Anyone who has been to death valley knows how absolutely enormous and empty and blistering hot it is. I cannot imagine having the balls to blindly just forge your way through that area.
@drew-shourd11 ай бұрын
Because you are aware of it's size and danger, they did not, in fact, it's thanks to people like that, that we now know it's monumental size.
@MetalHead-ks9zqАй бұрын
Forget that I'd rather stay on the East Coast goodbye death Valley hello Boston
@brucewilson1958 Жыл бұрын
In the 1970s I broke down in my will used Volvo in Death Valley. It just stopped running. I was able to coast to a 'Rest Area'. This amounted to a gravel pull over with zero amenities. I had about two quarts of water which lasted about two hours. I had no money for a tow truck. I had to fix it myself. It was over one hundred degrees. I got it 'fixed' on the third day. Each day I hitch hiked 10 miles to a truck stop and got a gallon of water and a cheeseburger. I read the entire car manual. I determined that the gas pump attached to the gas tank was not operating, not getting electricity. Eventually I took ten feet of heavy gauge copper wire and wired the fuel pump to the positive on the battery, all duct taped on the outside driver's side. I made a split on the driver's door. So, I hooked the two ends, sparks flying, and turned the key. It started. I turned around and drove to a Volvo Dealer. Irony, the mechanic lifted up the carpet in the trunk and showed me a little wire. That's your problem. I've seen it a hundred times. Cheap and fast fix on them back through Death Valley California bound.
@jammyscouser2583 Жыл бұрын
My GG Grandad was an OG 49er. He sailed from New Zealand with his dad when he was 12, his dad died somewhere in California, maybe San Fran, nobody knows. He came back to NZ when he was fifteen. I found this out in a newspaper article from 1918 when he died. At the time of his death he had one son already killed in the Great War, one still at "the front" and one returned home sick. That is all, chur
@PurpleandGeauxld Жыл бұрын
Great content. Please consider doing a video on National Parks that have been de-rated from Park status (e.g. Lincoln, Platt, Mackinac Island, Sully’s Hill, etc.) and the reasons why?
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Great suggestions!
@PavelDatsyuk-ui4qv Жыл бұрын
Mackinac island has nothing good for wildlife and people but it helps keep them out if the UP
@worf7680 Жыл бұрын
@@PavelDatsyuk-ui4qv lemme guess. Iron mountain local?
@PavelDatsyuk-ui4qv Жыл бұрын
@@worf7680 the soo
@garryferrington811 Жыл бұрын
For the developers, of course.
@TheWrxrally Жыл бұрын
One of the men who traveled to the San Fernando mission, namely William Lewis Manly, wrote an autobirgraphy called "Death Valley in '49". Great read.
@515ventures311 ай бұрын
This story sounds like it needs to be a blockbuster movie.
@mechanicalman1068 Жыл бұрын
That area is about as unforgiving as you can get in America. There’s a town west of Death Calley on the east side of the mountains perfectly named Dunmovin. You could see the settlers toiling through Death Valley and the Mojave, near death, and upon seeing these forbidding mountains just said “that’s it, I’m done moving.”
@ArisaemaDracontium Жыл бұрын
I’d very much recommend reading Death Valley in ‘49 by William Lewis Manly (available free online as an ebook, part of Project Gutenberg). It’s the autobiography of one of those two men who went west on foot to scout a route and get supplies to rescue the rest of the Bennett party. His whole life is an amazing tale of pioneer life, somewhat embellished I’m sure, but still absolutely fascinating and captivating.
@Poppageno Жыл бұрын
Manly is an unsung American hero and should have a movie made about him. I have been there and I don't think the Escape trail as currently proposed is correct. I feel/think they would have skirted the North end of the Slate Range and gone through Shepard's Canyon. My reason; upon descending out of the Panamints they could see the North end of the Slates and the mouth of Shepard, Why when you were week and starving would you take the arduous trip through the Slates than the the easier path up the alluvial fan?
@eddiekyler7502 Жыл бұрын
Thanks for the recommendation sir.
@artistjoh Жыл бұрын
I love Death Valley. Such a beautiful place. I have also been lucky to be there when it rained and saw the masses of yellow desert flowers come into bloom. It is a place of extraordinary beauty.
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Oh man, a super bloom? What an experience!
@jchi1ds Жыл бұрын
I second the recommendation re: 'Death Valley in '49'. Manley was born in St. Albans, Vermont and made his way west at a young age. His life before and after the Lost 49ers adventure is remarkable. His descriptions of the early California settlers and the Gold Rush are interesting. Lake Manley in Death Valley is named after him.
@jeremyday905611 ай бұрын
I am so glad I found this channel. Such a wonderful telling of history. Thanks for the content!
@NationalParkDiaries11 ай бұрын
You're very welcome and glad to have you in the community!
@meganstahlberger608 Жыл бұрын
I can't imagine trying to cross with almost no map...
@Chris-ut6eq Жыл бұрын
Water seeking optimists!!
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Gold is a helluva drug
@Chris-ut6eq Жыл бұрын
@@NationalParkDiaries Love the show that this comment references :)
@matt45540 Жыл бұрын
A very well told story, and a short story is better than no story!
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thank you - glad I could get it out this week!
@michab4083 Жыл бұрын
... and in many cases also better than a long one ;-) Great content!
@gydeme Жыл бұрын
Just got back yesterday from a trip to CO where I dropped by the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. I think this park would be an awesome topic for a couple future videos. The history of the park is quite interesting as it had been known to the Ute people but not visited out of superstition. A few other records of it are out there but when John Gunnison got there the canyon got its first modern written descriptions. He later was killed by the Utes. The canyon itself is gorgeous and entirely unique looking compared to other canyons I've seen in the US. I don't know the exact history of the establishment of the park but I know the CCC was involved in laying down a lot of the groundwork and it remains one of the lesser known and visited parks in the whole system--aka it needs a spotlight! Love your work as always, would happily go on and on about my trip to the canyon, but I'll leave it here. Thanks for your work as always!
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Great topic for sure! Thanks for the suggestion!
@philosopher4279 Жыл бұрын
The map is a great contribution to the video - thanks. Helps keep vids short and clean.
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@user-ue8wq8ey2q Жыл бұрын
Great story and a welcome surprise this week!
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@BobPruett Жыл бұрын
Fascinating story. As a truck driver, I used to pass by the Harry Wade Exit Route daily.
@sandysue202 Жыл бұрын
Since my hiking days are pretty much in the past, this will be a great way to see national parks that I have not been to! This was a great little video about Death Valley!!
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
I'm happy to help, thanks for watching!
@glma2711 Жыл бұрын
I like your "normal" voice as opposed to your "storytime" voice, your normal voice is a lot more engaging
@meganstahlberger608 Жыл бұрын
I like both 🤷♀
@xp8969 Жыл бұрын
I like turtles
@solssun Жыл бұрын
This was just as gripping as your others. I’ve always wondered the origins of the name :)
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@air4334 Жыл бұрын
I just came upon this channel...awesome history and hit "SUBSCRIBED" thanks !!!
@kevinpoole6122 Жыл бұрын
Outstanding video-well researched, personable presentation! Thank you. New to your channel and loving it. 👍
@57WillysCJ Жыл бұрын
Two of my grandmothers family went west and were joined by the Donner Party. James and Morgon Savage. Morgon stayed to Oregon. James lost his wife around Fort Hall but some say Lake Tahoe and left for California the proper way. He went back with the later search party. He lead the Marriposa Battalion. Edwin Bryant's author of What I Saw in California cousins of whom he grew up with lived in the same town as the two Savage men.
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thanks for sharing that story!
@gtbkts Жыл бұрын
Thanks for all the awesome content and great video!!!
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@gtbkts Жыл бұрын
@@NationalParkDiaries always ♥️
@raucepowers812711 ай бұрын
I really appreciate you including the fact that the mule only had one eye. I don’t know why, but I needed to know this.
@NationalParkDiaries11 ай бұрын
This is important information lol
@clammydan Жыл бұрын
Love Death Valley, one of my favorite parks, would love a full video on it someday
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
There's so many good Death Valley stories. I've got a bunch of ideas for it. I do have a video on "Why Death Valley is the Hottest Place in the World" if you're interested in that. kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5_Udmihq650f5o
@deadreset11 ай бұрын
Hey there, greetings from historical gold country here. No one up here nor in the state that stole our name says Nevada like that... otherwise it's a good video . Kudos 👍👌
@Speeeeed Жыл бұрын
I like how you tell the story nice and slowly. There's no feeling of rushing by you, which a lot of other presenters on other channels do. Well done. It made me want to subscribe. Thank you!
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
I appreciate that, thank you!
@JJRossi Жыл бұрын
Love your storytelling, thanks! Keep up the great work.
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thank you and will do!
@judyfeuerbach4199 Жыл бұрын
Thank you! I didn't know how Death Valley got its name - can't even begin to imagine the hardship those 49ers experienced. Looking forward to more videos.
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thank you and more coming soon!
@abramhansen Жыл бұрын
I just went to Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve today which is the closest thing Idaho has to a national park. It would be interesting to see a video on why places like this are not national parks as it seemed like it should have been and was basically functioning as one.
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
That's a fascinating topic, for sure. I've got it on my list of things to look into. Not sure when I'll get to it, but I'm intrigued so it'll probably get covered eventually lol
@frednorton1704 Жыл бұрын
Correct. If Saguaro National Park ( there are actually two of them) can be a park I don't know why craters can't. There are Saguaros all over the place, nothing unique about the park. If the reason is to preserve them then make it a monument.
@aharonvarna5992 Жыл бұрын
More stuff like this please.
@bobs2809 Жыл бұрын
The red border you placed around the thumbnail made think that I had already watch this video and almost miss it and your channel. I'm glad I looked closer.
@hugmynutus Жыл бұрын
Wonderful story. Well presented. I'm reminded constantly (when ever there is a summer death in the park) that the name is not a joke or misnomer but a very deliberate warning.
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@ElLenadorLA Жыл бұрын
This was great. I grew up down the street from the San Fernando mission.
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@NoSuffix11 ай бұрын
People who lived one and half centuries ago had to face so much hardship and obstacles in their lives. It took pioneers and gold seekers an average of 4~6 months to travel in wagons from Salt Lake City to San Francisco at the time. Some would never make it. Today it's about 11 hours' drive or 2 hours' flight. We should appreciate everyone and everything we have.
@Patrick.Weightman11 ай бұрын
You should do a video on the Naches Pass in Washington! It's one of the very first pioneer trails into washington and only like 14 miles or something, but took pioneers almost a full year to get through it with severe troubles. Currently it's a 4x4 trail and part of the Pacific Crest Trail
@NationalParkDiaries11 ай бұрын
Sounds pretty interesting, I'll look into it!
@jesssimpson5959 Жыл бұрын
I’m so glad the KZbin algorithm brought your video to me, I thoroughly enjoyed it and gave it a like and I subscribed to your channel. I’m looking forward to seeing more of your content.
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
I'm glad you're here, welcome to the community!
@rogerkay860311 ай бұрын
What a superb piece of history, thank you for this! (you stayed away from the Donners.....well done!)
@NationalParkDiaries11 ай бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@bzuulu Жыл бұрын
Really good video! Perfectly paced and formatted. well done
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@weirdbeard1980 Жыл бұрын
I read a book called the age of gold that goes into fairly deep detail about this incident. The man who gave death valley its name is reported to of said "good bye valley of death"
@curiousworld7912 Жыл бұрын
These folks should have read Virginia Reed's letter ( Miss Read, from the Donner Party's group), where she states '...hurry along, as fast as you can, and never take no shortcuts.'
@erics.786 Жыл бұрын
Well done.
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@gailnewcomb825611 ай бұрын
I really like the story and you tell it well!❤
@NationalParkDiaries11 ай бұрын
So glad, thanks for watching!
@paulapridy6804 Жыл бұрын
At Furnace Creek in the 1980s my husband worked for a company mining borate. It was called the Pearl Mine after the original 'lady' who, like many others there, ran the daily business of the miners. Among other things. 😎
@garysohn4307 Жыл бұрын
Thanks for the great story. 👍
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@offthetrail636 Жыл бұрын
Awesome vid. Normally I don’t subscribe on the first vid I watch but I did this time. I’ll be watching more tonight
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Welcome to the community, we're glad to have you!
@uremailingalex Жыл бұрын
Loved the history lesson!
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thank you!!
@SweetLittleAki11 ай бұрын
What I find so fascinating about the gold rush was just a few years prior, the Donner party became trapped in the High Sierra's in the winter of 1846-47. Cought by snow blocking Granite Pass, the settlers were forced to over-winter near Trukee Lake. There, during the worst winter ever recorded to date in the region, starvation compelled the survivors to cannibalism. Out of 87 total members, 46 survived. News of the disaster caused immigration to fall sharply off. Yet all it took was the discovery of gold to send thousands cascading into the very same valley where the Donners experienced inhuman suffering. Absolutely Wild.
@NationalParkDiaries11 ай бұрын
Yep! That was actually one of the events that forced the group South originally! They had arrived too late in the season to attempt to cross the Sierras, and were deterred after hearing about the Donner Party.
@dianadenman5637 Жыл бұрын
Thank you SO much for this. Very interesting. This is the first time I've heard this story. Will subscribe to your channel.
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Welcome to the community!
@yammietits5040 Жыл бұрын
Liked and subscribed 👍 Awesome job. I love these kind of stories / history stuff.
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thanks so much and welcome to the community!
@LexaKnight Жыл бұрын
Nice show.. you explained things well.
@NationalParkDiaries11 ай бұрын
Thank you!
@theresehopkins1581 Жыл бұрын
Excellent history lesson!!! 😊❤ Thank you!! Glad I found your channel 😊
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching, glad you're here!
@rikspector Жыл бұрын
Thank you and thanks to the other people whose comments added to your! Cheers, Rik Spector
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@iainhunneybell Жыл бұрын
Great story 😊
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@duvessa2003 Жыл бұрын
I like the library background so I have subscribed 😊
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Hahahaha, thanks so much and welcome to the community!
@HiddenHistoryYT8 ай бұрын
Very interesting!
@NationalParkDiaries7 ай бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@TravelSmallLiveBig28 күн бұрын
The story I have heard my entire life was that one of the women said it as they finally got out. There were two women at that time and one of them was Sarah Bennett, my great great great grandmother.
@josephalaguna Жыл бұрын
Great content. Subscribed!
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Welcome to the community!
@jbgood7694 Жыл бұрын
Excellent video. I know this area well. Very harsh but beautiful. There are a lot of awesome hot springs to soak-in. You could travel 100 miles or more and not see a single sign of civilization. Just flat valleys, rock, mountains, joshua trees and sage brush. I travel over Walker pass often. Winter is brutal. Summer is brutal. The weather is perfect for about 2 weeks in the spring and about 2 weeks in the fall.
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@Bassmasterwitacaster Жыл бұрын
I live by Providence canyon in Georgia, I believe it was caused by or at least made larger by erosion from farming in the 1800s. Might be a story in there somewhere
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Now that's an interesting story. Great suggestion, thank you!
@fungusmushroom Жыл бұрын
So what happened after the party upon leaving Death Valley? From my house I can see Manly Peak to the east and the mythical Walker Pass to the west. What happened to the people who left the encampment and the people who ate the oxen, did they finally find water at Indian Wells?
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
The Jayhawkers (oxen eaters) were able to make it to present-day Ridgecrest, before heading south to civilization, probably in the modern-day LA area. The Bennett-Arcan Party, those who stayed and had to be rescued, eventually made it to safety at Mission San Fransisco, near present-day Santa Clarita
@LarsLarsen7711 ай бұрын
I've camped in death valley during the winter. It's nice.
@Black_Jesus3005 Жыл бұрын
Great history. Thanks
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@robertshows5100 Жыл бұрын
Three Horses and A One Eyed Mule. Great movie title
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
It totally is!
@Bry.wood92 Жыл бұрын
Great video homie
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@socalgal714 Жыл бұрын
I think Knott's Berry Farm used to do a reenactment of this story in their Covered Wagon Show.
@ryansearlybronco Жыл бұрын
Your pronunciation of Nevada is wrong
@johnpayton575011 ай бұрын
No one cares bud..
@somethingsomething40411 ай бұрын
Ima bad person who doesn’t not deserve nice things, but thank you for the video.
@NationalParkDiaries11 ай бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@dogpatch75 Жыл бұрын
This channel is a great resource! A very interesting subject for an in-depth report would be the "Road to Nowhere" in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This issue was a huge controversy dating from the establishment of the park in the 1930's, then enflamed by the impoundment of Fontana Lake in the 1940's, and finally resolved in 2018. It was a classic battle between locals who believe public land is theirs to exploit, and conservationists who look after public lands on behalf of all of us. Fortunately conservationists won, leaving us with a true gem that is protected from overuse because of the difficulty of access brought about by the existence of the lake bordering the park's southwest quadrant. At issue: Access to old cemeteries, access for copper mining inside the park by mineral rights owners, building yet another "scenic highway" that would benefit a few business owners in Bryson City, NC., and general resentment by locals of the concept of public lands.
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Great topic suggestion, and pretty accessible to me as well. Thanks for watching!
@Poppageno Жыл бұрын
Harry Wade died in an attempt to leave via a Southern route out of DV.
@winkieblink7625 Жыл бұрын
We hear little to none about this wagon trains trek and a lot of people died here as well. I think there’s a movie somewhere I remember. Thanks for the pioneer story!
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@user-ev5og3uj3u Жыл бұрын
Good show and information
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@stephenenders2066 Жыл бұрын
I love w3ird random history bits. Thanks
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@AlltruthmattersTL Жыл бұрын
Nice job
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@capt.bart.roberts4975 Жыл бұрын
A question I've long pondered. Thanks for answering another idle question.
@capt.bart.roberts4975 Жыл бұрын
Given it 's the lowest hottest place on the planet, I figured it would be something like this.
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Glad I could help, thanks for watching!
@c.e.4138 Жыл бұрын
cool!! i was intrigued
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@ecocodex4431 Жыл бұрын
"OH NO SCOOBY! IT'S THE MINER 49ER!"
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Damn, that's a throwback right there!!
@matthewwelsh294 Жыл бұрын
Love that show
@miketrissel5494 Жыл бұрын
Nice calm reading voice ... not like these worthless Internet readers, that don't have a clue about syntax and pausing. Well done - kept my interest throughout.
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@CoreyRussell-bi5nx Жыл бұрын
Excellent content. Keep it going.
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thank you and will do!
@rubentherubicon Жыл бұрын
It's pronounced nevada, not na-vah-duh
@joshuagunthner1838 Жыл бұрын
you'd really expect that it would have been named for the brutal summers, crazy that it got its moniker in the winter.
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Yep, surprised me when I first learned it too!
@RichardCockerill5 ай бұрын
last night i watched a episode of the tv show Death Valley Dats..3 episode i think from 1952,which told this story and very well done i must say and in 30 minutes,if you want to watch death valley days you can on youtube
@Capnchaos42029 ай бұрын
One night I was driving just outside of death Valley it was 80°. I dropped down into the valley and it was 125° at 3 o’clock in the morning !!
@NationalParkDiaries9 ай бұрын
Such a silly place 😂
@rogerlevasseur397 Жыл бұрын
Please, Sierra Nevada. Adding mountains makes the name redundant.
@fungusmushroom Жыл бұрын
We call em the Sierras here in the Sierra.
@sendthis9480 Жыл бұрын
Try being a fan of The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim!!! All of us The The Angels Angels of Anaheim fans are tired of it! Lol
@sharonroberts3397 Жыл бұрын
GREAT VIDEO VERY INTERESTING AND INFORMATIVE
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@forest6702 Жыл бұрын
Awesome story I had no idea!
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@fuzzybuddywizard Жыл бұрын
Cool! Thank you
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@philosopher4279 Жыл бұрын
Panamint City is a great deep dive all to itself. Ghost town high in the Panamint Range
@Juandirection1 Жыл бұрын
The trey lance pick really setup the 49ers for failure. Wait damn wrong video. 😅
@barbzem Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thanks so much for your support!
@victorponce7238 Жыл бұрын
Cool info. I didn't know that stuff. Poor people. Very tough individuals in those days. Doing herculean tasks. Crossing mountains and deserts on meager rations and very little water. OMG. 😳😁
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@alberthall47204 ай бұрын
Great story.
@NationalParkDiaries4 ай бұрын
Thank you!
@davechristian7543 Жыл бұрын
5:23 sorry but so did that one guy who said good bye death valley make it to where he wanted to get to like were the gold was? plz..
@ferretman6790 Жыл бұрын
That thumbnail had me very confused. For second I was thinking:Yeah, that sport didn’t even exist yet
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Hahaha, not quite my channel subject matter 🤣
@Chris-ut6eq Жыл бұрын
Please don't judge me, but I expected more death in this tale.
@bigmarty11288 Жыл бұрын
Yoooooo is that the monkey wrench gang behind you? Great book!
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
It is! Just read it for the first time this year!
@THEECATGUY Жыл бұрын
Could you do a video for Kings Canyon National Park in the Sierra Nevadas?
@NationalParkDiaries Жыл бұрын
Great suggestion and yes I plan to cover it at some point!
@tHebUm18 Жыл бұрын
Not gonna lie, expected more death than seems happened. Seems remarkable given the circumstances.
@alfrede.newman6626 Жыл бұрын
You gave a lot of info ..(I had no idea how convoluted the trip got)👍 I guess i would have to read more about the era and people to understand htf they could put their lives in the hands of a trailblazer.(because they had no skills at traveling) and then decide later (no matter what reason).. that they could do it alone.... through the deserts...😕