing.

[@MattCookOregon]

Thanks I appreciate people finding entertainment and comfort in videos. We are definitely losing forests as time goes on.

[@JenniferLupine]

Great video Matt! This is another one that I'd like to visit! Thanks for all the info- beautiful rocks!!

[@MattCookOregon]

I think you would love it and probably Sheep rock even more since it has the longer hikes.

[@JenniferLupine]

@@MattCookOregon Ok - great - I’ll check out Sheep rock… do you think March is a good time, or would it still be cold? Thanks.

[@gleneverett9728]

As always outstanding.

[@MattCookOregon]

Thanks Glen!

[@Dad_Woof]

I still haven’t made it out there, but am planning on it probably next year. I have made it a habit to watch your videos of the area if it’s available before I visit. Thanks for sharing. Beautiful again.

[@MattCookOregon]

Gotta see it. I recommend a day at each unit. I am glad that these videos are a resource for you.

[@laurienielsen8031]

Another fantastic video Matt. I love Clarno. Where the heck is the beehive? We are going again in June. OMGosh that babe is the cutest.

[@MattCookOregon]

Thank you Laurie. Beehive at the top of arch rock trail. Hard to miss the buzzing.

[@JungleJayAdventures]

Excellent video my man. Good stuff.

[@MattCookOregon]

Thanks dr Jay! Hows things over there?

[@jasonmcpheeters565]

Nice work Matt! Really enjoyed learning more about this area and the beautiful footage!

[@MattCookOregon]

Thanks Jason! Wildfire smoke almost discouraged me but I did what I could.

[@brookeshaffer4377]

Excellent Matt🌟

[@MattCookOregon]

Thanks Brooke!

[@jneil78]

Heading there this weekend. Nice work!

[@MattCookOregon]

Howd it go? Very smokey when I was there last.

[@jneil78]

@@MattCookOregon The weather was great...a bit chilly (we were camping) but good visibility and the wind wasn't too out of hand.

[@MattCookOregon]

Nice. We camped at Preist Hole on this trip. A bit crowded but the land is big enough for everyone to spread out. Where did you camp at?

[@Hikingindepth]

Hey Matt, great video. Looks like the smoke was a bit rough in John Day when you were there (as it was pretty much everywhere east of the cascades for most of the summer). I was out at the palisades a couple years ago. I love seeing old fossils and learning about geology. This video really brought the memories back so thank you for putting it together!

[@MattCookOregon]

Thanks Hiking. This was a fun trilogy to do on John Day. Smoke was very bad! But I desperately wanted to make a video. I had a smoke mask, though that makes hiking harder in some ways.

[@jackwalsh1468]

I truly enjoyed the history lesson. Outstanding drone footage, video, editing and voice over. Cheers, Mate.

[@MattCookOregon]

Thanks Jack. With such good info available I had to do this one right.

[@kenwin5845]

Another good mineral video. Got me looking forward to coming to Oregon around Thanksgiving. Thanks Matt, I learned a lot from this video.

[@MattCookOregon]

Thanks Ken. This area is nice in winter as they don't get too much snow.

[@vickihubach4388]

excellent job! thank you!

[@MattCookOregon]

Thanks Vicki!

[@northcoastoutdoorchannel]

Really enjoyed the journey back to the past! Amazing video as always!

[@MattCookOregon]

Thank you. I have always gone here and this time was confident enough to research and make a video of it.

[@OregonMikeH]

Hi Matt, finely made it. This outstanding Video really makes me wish I had walked the unit after stopping there briefly a few years back during a Motorcycle Camping Trip. Wish I had walked these trails now. As always Pal, Blessings your way and thanks again for how only you can really bring it. Excellent video Buddy, Later, .. Mike

[@MattCookOregon]

Thanks Mike. As they have sat there for 50 million years, they probably will be there next time you go that way.

[@OregonMikeH]

@@MattCookOregon Well in just one more year the price of gas will be so high that it will take another million for me to save up the expense to go!!

[@robbergstrom943]

We loved this video Matt. We are just returning from a week in the Mojave where we found dozens fossils and we hope to visit the JDC to experience them there as well.

[@MattCookOregon]

Thanks Rob! Mojave sounds like an adventure. We have slowed down a bit, getting used to having a kid. But we will get back into it as we learn.

[@YankeesOutdoorAdventures]

Always Awesome 👌 👏

[@YankeesOutdoorAdventures]

Babies getting big bro

[@MattCookOregon]

Thanks Yankee. She is slowly taking over the channel.

[@sharonwhiteley6510]

Do you ever worry about snakes? Another outstanding video. Thanks

[@MattCookOregon]

I do worry about them! Generally wildlife can be spotted and only fights us if we invade their personal bubble.

[@petalpdx]

This is such a great video. I am now super excited to go there this summer!

[@MattCookOregon]

Thank you! I say try to plan for extra time cause just sitting there on a bench with a view, or looking around at rocks is great to take slow. I did a video of each John Day unit linked in description so be sure to check that out if you haven't.

[@petalpdx]

@@MattCookOregon I have watched that one too. It was what led me to this one and your account. We are doing a John Day to the Wallowa’s trip this Summer.

[@darnold87]

Great job! Well done Matt! :)

[@MattCookOregon]

Thank you Oregonian!

[@brucelayman525]

The docent was very knowledgeable at John Day.

[@MattCookOregon]

Thank you.

[@skyybluu3118]

Great video thank you 👍🏻

[@MattCookOregon]

Thanks for binging me like netflix!

[@11baddog77]

If you go to John Day be sure to visit the museum its as good as any big city museum way out in NE Oregon.

[@MattCookOregon]

Hope you enjoyed the video. Do you mean the rodeo museum?

[@donalddday7741]

john day was an ancestor of mine

[@MattCookOregon]

Wow! I like his story from what I have heard.

[@Oregontrailblazin]

MATT

[@Oregontrailblazin]

Thanks AGAIN for taking us to the top of that Trail ! We have been by there a couple of times and we just starte up that wall .We will never get our chunky-ness up that hill ..Thank you All again for taking us on the trails !

[@MattCookOregon]

Any time Becky. For a half mile that uphill part was tough. The smoke didn't help.

[@RaddyPaddy29]

I am confused…at 1:45 you say it is wrong to dig for fossils and humans should not try and take fossils from the ground but then immediately after you say that you are welcome to go dig up fossils just as long as you pay. Interesting how that works.

[@MattCookOregon]

Digging at a national monument vs digging at a school where they want you to dig.

[@RaddyPaddy29]

@@MattCookOregon Who is “they”??

[@MattCookOregon]

@@RaddyPaddy29 The evil fake news media empire out to get you obviously.

[@RaddyPaddy29]

@@MattCookOregon What does the news or media have to do with finding fossils? I believe it should be similar to Gold mining or getting a gun license where you can go through training to get a permit to search for archeological evidence and then follow a process that would allow everyday people to uncover the amazing artifacts of our past. Some of the greatest archeological discoveries have been made by everyday people and not scientists. Most of the true physical work that is being done at current archeological sites is already done by uneducated locally paid workers or students with basic training so why wouldn’t this be an option if we truly want to make new discoveries? I believe we should go back to the time when everyday people with a passion for adventure could become great explorers and help discover the mysteries of the past without having to first be brainwashed into believing the ridiculously dumb outdated Darwinian evolution based molecule to man worldview that everyone now knows and admits behind the scenes is absolutely garbage and needs to be totally thrown out. We have allowed our understanding to be completely controlled by an elite few who are driven by egos, money and political agendas to control scientific discoveries and censor anything that does not fit their narrative.

[@MattCookOregon]

When you put it like that I can't argue. You like the video?