These Aspens that survived the last ice age, thrive after forest fires. Now some how won't survive "climate change" aka global warming? A 1-2 degree increase in over all temp over the next few decades? You know how stupid that sounds?
Steven, hi I’m Frank an avid backpacker in my day, once a Boy Scout leader and Marine Veteran. I’m 74 yoa and I can’t hike very far anymore; so why am I sharing this- well I just discovered your channel and I really enjoyed watching and listening to you describe how aspens propagate and it reminded me of my long hikes through our New Mexico mountain ranges so many years ago: thank you! Your calm easy style, apparent knowledge and your willingness to share it are both refreshing and of academic interest to me! I will be seeing you again soon.
@@skeeterburkeat 76, this former avid outdoorsman is now wheelchair dependant. I have an electric balloon tire unit that can traverse tended bark paths, sod, and gravel. While I do use concrete paving I am not limited to them.
I just wanted to take a moment to appreciate the incredible scientific rigor and depth of empathy you bring to each discussion. It's rare to find someone who so seamlessly blends a meticulous, evidence-based approach with genuine understanding and compassion for the outdoors. Your dedication to both the facts and the feelings of those around you is truly inspiring. Keep up the fantastic work - you're making a real difference! 🌟👏
Colorado guy here--wonderful video. More science like this! Colorado's waterfalls and ruins are worth a look, as are Utah's fossil beds and New Mexico's incredible landscapes.
In the Sierras, I've seen hillsides covered in aspens where different patches of the trees turn yellow at different times. I bet that's because they are different clones. Always wondered about that and now I know because of your video. Thanks, man.
Some say the Aspen grove in western Colorado inspired the movie Avatar. James Camron has a place near Crested Butte (near this groove) and a large mining company was going to tear into the mountain, but the town and the mayor (in a wheelchair) fought back and won... sound familiar. Although, that is just the talk you hear around CB
Steven, your videos are what the backpacking community needs and enjoys. Channels that are strictly trips, or reviews or dedicated to one single subject can get, well, boring. I thoroughly enjoy your content, keep it up.
Your videos are so interesting, entertaining and extremely valuable. A wonderful change from the gear reviews and backpacking trips. I love those, too, but yours are fascinating and I look forward to every video. Thank you for the learning experience. Keep on accepting sponsors.
Fascinating and stunningly gorgeous miracle of nature! Thank you for sharing this with us! We have a little grove of aspens on our school property here in Michigan, and I love taking my students out there to listen to the leaves. ❤
I live at 8300' in northern NM. I planted some aspens 15 yrs ago, some did OK but deer scratched their antlers on some and killed them. But this last year, so many new trees sprouted - in rows! but they are too close to the house so Im letting them grow into lattias then will cut them down. I just love aspens and am thrilled at my grove!
I really enjoy the variety of content/topics your channel has! I also really appreciate that you’re videos aren’t 57 mins long. Sponsors don’t bother me at all. Ignore any comments that condemn having sponsors. You are doing backpackers and nature a service by education people. Keep up the great work!
I love Pando! I made my family stop to check it out on a vacation. They couldn’t seem to understand my interest, but I think it’s really cool & should be preserved. Thanks!
This is my first watch of your channel, and I love walk through discussion about Pando. Aspen groves are one of the wonders of the world. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, subscribed! 🍀
I highly approve of niche content about locations like this. When you go for a walk you just go for a walk but when you know things like this you’re much more interested and more likely to go too.
I like how this channel is evolving. Gear is fun and all and I still enjoy those videos but this is the content I really appreciate. You’re a wonderful storyteller!
Thanks for the video! Aspen Groves are pretty amazing. The other issue with us stopping the fires is that the duff layer builds up more, and when fires DO roll through, they burn hotter, and for longer, which could possibly damage the root system. :(
I have read that the presence of white bark trees are one of the prime predictors of riparian health. I find myself looking for them while hiking. Beautiful, thank you.
I'm not a hiker or backpacker... But I like this content, it is very well thought out and presented. Your ad spot was very well presented as well, not obnoxious or silly and I actually gave the video a thumbs up during the ad! I watched the whole thing ad and all and that is a first for me. Thank you for just being normal 🙏. Liked and subscribed.
I enjoy your fact based content. You put forth what you learn and leave it up to us to decide what best suits our needs. Glad you and GGG are supporting each other.
Brother, you are my single most trusted source for gear reviews on the internet. Love all your content, espesically nature content like this, and your car-camping trips with that kind of gear, reviewed. I'm on a fixed income, would love to support you financially but just can't, but I do watch your videos to the end and hit LIKE on each one. Keep up the good work and thanks again for sharing your content.
Here in NC we have black locust which grows the same way. I've cleared some around my home to make a garden space. When I dug out the stumps I found each root ball wrapped around a rock. It looks as though the trees send out a loot and when it encounters a rock, it takes a turn up and grows a tree.
I have a Black Locust tree that I have to use a bladed weed eater to control. I love the tree, so I don't poison the suckers, but they are a real pain. Lucky for the tree that I like it!
Something confuses me. If deer and other animals eat the young Aspen sprouts, wouldn't that cause them to grow more plentiful in other areas? If fire is good for Aspens to proliferate, wouldn't animals chewing them down do the same thing? If roots of Aspens have been around for up to a million years, wouldn't those roots have experienced different climate conditions over that time? Do you think nature will find a way? It appears, the Aspen can teach us more than we seek!
Yeah the comment about over-hunting just didn’t make any sense and I’d really like it if he would explain the logic behind it. State natural resources departments often use hunting as the tool to reduce the population of grazing animals in order to protect valuable flora. Hunting actually is just a straw man in this case. The fence is doing exactly what hunters would or could do. In fact, if they wanted to be more economically efficient, they could’ve not spent the money on the fence and then sold hunting tags for that area and actually brought in money and actually solved the problem at the same time!
@@hetteen1it was overhunting of predators. If the original large predators were still thriving there, the fence to keep out grazers would not be needed. In answer to the question about grazing vs fire, any given area would burn only at intervals of many years, whereas grazing pressure is constant in the absence of large predators.
@@jasonhernandez619 fair point about predators. I should’ve considered that. My point about hunting the grazing population still stands though, as humans are pretty good at removing populations when used in a regulated manner. That would likely be less cost to forest service. But now I’m thinking the fence is as much about keeping out all recreation out of that area. All foot and hoof traffic probably does damage.
I'm really liking the new content. If you combine this content with the gear you're using then you'll be covering the things that we all love. To be fair, many of us have been doing self-supported light weight camping for 40+ years and we know what we want to carry and what we don't but introducing some science to your videos has breathed a fresh take on them. Nice work. Keep it up 👍🏽!
Me and my wife LOVE this place! We even spent 2 days of our honeymoon camping in it! fish lake national forest is really pretty and im happy i live in such an amazing state!
I did my undergraduate studies in Utah, and while taking a plant ecology course we actually took a field trip to Capitol Reef National Park, and stopped at Pando along the way. It was neat to visit it in person after studying it in class. What’s also neat is that there is a road passing through Pando that has signs letting you know when you’ve entered and left the Pando clone. Also present along the road is a wooden sign that gives a brief description of Pando, but really doesn’t do it justice. So an assignment in our class was to write a new sign describing the unique wonder that is Pando, but using the same or less number of characters as the original sign. Maybe one day they will actually change the sign to something that is more informative to what Pando really is and why it is so special. However being that I grew up in Colorado, I wouldn’t be surprised as all as you mentioned if there wasn’t a larger aspen grove somewhere waiting to be discovered. The forests are massive and it would be a nearly impossible task to test all the trees and figure out which aspen clones are largest. Thanks for sharing!
Biology geek here. Your question maybe right, maybe not. There are three other SUPER organisms that maybe larger than the aspen grove you've noted. 1) Amillaria ostoyae known as the Humongous Fungus in Oregon is said by many to be the largest organism in the world at 8.8 square miles in size. Contender #2 is a sea grass (Hybrid Seagrass) clone in Shark's Bay Australia that is 110 square miles, and #3 Is another tree in Tasmania. No doubt it's a monster though
It's no coincidence that none of these contenders are in Europe or Asia. The long history of intensive civilization on those continents means that similarly sized organisms there were long since killed off. I find it entirely plausible that primeval Ireland, for example, could once have had trees as impressive as those in the climatically similar Pacific Northwest.
I'm so glad I found your site.I live in the Pacific Northwest ,and I also love backpacking.Always fascinated how different tree species adapt to their environment.
I just subscribed and will continue watching his videos and even consider some of his backpacking gear for sale. The compelling reason to subscribe besides the fact that I do enjoy the outdoors and nature is that this man is an honest man. Right in the middle of the video he stops to tell you yes, he does have a sponsor because he needs one in order to continue doing these videos. I don’t remember any one of the channels that I follow looking at the camera and telling the truth like this. So, apparently, with no hidden agendas, and his offerings of his own passionate studies and work is more than enough for me to be a grateful subscriber.
logger here the reason we like cutting aspen,popple trees is because it is like a weed you can cut it off in the fall and by spring it will start growing back
Excited & 0leased to see your video. "Aspens are my favorite tree as a former backpacker & wilderness explorer & hiker (I'm 89). As I enter one of my small groves to eat breakfast, I always say, "Good morning, Aspen San." San being a Japanese honorific. You can point out too that in winter, aspen bark shows a slight greenish undertone. They''re continuing to photosynthesize, ever so slightly. Thanks so much
From my experience that greenish undertone in the bark is present year round but is simply more noticeable in the winter because of the lack of green foliage. Also, aspens are greener when they are young and progressively become whiter as they age. Additionally, an unhealthy aspen will have a slightly amber or pinkish undertone instead of green.
I love aspens, they have such a great fragrance especially in the fall when the leaves are turning yellowish and fall to the ground, if you like trees, there is nothing else like it….its one of my favorite plants/trees…👍❤️🙏🏼🇺🇸
Same. Steven was the first person I heard mention GGG and I am a customer because of him. Not because he was trying to “sell” me on the company, but because he made me aware of some neat, unique gear. I actually appreciate the sponsor partnership because of how it’s changed my backpack.
Some of the best RUclips content I have seen in years. Thank you for such a comprehensive overview. I know in England there are researches talking about individual tree organisms that have interwoven roots that communicate to each other about insect threats and other important survival information. What this means is that even killing one tree in a forest of trees can be detrimental to the living ones. We shouldn’t let this stop us from harvesting, but we need to do it in a smarter manner.
I don't backpack, I'm not a hiker. I'm a lifelong cyclist. But I enjoy all the different types of content you've been doing. Tech stuff is neat, reviews are great if I get into bikepacking, and the nature/travel content is beautiful.
I’m new to your channel, but I’m absolutely LOVING your videos! They are so well created with being informative but very engaging…. I just can’t get enough!
I camped not to far from Pando this summer. It is truly spectacular to see. Thanks for sharing some of Southern Utah's gems. Keep up the good work on these videos.
Speaking of show diversity, Have you considered an episode with a joint specialist, covering how take care of our joints and prevent injuries while out woods walking ?
I knew this fact about aspen trees but I've never seen videos of this region. As a naturalist and hiker myself, I love the combination of content and your conservation message. Keep 'em coming.
I didn't get to Pando this year when I went to Utah, but I did spend a few days among the huge, blindingly yellow aspen groves in the mountains south and west of Park City in late September/early October. That is a bucket-list item that will stay on my list for a revisit. One word--Awesome.
More amazing high quality content. I like gear too, but my backpacking setup is mostly locked in, so while I've consumed hours and hours of "best gear" and "top 10 things" videos, I really don't need them on a regular basis anymore. It's great to see a channel like yours maturing into something much more compelling.
Years ago I did a massive 3 week road trip of the western half of the U.S. (I’m from Pennsylvania). We saw every major national park and city and touched almost every state. The most fascinating and biodiverse state of them all? Utah! Deserts, rock formations, snow capped mountains & skiing, a giant salt lake, salt flats, and a huge variety of animals.
There is another huge aspen grove in the Dixie National Forest near the Zion/Bryce Canyon area. I was aware of the way the aspen clones itself and with that knowledge I saw the grove in a totally different way. It truly is amazing. Great information you have provided here.
Thanks so much for this video. I love backpacking, but I can no longer do it. I can remember many times the majestic, magical experience of walking through an aspen grove in the evening with the sunlight sparkling through the yellow leaves.
We have the same problem w deer overgrazing all kinds of hardwood and pine and hemlock saplings in Pennsylvania which makes it difficult for new sprouts to get going to full trees. Plus trouble w invasive pests and diseases. We are also losing large swaths of slow growing beech trees to disease. It’s very sad about the challenges to our forests.
It’s crazy to think that a single blight or insect that prefers to eat that kind of tree could wipe out that entire organism overtime. It sounds like a pretty important thing to be protected.
I don't know about you, but General Sherman, as a single tree, being 1/3 as massive as the Pando Grove is far more awe-inspiring and precious in my eyes. If one aspen in Pando were to be cut down or otherwise destroyed, the rest of the grove would easily endure. If the General is destroyed, there is simply no replacing it.
Those complex living beings are quite interesting. Step by step, we're figuring out how widespread life is and how intricate organisms are, both within themselves and in relation to each other. In Brazil’s northeast, there are two large cashew trees, each measuring almost 95 thousand square feet and estimated to be between 135 and 200 years old. They grow in a manner similar to Pando but in a denser formation. I hope someday we'll understand that we are nature too.
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These Aspens that survived the last ice age, thrive after forest fires. Now some how won't survive "climate change" aka global warming? A 1-2 degree increase in over all temp over the next few decades? You know how stupid that sounds?
The honey mushroom patch in OR has expanded to 3.4 square miles and it’s unstoppable.
Like the Titanic is Unsinkable...oooopppss . . . ☆
If edible, big batches of spaghetti and pizzas can be made to keep it in check!😊
Team Honey Mushroom 🫡🍄
@ According to chatgpt, they are edible but have to be cooked for a long time or they’ll give you the squirts.
@@edmolash3401 well s**t
You're becoming the Bill Nye of backpacking and I'm really digging it. Keep it coming, my dude.
BILL BILL BILL BILL!
Thank you. As someone who grew up watching Bill Nye that is a big compliment
Bill Nye but actually nice
@DDunham7 bill nye but he's just spreading misinformation instead of facts
@sethgsf4120 what do you mean have you ever looked up what aspen groves are.
@@sethgsf4120your evidence?
Truth doesn't care if some doofus isn't listening.
Steven, hi I’m Frank an avid backpacker in my day, once a Boy Scout leader and Marine Veteran. I’m 74 yoa and I can’t hike very far anymore; so why am I sharing this- well I just discovered your channel and I really enjoyed watching and listening to you describe how aspens propagate and it reminded me of my long hikes through our New Mexico mountain ranges so many years ago: thank you!
Your calm easy style, apparent knowledge and your willingness to share it are both refreshing and of academic interest to me! I will be seeing you again soon.
Likewise :)
I pray for more handicap accessible routes, people in wheelchairs need paved sidewalks, they need to get outdoors too 🙏 #hikingforall
@@skeeterburkeat 76, this former avid outdoorsman is now wheelchair dependant. I have an electric balloon tire unit that can traverse tended bark paths, sod, and gravel. While I do use concrete paving I am not limited to them.
I just wanted to take a moment to appreciate the incredible scientific rigor and depth of empathy you bring to each discussion. It's rare to find someone who so seamlessly blends a meticulous, evidence-based approach with genuine understanding and compassion for the outdoors. Your dedication to both the facts and the feelings of those around you is truly inspiring. Keep up the fantastic work - you're making a real difference! 🌟👏
I dig this! Glad someone’s making content that isn’t just about gear, but rather about exploring nature. That’s what it’s all about.
Colorado guy here--wonderful video. More science like this! Colorado's waterfalls and ruins are worth a look, as are Utah's fossil beds and New Mexico's incredible landscapes.
As a lifelong Utah resident, I totally agree! Tons of awesome places throughout all the four corners states!
“You can tell that it’s an aspen tree because of the way that it is.”
I hope you receive all the likes you deserve for this comment! 😄
That's pretty neat
Yes, exactly
@mellocello187
"Quakey". Quaking Aspen.
How neat is that?
I have a small grouping of aspens growing in my backyard. Seeing new clones popping up all the time is amazing.
Careful..
@72marshflower15 i assume you are referring to be careful about the aspens getting out of control.
In the Sierras, I've seen hillsides covered in aspens where different patches of the trees turn yellow at different times. I bet that's because they are different clones. Always wondered about that and now I know because of your video. Thanks, man.
Hope you enjoyed camping in the quakies, many fond memories listening to the wind through the leaves. 🍂
Thank you for this awesome video. The sound of the wind/breeze blowing through aspen leaves is one of my favorite sounds I’ve ever heard
I love how nature always has the ability to surprise me and just blow me away.
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Psalm 19:1
Some say the Aspen grove in western Colorado inspired the movie Avatar. James Camron has a place near Crested Butte (near this groove) and a large mining company was going to tear into the mountain, but the town and the mayor (in a wheelchair) fought back and won... sound familiar. Although, that is just the talk you hear around CB
I had no idea. That’s awesome
Steven, your videos are what the backpacking community needs and enjoys. Channels that are strictly trips, or reviews or dedicated to one single subject can get, well, boring. I thoroughly enjoy your content, keep it up.
It's be better if it wasn't flat out wrong and misinformation but yeah
@sethgsf4120 Care to expound on your accusation?
@HikingwithGus a quick Google search "what is the largest living organism on earth" will let you know it's a mycelium network in Oregon
@@HikingwithGus google "largest living organism on earth" and it says mycelium network in Oregon
Your videos are so interesting, entertaining and extremely valuable. A wonderful change from the gear reviews and backpacking trips. I love those, too, but yours are fascinating and I look forward to every video. Thank you for the learning experience. Keep on accepting sponsors.
That area of Utah, my amazing state, is simply incredible. Loved this video, Steven!
These are my favorite trees! They are beautiful and when the wind blows they sound wonderful.
Fascinating and stunningly gorgeous miracle of nature! Thank you for sharing this with us! We have a little grove of aspens on our school property here in Michigan, and I love taking my students out there to listen to the leaves. ❤
I live at 8300' in northern NM. I planted some aspens 15 yrs ago, some did OK but deer scratched their antlers on some and killed them. But this last year, so many new trees sprouted - in rows! but they are too close to the house so Im letting them grow into lattias then will cut them down. I just love aspens and am thrilled at my grove!
0:46 self cloning is actually quite common among trees. It's quite common in plants in general as a matter of fact.
It sounds like a good way to replicate in the absence of pollinators.
I know mushrooms are not a plant but they clone themselves to.
I really enjoy the variety of content/topics your channel has! I also really appreciate that you’re videos aren’t 57 mins long. Sponsors don’t bother me at all. Ignore any comments that condemn having sponsors. You are doing backpackers and nature a service by education people. Keep up the great work!
I love Pando! I made my family stop to check it out on a vacation. They couldn’t seem to understand my interest, but I think it’s really cool & should be preserved. Thanks!
This is my first watch of your channel, and I love walk through discussion about Pando.
Aspen groves are one of the wonders of the world. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, subscribed! 🍀
Easily one of the BEST outdoors channels on RUclips.
I highly approve of niche content about locations like this. When you go for a walk you just go for a walk but when you know things like this you’re much more interested and more likely to go too.
1:36 me driving to your moms house
Beat me to it god damnit
Perfect. The moment he said it I had to search the comments.
Here.....have an upvote, you comedic genius! 😂
Your videos keep getting better and better! The topics, the photography, the edit.. Thank you very much. Keep them coming
Looks like a beautiful location! Thanks for sharing - and breaking down the science behind it all!
it is a joy to see you bring the science of the outdoors to others. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for taking the time to educate us on the trees! Had heard of them prior, but not that they were threatened.
I like how this channel is evolving. Gear is fun and all and I still enjoy those videos but this is the content I really appreciate. You’re a wonderful storyteller!
Thanks for the video! Aspen Groves are pretty amazing. The other issue with us stopping the fires is that the duff layer builds up more, and when fires DO roll through, they burn hotter, and for longer, which could possibly damage the root system. :(
Not only have I heard of it. I spent time with Pando in 2022😊
How amazing. I had no idea.
Thank you Steven!
I have read that the presence of white bark trees are one of the prime predictors of riparian health. I find myself looking for them while hiking. Beautiful, thank you.
I'm not a hiker or backpacker... But I like this content, it is very well thought out and presented. Your ad spot was very well presented as well, not obnoxious or silly and I actually gave the video a thumbs up during the ad! I watched the whole thing ad and all and that is a first for me. Thank you for just being normal 🙏. Liked and subscribed.
Grew up camping in this area, it is beyond beautiful.
I enjoy your fact based content. You put forth what you learn and leave it up to us to decide what best suits our needs. Glad you and GGG are supporting each other.
Brother, you are my single most trusted source for gear reviews on the internet. Love all your content, espesically nature content like this, and your car-camping trips with that kind of gear, reviewed. I'm on a fixed income, would love to support you financially but just can't, but I do watch your videos to the end and hit LIKE on each one. Keep up the good work and thanks again for sharing your content.
That’s all I ask. Thank you for watching till the end!
Here in NC we have black locust which grows the same way. I've cleared some around my home to make a garden space. When I dug out the stumps I found each root ball wrapped around a rock. It looks as though the trees send out a loot and when it encounters a rock, it takes a turn up and grows a tree.
I have a Black Locust tree that I have to use a bladed weed eater to control. I love the tree, so I don't poison the suckers, but they are a real pain. Lucky for the tree that I like it!
Something confuses me. If deer and other animals eat the young Aspen sprouts, wouldn't that cause them to grow more plentiful in other areas? If fire is good for Aspens to proliferate, wouldn't animals chewing them down do the same thing? If roots of Aspens have been around for up to a million years, wouldn't those roots have experienced different climate conditions over that time? Do you think nature will find a way? It appears, the Aspen can teach us more than we seek!
Yeah the comment about over-hunting just didn’t make any sense and I’d really like it if he would explain the logic behind it. State natural resources departments often use hunting as the tool to reduce the population of grazing animals in order to protect valuable flora. Hunting actually is just a straw man in this case. The fence is doing exactly what hunters would or could do. In fact, if they wanted to be more economically efficient, they could’ve not spent the money on the fence and then sold hunting tags for that area and actually brought in money and actually solved the problem at the same time!
@@hetteen1it was overhunting of predators. If the original large predators were still thriving there, the fence to keep out grazers would not be needed. In answer to the question about grazing vs fire, any given area would burn only at intervals of many years, whereas grazing pressure is constant in the absence of large predators.
@@jasonhernandez619 fair point about predators. I should’ve considered that. My point about hunting the grazing population still stands though, as humans are pretty good at removing populations when used in a regulated manner. That would likely be less cost to forest service. But now I’m thinking the fence is as much about keeping out all recreation out of that area. All foot and hoof traffic probably does damage.
I'm really liking the new content. If you combine this content with the gear you're using then you'll be covering the things that we all love. To be fair, many of us have been doing self-supported light weight camping for 40+ years and we know what we want to carry and what we don't but introducing some science to your videos has breathed a fresh take on them. Nice work. Keep it up 👍🏽!
Happy to see something of actual value on RUclips
I was just there Sept 30th. Stopped there on our way to Capitol Reef NP. Besutiful!
Great video. Thanks for the update on Pando. Nice to hear they are trying to protect it.
Me and my wife LOVE this place! We even spent 2 days of our honeymoon camping in it! fish lake national forest is really pretty and im happy i live in such an amazing state!
I did my undergraduate studies in Utah, and while taking a plant ecology course we actually took a field trip to Capitol Reef National Park, and stopped at Pando along the way. It was neat to visit it in person after studying it in class. What’s also neat is that there is a road passing through Pando that has signs letting you know when you’ve entered and left the Pando clone. Also present along the road is a wooden sign that gives a brief description of Pando, but really doesn’t do it justice. So an assignment in our class was to write a new sign describing the unique wonder that is Pando, but using the same or less number of characters as the original sign. Maybe one day they will actually change the sign to something that is more informative to what Pando really is and why it is so special. However being that I grew up in Colorado, I wouldn’t be surprised as all as you mentioned if there wasn’t a larger aspen grove somewhere waiting to be discovered. The forests are massive and it would be a nearly impossible task to test all the trees and figure out which aspen clones are largest. Thanks for sharing!
Biology geek here. Your question maybe right, maybe not. There are three other SUPER organisms that maybe larger than the aspen grove you've noted. 1) Amillaria ostoyae known as the Humongous Fungus in Oregon is said by many to be the largest organism in the world at 8.8 square miles in size. Contender #2 is a sea grass (Hybrid Seagrass) clone in Shark's Bay Australia that is 110 square miles, and #3 Is another tree in Tasmania. No doubt it's a monster though
It's no coincidence that none of these contenders are in Europe or Asia. The long history of intensive civilization on those continents means that similarly sized organisms there were long since killed off. I find it entirely plausible that primeval Ireland, for example, could once have had trees as impressive as those in the climatically similar Pacific Northwest.
I absolutely love quakee's. The sound they make when the wind blows through them just feels like home.
I'm so glad I found your site.I live in the Pacific Northwest ,and I also love backpacking.Always fascinated how different tree species adapt to their environment.
I just subscribed and will continue watching his videos and even consider some of his backpacking gear for sale. The compelling reason to subscribe besides the fact that I do enjoy the outdoors and nature is that this man is an honest man. Right in the middle of the video he stops to tell you yes, he does have a sponsor because he needs one in order to continue doing these videos. I don’t remember any one of the channels that I follow looking at the camera and telling the truth like this. So, apparently, with no hidden agendas, and his offerings of his own passionate studies and work is more than enough for me to be a grateful subscriber.
blew my mind that quakies are actually an arctic tree! I grew up in ut/wy and they were all over. super beautiful in the fall. thanks for posting.
logger here the reason we like cutting aspen,popple trees is because it is like a weed you can cut it off in the fall and by spring it will start growing back
Aspen groves in the springtime feel like a fairy tale. Year-round, really, but when everything is green on the forest floor, it's quite something.
I love all this new content that you're trying out. Keep it coming and thank you for what you do!
Excited & 0leased to see your video. "Aspens are my favorite tree as a former backpacker & wilderness explorer & hiker (I'm 89). As I enter one of my small groves to eat breakfast, I always say, "Good morning, Aspen San." San being a Japanese honorific. You can point out too that in winter, aspen bark shows a slight greenish undertone. They''re continuing to photosynthesize, ever so slightly. Thanks so much
From my experience that greenish undertone in the bark is present year round but is simply more noticeable in the winter because of the lack of green foliage. Also, aspens are greener when they are young and progressively become whiter as they age. Additionally, an unhealthy aspen will have a slightly amber or pinkish undertone instead of green.
Wanted to road trip to Pando last year but financial concerns forced a delay. Would be a really good family trip. Fingers crossed for next year!
Love this kind of content! Thanks.
I love aspens, they have such a great fragrance especially in the fall when the leaves are turning yellowish and fall to the ground, if you like trees, there is nothing else like it….its one of my favorite plants/trees…👍❤️🙏🏼🇺🇸
I LOVE this content! ❤ Please do more of this! Thank you. 💯 💥
Definitely love all the content you are producing. I never heard of GGG before watching your videos, now I'm a regular customer. thank you Steve
Same. Steven was the first person I heard mention GGG and I am a customer because of him. Not because he was trying to “sell” me on the company, but because he made me aware of some neat, unique gear. I actually appreciate the sponsor partnership because of how it’s changed my backpack.
Some of the best RUclips content I have seen in years. Thank you for such a comprehensive overview. I know in England there are researches talking about individual tree organisms that have interwoven roots that communicate to each other about insect threats and other important survival information. What this means is that even killing one tree in a forest of trees can be detrimental to the living ones. We shouldn’t let this stop us from harvesting, but we need to do it in a smarter manner.
I don't backpack, I'm not a hiker. I'm a lifelong cyclist. But I enjoy all the different types of content you've been doing. Tech stuff is neat, reviews are great if I get into bikepacking, and the nature/travel content is beautiful.
I’m new to your channel, but I’m absolutely LOVING your videos! They are so well created with being informative but very engaging…. I just can’t get enough!
I camped not to far from Pando this summer. It is truly spectacular to see. Thanks for sharing some of Southern Utah's gems. Keep up the good work on these videos.
Speaking of show diversity, Have you considered an episode with a joint specialist, covering how take care of our joints and prevent injuries while out woods walking ?
Wonderful information on your channel. Pando looks amazing! Thank you 🙏
I knew this fact about aspen trees but I've never seen videos of this region. As a naturalist and hiker myself, I love the combination of content and your conservation message. Keep 'em coming.
I didn't get to Pando this year when I went to Utah, but I did spend a few days among the huge, blindingly yellow aspen groves in the mountains south and west of Park City in late September/early October. That is a bucket-list item that will stay on my list for a revisit. One word--Awesome.
More amazing high quality content. I like gear too, but my backpacking setup is mostly locked in, so while I've consumed hours and hours of "best gear" and "top 10 things" videos, I really don't need them on a regular basis anymore. It's great to see a channel like yours maturing into something much more compelling.
Thank you very much. Fair warning I’ve got some best gear videos in the pipe. Lol
Aspens are my favorite tree. I think they are so stunning and I didn’t know any of that. So amazing!
Dude, you are one of the few channels where I will watch every video no matter how random the topic
I’m honored! Thank you
Years ago I did a massive 3 week road trip of the western half of the U.S. (I’m from Pennsylvania). We saw every major national park and city and touched almost every state. The most fascinating and biodiverse state of them all? Utah! Deserts, rock formations, snow capped mountains & skiing, a giant salt lake, salt flats, and a huge variety of animals.
Very interesting. I was taken aback with the drone footage, especially after your great video on noise in the back country.
There is another huge aspen grove in the Dixie National Forest near the Zion/Bryce Canyon area. I was aware of the way the aspen clones itself and with that knowledge I saw the grove in a totally different way. It truly is amazing. Great information you have provided here.
This is my favorite of all your videos. While I knew about some of these phenomena, I've never seen such precise and interesting explanations.
Wow, so beautiful and lovely! Thank you!
Thanks so much for this video. I love backpacking, but I can no longer do it. I can remember many times the majestic, magical experience of walking through an aspen grove in the evening with the sunlight sparkling through the yellow leaves.
You and desert drifter are the two best outdoor sites
We have the same problem w deer overgrazing all kinds of hardwood and pine and hemlock saplings in Pennsylvania which makes it difficult for new sprouts to get going to full trees. Plus trouble w invasive pests and diseases. We are also losing large swaths of slow growing beech trees to disease. It’s very sad about the challenges to our forests.
It’s crazy to think that a single blight or insect that prefers to eat that kind of tree could wipe out that entire organism overtime. It sounds like a pretty important thing to be protected.
Rich content. Great review. Thanks for sharing.
I appreciate your matured approach to this channel. Keep it up 👍
Not a backpacker or hiker, but just found your channel with the chemicals video, super helpful. And this one is so awesome!!
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People who complain about sponsorship are very very ungrateful. You produce great content…
Love it! ❤ I needed this right now! Nature is fabulous and so are you!
I'm from Sweden and I did know about that forrest. I found out about it some years ago. It's very cool that all trees are one.
"...walk among the trees..." Very John Muir of you, and I mean that as a complement.
Great info, thanks for sharing
You are right about the Grazing. The Grand Mesa in Colorado is a good example.
I appreciate and enjoy the variety and quality of the content you share. Well Done.👍👍
I don't know about you, but General Sherman, as a single tree, being 1/3 as massive as the Pando Grove is far more awe-inspiring and precious in my eyes.
If one aspen in Pando were to be cut down or otherwise destroyed, the rest of the grove would easily endure.
If the General is destroyed, there is simply no replacing it.
Very cool! Nature is fascinating and defies our pigeonholes
Those complex living beings are quite interesting. Step by step, we're figuring out how widespread life is and how intricate organisms are, both within themselves and in relation to each other. In Brazil’s northeast, there are two large cashew trees, each measuring almost 95 thousand square feet and estimated to be between 135 and 200 years old. They grow in a manner similar to Pando but in a denser formation. I hope someday we'll understand that we are nature too.
I'm happy your able to branch out into other outdoors related areas.
I like this style. Helps me appreciate what I see even more.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING! Truly beautiful!
You picked the perfect time to get some great views of that area. Stunning!!!
Lived in UT for 2yrs. The State is beautiful.