I Found a Confusing Ancient Structure Hidden in this Cave 

Thanks for posting these videos. I am 64 and thanks to a lifetime of construction work am losing my mobility. I will never get out west to see these things. Nor would I be able to hike into these remote places. I am an avid researcher of ancient civilizations and your treks are amazing.

Thank you young man for showing this 66+ year old woman...some things I would have never seen without your travels. Good Journey to You. Blessings

I absolutely love the South West and enjoy your videos so much. Also because you are calm and speak well and talk about the places you are and not yourself. I get sick of the hysterical, loud, self absorbed people making these videos so you are a breath of fresh air.

Last episode you said people might get bored watching you. Naa mate it’s great entertainment and great to see a adventure in another country through your eyes, thoughts and emotion along with your tech that brings it real to the rest of us around the world…..even down under here in Australia. 😊

So glad there is no background music to spoil the effect. So glad for you to get these opportunities to explore.

I'm now 76 years, and OH ! how I wish I could go with you !.....these vids are the next best thing to that, so THANKYOU ! for taking us along man.......OnWard.....

Thank You Andrew, my ancestors traveled from Manchester, England in 1834, to rhode Island. They traveled on the Oregon, and California Trails, and arrived in Sacramento, California in October 1845. The were led on the California Trail by a Mountain Man by the name of Caleb Greenwood, and crossed paths with many natives tribes headed West, and in California. I really appreciated your explorations Andrew, you do a wonderful job, and you are extremely respectful. I too have a great respect for the native tribes resourcefulness, ingenuity, and hard work. Bye the way, that is a stunning location. Take Care Andrew.

Hello, so I have spent 35 years wandering the Utah deserts and have studied the Anasazi the best that I can. Also I have integrated my psychology degree into the big question. Why did the people who once lived in a huge city (Chaco canyon) only to end up in difficult cliff dwelling situations? Here is my hypothesis. First, there are 3 time frames of the ancent Pueblo spanning roughly 1300 years ago. Pueblo 1,2, and 3. The transitions are easily identified through their pottery progression. I personally love the textured Pueblo 3 pottery. As the story goes on. The city begins by large groups who farm, and gather ensuring protection and security, therefore prosperity of large groups ensued. Growth was great. Security in numbers (Pueblo1). Then a complex society forms... hierarchy begins. People gather around the large city and farm all around the city center.... soon there are taxes (corn, and luxury items) and a government is formed. Time goes on...Pueblo 2 (the middle, the good times) then Pueblo 3 comes (denoted in the pottery style progression ). This is when people start to dissipate. This time frame is roughly 1150 to 1300 years ago. Now comes the great disappearance. Due to drought, hierarchy , crime, and food scarcity. The center/ metropolis begins to fall. The hierarchy applies pressure upon the surrounding farmers (who supply the corn and other valuables) and ultimately the worst begins..CANNIBALISM. This is the only reason that I can think of why Pueblo 3 ran from a seccure farming and a grazing lifestyle. Then they abruptly moved towards hiding into the most difficult cliff living situations one can imagine. This life definitely had to be the hardest for any Pueblo-3 person. From there they were forced to become a seasonal migrant civilization, moving between the mountains for a new life of hunting game and returning to the desert to farm as they knew their roots in life for 1000+ years prior. Then for some reason they suddenly left (creating the mysterious Anasazi question...where did they go?) the areas due to constant drought and man made threats (raids of corn and human flesh). This is my observation from my decades of study and my hypothesis. This to me seems very reasonable. I just thought that I would share. Please share why you think why these people took such difficult and defensive living positions. Or better yet, what would you do if multiple groups were hunting for you and your corn?

At least among California Native American tribes, at ancient village sites, finding broken manos and metates meant that the woman who used them had died. The tribe broke her grinding stone and Mano so nobody else could use it later. Other tools she or he owned were also ritually broken to prevent later use, like knives, bowls, baskets, etc.

Andrew, your generosity in sharing your travels is mucb appreciated. Such beauty.

Seeing the hand prints and pictographs just puts me in a state of awe. Its like our ancestors are talking to us. And the structures... amazing. Thanks for inviting us on your journeys of exploration.

I am no longer able to hike and explore but your channel is almost like I'm there and that warms my heart.

Glad I stumbled onto your channel. Older woman stuck on the East coast but I've always been fascinated with the south west and appreciated being able to come along with you! Thank you!

Beautiful area! Thank you for taking us along! Hope your eye feels better fast! From what I remember about the areas I explored, the water level was much higher in the past. In Glen Canyon, on newspaper Rock, there are petroglyphs way up high on the rock down to the bottom level of this huge cliff face. A Navaho guide said that the designs were done at the ground level of their time, but over the last 10,000 years the ground level had been eroded away. Crops of corn, beans, and squash were grown and cultivated on the top of the mesas. The crops would have the full sun they needed to grow. In about 1150 and again in 1250 there were long droughts of 20 and 30 years as evidenced by tree ring studies. There was a volcanic eruption in Mexico that changed the weather. Aztecs came up from the south and of course brought their ways. There was suspected cannibalism due to the extreme drought, and then no food crops and of course the game would also leave the area. From talking to park staff, etc., people left the area pretty much at the same time as there was no food or water. What was odd to me was that the exact same petroglyph designs were also on lava beds on the big island in Hawaii when I went there. I wondered if some of these people ended up in Hawaii. Those that stayed had to have more of a protected shelter against the invaders. One structure I saw was built on a very large lone rock and was still over 12’ tall with no windows, etc. It is thought that the natives entered from the top either with ladders or rope. Some of the cliff dwellings had evidence of a natural spring inside the dwellings. These areas were the ones with many rooms. What amazed me was that the wood they used for the doorways, roofs, etc., was still intact after hundreds of years. One of the places I saw by helicopter still had wooden ladders, clay pots, grinding stones, corn cobs, woven mats, etc. at various levels along cliff dwellings. It seems that since these areas could only be accessed by helicopter, that the items left by the Anasazi were not looted. I do know that some of the beans found in clay jars at one site were planted and grew. These beans were estimated to be 1500 years old. Over the years, with successive plantings, there are enough of these Anasazi beans and are now available to the public to eat or plant. The beans are an ancient form of bean and are much more digestible. They require no soaking, are quicker to cook, and are quite delicious. One company in Colorado sells them to the public. Keep on your explorations and thank you for taking us along! Hope your eye feels better! All the best! 😀👍👏🏼💕🌸

I am now an ancient ruin myself..i appreciate your journey's

Im gonna give you a short history lesson about my people, the Warm Springs Chiricahua Apache, from southwest New Mexico and southeast Arizona and upper Mexico. My late grandmother Evelyn Martine Gaines was the last Chiricahua Apache born as a US prisoner of war in Ft Sill Oklahoma in 1912. She was the great granddaughter of Warm Springs Chiricahua Apache chief's Victorio and Mangas Coloradas (her grandfather was Mangas ' son Carl Mangas) and US Chiricahua Apache scout Charles Martine Sr. Unbeknownst to her at the time in like 1936, she became pregnant by my late grandfather Ashley Guydelkon. Her cousin, Ashley was also descended from Warm Springs Chiricahua Apache chief's Mangas Coloradas (he came from son Seth Mooda) and Loco, and was also the grandson of US Chiricahua Apache scout Paul Guydelkon Sr. My mothers blood is pure Warm Springs Chiricahua Apache and her family line is majestic, i am very proud. The Chiricahua Apache were released 1913 from Ft Sill Oklahoma and some stayed there but a majority moved to Mescalero Apache reservation in Southern New Mexico.

Beautiful hike , I hope your eye gets better soon. Thank you for sharing this amazing adventure ❤❤

These are the best type of videos. I’m really enjoying them.

What a beautiful hike up to these ruins! it was terrifying to watch tho. i truly appreciate seeing your adventures and hearing your thoughts, thank you💚

People can say what they want and say how terrible it is to live in America but those people are the ones who never get outside and experience places like this. Our country has many problems and it's nothing to be proud of by any means but you'd have to be a fool to say that our country isn't one of the most beautiful and amazing countries in the world. And that is something to be proud of. Personally though I've always been proud to say I'm American. Couldn't careless about our government and all the BS and corruption. I spend the majority of my time doing exactly what you are doing. Living in the northern mountains of New Mexico gives me a lifetime of opportunity to explore thousands of acres of untouched wilderness. I swear if all these depressed people who only see the negative aspects of living here would just get outside into nature and just explore everything they would soon realize they are healed. I'm glad I found this channel you are putting out really great content. Thank you!

I predict your channel is going to blow up! This video actually gave me goosebumps. My eyes teared up just thinking about the past and your ability to give us a closeup look at how these people lived. Fascinating, absolutely fascinating. Thank you!!

Love your stuff. Living vicariously through your adventures. Keep them coming.

At Mesa Verde, in Colorado, we climbed wooden ladders to get to the Cliff "House" Dwellings. We were told, natives also made flexible ladders with wood and homemade ropes that could be thrown over the edge of the dwelling to get down or up more easily to gather wood, water, and hunt etc.

I am 100% convinced that some of those people were there when the canyon was still full of water.

I have to guess that the trip down was more difficult than the trip up. Fantastic effort, thanks for sharing.

Love that landscape, the colours of the rocks and cliffs are so beautiful.

Amazing finds in your videos. One can imagine some of the places you go, like this one, haven't seen or heard a human in hundreds of years. Truly awe inspiring.

Dude your giving our favorite away with showing your people our love for Pinons and pine nuts....

Thank you - drifter desert drifter. I like your attitude about protecting the sanctity of the area. If you will, you’ve taken me to see such beautiful, beautiful sites that I would probably never had had the opportunity to see.

My theory about the height of these structures.....if you were able to determine their "height above sea level" you would find many in the same cayon at a similar height. The ansestral people accessed these structures by canoe when the canyons were full of water. The highest ones are likely the oldest and as the water levels dropped, they would build newer structures closer to the lowered water level. So the lower ones are relatively newer. When the water drained or disappeared completely the area became uninhabitable.

Thank you for making these videos. I love watching them - from Australia. I'm in awe at your climbing ability, and your courage to go to these wilderness places but my heart is often in my mouth seeing how high you get. I can't go above the 3nd step on a ladder, let alone hike in mountains and traverse skinny rocky ledges. I hope your eye has recovered now.

I have always been fascinated by the Anasazi's, since I first saw illustrations of their Dwellings, back when I was just a Kid.. I always wanted to see them up close, so BIG Thank you for taking us all there with you.. Thanks & Greetings from Finland..!

Very interesting yet again. I could not have crawled through that gap, the height would have put me off but what you found was absolutely fascinating steeped in conjectural history. Take care, be safe. ❤️ Dorset, UK

I always have a good time tagging along with you on these trips! My mind starts wondering about the people...kids playing.... where they got food....preserved and stored it.... and sometimes where the toilet would have been 😂. Thank you again for an awesome find brother!!

your finds are amazing thanks for leaving what you found as an honor to the those who lived their live in theses places and the time they lived

You don't get enough credit man. Lots of respect for what you are doing sir. From Reno , Nevada . Most entertaining videos on RU-vid lately.. love the content.

As an Swedish guy who loves history....-this is just amazing! Keep up the good work! 👍

I thank your family for sharing you with us, and I thank you for sharing this awesome video with us. You bring the ancient civilizations up close and untouched by careless feet and hands.

I’ll say it with you, Wow! Thanks, an amazing hike filled with nature and history. 👍

Love your channel. Thanks for taking me to see these sites I would never seen.

getting safe water sure has gotten easier.

What an excellent adventure! Bravo! Encore!

Dude, this was a good one. I've never seen anything like the two "storage" hives on the top. That's incredible. I paused the vid and tried to see some sort of old walk or trail scar but couldn't see anything. I wonder if they accessed it from above somehow. The other thing was the water question. There must have been a spring some place nearby at some time. They had to raise corn as well. What a great explore. Well done!

I had the same thought about how did they get water. Fantastic Explore. Thank-You .

Incredible! Amazing it still clings to the side of the cliff. Fun trip, man. Keep it up, lovin your channel.

I know you are home when you post this, but every time I watch you go along these cliffs. I get such an anxiety and hold my breath. I would like to know If you can tell if you are the first to visit this site. Or are all sites have already been discovered. I know that weather and erosion has effected these sites, but do you know how much earthquakes or tremors would have effected these sites.?

Ain't nothing like having something in your eye that you can't get out and it scratches the eyeball. Thanks for still recording, I know how uncomfortable that was for you! You are a Rock so keep on rolling!

I could feel the atmosphere of that ancient home all the way in the UK. I enjoy your peaceful, respectful trips tremendously. Hope the eye is healing!

I've hiked and climbed the back country in many southwest areas and even overnighted (respectfully) near several slot canyon ruins, and your videos really bring me back there. I deeply miss it. Was a little disappointed you didn't show the route to the granaries above the main structure.

great stuff. it is beautiful country and your respect and demeanor fits well. thank you

The mind-boggling thing is. Where did they get the water and where was the soil to grow the corn that they put in those granaries. Those things are big enough that these aren't some "backyard" sized plots. They had to be large plots to grow that much corn... This was before they had horses, so they probably had to carry it in on their backs. It is just amazing...

we are greatly enjoying your desert exploration and experiences. So much beauty, I hope you always stay safe out there.

Hoping your eye is ok!!. Your videos are relaxin for me, living vicariously through ya, my friend.

Fantastic video. Thanks for bringing us along.🙏🏻✌🏻

You are doing an excellent job here Andrew. Thanks for the videos !!!

Thank you for bringing us along on this adventure and we appreciate all your hard work 😊

Love your videos and I love to see all the ruins you have brought to us. How cool is that to see the corn cobs and pottery sherds. Thanks so much!

What a challenge. Just amazing and so interesting. Thank you for your time and effort. Much appreciated.

This is such an interesting video, thank-you so much for your continuing efforts. I really appreciate your personal sacrifices to bring these images to us. Long live your explorations.

Thank you for all your respect to each area. Makes my heart happy to see it left as found.

Great stuff pal. I look forward to visiting the desert southwest every year.

Brilliant channel,just love the way you present it

Wow the colours in nature are amazing, such beautiful rocks.

I really love watching your videos, very good work. I was injured in a backpacking accident about 30 years ago, which over time ended up as a total of nine fused vertebrae, and permanent nerve damage which limits my ability to maintain balance and walk. I am grateful to still be able to carry out day to day life without assistance, but my backpacking career has long been over. I kind of live out my love for nature through your adventures, but I would have loved to have followed the paths that you walk in your adventures. So be careful out there, especially going solo, I want to be able to continue watching your desert adventures.

4:57 as soon as you spotted it, you could see all the blackened areas from fires. Just lining the whole side!

your videos keep getting better and better!

That was an amazing adventure and site I love your videos they are not short but takes us on your journey and you are easy to listen too..some of the climbs were scary with the drop offs, ledges and heights.. a big thank you

Ready fur any adventure! @Desert Drifter i love your perspectives about Ancient Peoples and these fascinating Homesites- truly wonderfully, amazingly beautiful.

Great video!! Hope the eye healed well.

hey bro im shaman from france and i love your video those ancient anasazi ppl used to build stuff ther'e cos its protected and cos in the ancient indian culture the big canyone is suposed to be sacred from an ancient gods war so a lot of those ppl build sacred place there amazing video

How amazing all these places are . Thank you for allowing a lady from UK to see them . Have that eye looked at ASAP. Thank you for respecting these ancient places

Thank you for taking us on this exploration. Everything is so beautiful, the scenery, the ruins, the rocks and potsherds. I would like to explore the deserts of the southwest but I'm 71 and not sure I still have the stamina. I'm glad you are sharing your journeys with us.

You did an excellent job narrating,storytelling and your videography is amazing. I always enjoy every step you take. I've been out there Utah, Arizona and Nevada but many years ago. I could have spent more time exploring. We need a lot of time to take in the sights and examine how they lived. It looks pretty like a brutal way of living. Obviously they had enemies to be up so high and protected. Sort of the same concept as castles. I hope your eye calms down and heals quickly. I Pray God Blesses You and Keep You Safe Thanks For Sharing 😉

Love your videos brother 👍

I love when you stop and talk to us. 🥰 Also, I enjoy the synopsis at the end. 17:49 Tannins can be irritating to mucosa/mucous membranes. Some people can develop allergies and can even go into anaphylactic shock (particularly people with fair skin, red hair and light-colored eyes), even if they’ve not experienced an allergic reaction before. Pignolis (pine nuts) are very good for you, though, and can be cardio-protective. Don’t you feel so close to the makers of such pottery and structures when you see their handprints, 🖐️fingerprints and remnants of fires? It always amazes me when I see two thousand year old corn cobs! Thank you for these beautiful adventures! Please share more of yourself and what drew you to this lifestyle! Also, I wouldn’t be opposed to hour long videos. 😉You can just show drone footage at the end. Maybe throw in some beautiful Native American flute music? ❤😊Stay safe!

Amazing finds. The harder it was to reach the dwellings the easier it was to defend them. Raiding parties came out of Chaco looking for people to harvest.

Great Videos, Always enjoy your hikes to historical places. Thanks for sharing.

your journeys are like a pancea for the soul, I wander with you , I venture by your side, invisible eyes joining you on your journey, Thankyou so much Andrew, your endeavours are so very greatly appreciated, been watching since you started and so happy accident I discovered your channel, stay safe, happy travels, be there for the ride!

Great stuff,man! Thank you

Wow. You really put the "adventure" into adventure!. great stuff. We're all waiting for the next one! You're leading the field in this!

Right on, man. the wait was well worth it. Hope the eye is ok. Thanks for the adventure.

The effort to live in cliff dwellings is unimaginable. I've always wondered what their fears were that drove them to such extremes. Thank you! 👍

With all the apparent rockfalls crushing the structures, if they happened back when there were still People living there, I could easily see them deciding the location wasn't safe anymore and moving out.

Thanks for the journey, I loved it

love the scenery and how you camp and eat! And no personal problems like another channel I ran across!

Beautiful ❤️ thanks 🙏 for the visit!

You're in my favorite area on earth. Sadly I'm in a wheelchair now. Thank you for bringing it to me. It's absolutely amazing.

Hi from London 🇬🇧. Thank you.

Thank you.

Really enjoyed this, and your commentary. Hope your eye recovers. Thank you.

The scenery is so beautiful! Really enjoy your videos. Please be very careful climbing all of those cliffs! I like your laid back Adventurousness. Haha I guess that really was a word.

Good work, thank you ! Very interesting !!!!! Great filming , never seen this place before Teresa

Your hiking experience shows in your videos. I’d love to see more on that side. But absolutely love what you’re doing!

Wow. I never get tired of seeing the ruins and beautiful country. I hope your eye is better and you got that irritant out. I look forward to your videos. Love your sentiment towards the ancients. Be safe.

Hope your eye recovered quickly. Thanks for following your passion and creating these!

Amazing adventure, amazing journey!!

It's just so beautiful there.

Great video. Please never push yourself for our sake. And yet I’m glad you are willing to go on these extreme hikes. At twenty twenty 20:20 the intact roof showing construction was incredible. I just watched a video yesterday on dendrochronology and when I saw those heavy tree branches I wondered if they couldn’t match the rings and find the exact year it was created. They take the log and match the ring growth rate to other trees of the same type until they find a consistent overlap. Then they can figure out the year the trees were cut down.

Really makes you wonder how they got up there with rocks and baskets of grain, pots of water etc. Mad respect and awe

Scratched ya eye bud. Thanks for that. Love these treks mate.