Why So Few Americans Live In This HUGE Area Of The West Coast
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- Опубликовано: 16 июл 2023
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The west coast of the United States is home to over 50 million Americans. From San Diego and Los Angeles in the south, up to the San Francisco and Sacramento metro areas in central California, and then Portland and Seattle in the north, about 1 out of every 6 Americans lives here. But despite being so populated, in between the Bay Area and Portland, Oregon is a large area with very few people living in it. In this video, we'll explore and uncover why so few Americans live in what I've termed the "Empty West."
Stock footage is acquired from www.storyblocks.com.
Some videos provided by E James Merl on Pexels.
Animation support provided by DH Designs (needahittman.com) 
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@Geoff.
Can you do a video on what if this region became its own State.
State of Roosevelt.
Name is Based on its mix of classical progressivism and modern Conservativism. Rich National and state parks.
This state would become a Powerhouse for Quality Politics.
Realistically Progressive in climate and economics but conservative in socially and legally
@@JTL1776 How would the contradiction you're building in work though? I don't think there are many people who are forward thinking in some areas but backward looking in others-sort of like left foot trying to walk on while right foot is stuck to the ground or even moving back :)
7:54 god why did you just waste 8 minutes of my time.
If u live in america and are west of alabama and below the 32 parallel it is technically a geographically accurate statement to say mexico is north south east and west of u since tj is at 32 and cancun is about on the same longitute as alabama
It's a beautiful place because people don't live there
Absolutely right
It's also difficult terrain to build on. Not for most people. Less people the better in my opinion 😌
@@slapdoctor707and more peaceful
You say that until you need dental surgery 😂
@@emanymor have a medical emergency
I spent 3 months on a job in the northern edge of the forgotten coast. Every weekend I went for long solo hikes, often never seeing another human being. I would follow old trails for hours and suddenly break out onto a stretch of uninhabited beach. It was the happiest I have ever been in loneliness.
It's also one of the best places to ride a motorcycle in the entire world.
I want to go to there!
shhhhhh, don't tell them
It's a dirty place.
I am jealous!!
I grew up in the middle of that whole section. Fun fact, every single person that lives in that area will claim San Fran is not Northern California. They will adamantly claim it's central.
Because hoo-boy is it.
Absolutely right
Redding, Ca resident here! This is so completely true. When folks refer to SF as "Northern California" it largely feels like the actual north of Ca is just totally forgotten about and overlooked. Interesting that people refer to it as the "empty West" because it's not actually "empty".
That's right!
I always found that odd too.
I spend my early 20s living in the Bay Area. I went backpacking up the coast and went to Redding too. I loved that area. When I tell ppl in LA that I've been too Northern California, they say "Oh, I love San Francisco!" I'm always confused then I tell them I love the bay area too that I lived there but I meant NORTHERN California.
As a Southern Oregon resident, another huge factor is the road conditions. There’s not a straight road in the area. From highways to the i5 corridor, it winds, is sharp and inclement weather or wildfires irritate the issue. Makes for transportation between cities quite bad. Things like a blown tire in an area with no cell signal possibly deadly in the wrong season.
Yikes
Actually, i5 is not bad, and you can travel to Eugene, roseburg, etc, pretty good. You can call 911 without cell service, or you can flag someone down to help you worse case scenario. It truly is beautiful here.
@@xBFUwolfpack yeah but anywhere beyond I5 had super spotty cell service
Are there radio repeater towers nearby? Sounds worthwhile to keep a VHF radio in the car
@@kevinpiimauna1293 I think there are some
For those that have never seen it, Crater Lake will absolutely blow your mind. I've never seen a picture that is anywhere near what seeing it in person is like. It's like an alien world, it's so incredibly stunning.
I gasped when I saw it.
Crater Lake sure is stunning. And not far from there are giant redwood forests. If you've only ever seen regular sized trees, then walking around in there is like an alien world too.
It does just feel like it shouldn’t exist huh
I visited the lake in 1989 and I took the boat tour and it was unbelievable how far down you could see in the water.
The water was the bluest blue I've ever seen in my life.
I broke down in Jefferson once. We were in the middle of an interstate move, with all our stuff in a trailer. The situation was awful, yet the small town mechanic was a hero, the historic motel was gracious, and everyone we met was kind to us outsiders. A scary situation became fond memories.
There’s no such thing as “Jefferson,” it’s Southern Oregon.
@@tootsla1252 Ask anyone who lives there. But, yes, I know what you mean. I visit the area frequently. It's still just a popular, relaxed, persistent movement, and not "official" for whatever that's worth.
Idiot QAnons call it Jefferson.
@@tootsla1252 Right now most of us will take Jefferson or Idaho over anything associated with Portland.
@@DistracticusPrime Not anymore, we moved on to joining Idaho, we will not stop until we rid ourselves of Portland.
I live in Coos Bay, this coastal town feels like were on an island, even leaving town either direction you have to cross a bridge and then it is just forests for miles until the next small town. The whole Jefferson state area feels like it exists separate from the rest of the world. You can feel the shift in the air as you start leaving the trees and mountains behind.
It’s very odd, the culture there is very similar to the Deep South, lots of southern food, political views and even some accents. Visiting there really feels like going to an alternate universe.
Oh you’re lucky. I love Coos Bay Area, especially South if there! There is something’s special about the coast there. Mmm, Sunset Bay, the seals, and the lighthouse and then happening on Shore acres garden/park and the greenest hiking anywhere. It’s a place not of this world.
Coos Bay is pretty!!! I visited and still dreaming of going back.
@@TheBaCoNzzzzThe deep south!?
I've lived in Gold Beach for over 20 yrs, and the fried chicken is terrible!
@@bobmanners8624 I wasn't even aware we had any fried chicken outside of the Mckay's and Ray's delis
I grew up right in the middle of this place on the coast. I’ve been all over the world multiple times and this place is still the most beautiful place I’ve ever been.
I used to live in Humboldt County, California-one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to. It’s a difficult place to live for a variety of reasons but it’s absolutely worth visiting, and not just the redwoods. The Trinity Alps Wilderness is incredible, it’s just as beautiful as many national parks but you can be ALONE in the wilderness-a very special experience.
Why is it a difficult place to live? I've been looking into Siskiyou, Humboldt & Trinity county seeing as I love the outdoors & some areas are fairly affordable for someone who's self employed / remote like myself. Aside from fires and droughts what's the real concern?
I live in Humboldt County now and you're right.
Moved from Vancouver Canada to Humboldt county in 2001... lived in Humboldt for 20 years!!.. LOVED IT.. worked for Kym Kemp (Redheaded Blackbelt) for 3 - 4 years !!!
@@obomasinladen I grew up and still own property near the Humboldt/ Trinity county line. Very few good jobs, cold winters, hot summers, not very good schools, drugs, poverty, etc…. If you have a good county job or something else profitable and don’t get mixed up with the wrong people it’s a great place to live and grow up.
@@obomasinladen I agree with High Spin overall. If you have a remote job that pays well then it's a lot easier. There aren't a lot of good local jobs, though the cost of real estate is much lower than in the rest of CA. Utilities are expensive (propane, gasoline, internet, electric--though electric is cheap if you're on TPUD). It can also be difficult to find places to live, though if you can afford to buy a home it's better (but not great). Fires are a big issue outside of the Humboldt Bay area, and it's getting harder to get homeowner's insurance in some areas. Flooding can also be an issue on riverfront properties. The schools are generally not good, so if you have kids it's not ideal if traditional education is something you value. I would NOT recommend Siskiyou at all though. It might seem cheaper than Humboldt or Trinity but the QOL is lower, the drugs and poverty problems as worse, and the community is not as good. Medical care is also not great if you need anything besides the basics.
You asked about problems... I did love it overall though and would definitely consider moving back if I had a well-paying remote job.
As someone who spent almost their whole life living in Northern California, I will admit that it's not as exciting and glamorous as the more urban regions. On the flip side, less population means that it's easier to get to know the other people that live in the area, form stronger friendships, and take part in community gatherings and events. Overall, it's a peaceful life. Don't get me wrong, I do like the urban regions as well, but they're mostly fun just to just visit for a few days, long term residence would only be enjoyable for a few months at most.
That’s one thing I hate about big cites that’s why I’ll never move to New York or la
The flip side of small towns, is everybody knows everybody else's business.
Willits, CA representing!
@@Caspian_107 Oroville CA here
That and northern Californians aren't trying to take over real estate in other states like the southern Californians are. That's always appreciated.
Living in this area it really feels like its own state a lot. Not just geographically but also culturally.
What is the culture there like?
Like non-existent.@@TravisMay108
@@TravisMay108 Medford has shirtless hillbillies wandering around downtown in the middle of the day. It's not a place worth visiting.
Well said! I've been there for years.. I get so much flack for being from California when visiting other states.. I'm like, yea, CA suck, don't go there with that attitude, haha. Very special place with unique and resilient people. Definitely not for everyone. I ont think most would get along in that area or would be quickly shewed away.
Drove up to Portland from LA about 5 years ago. When I passed Mt Shasta I shed a tear. It was one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen.
I grew up in Chico and now live in Portland. I get to pass Mt Shasta frequently, and it takes my breath away every time. I've never seen a mountain more beautiful, stark, and ethereal. Nothing prepares you if you've never seen it before.
It’s beautiful because few people inhabit it. I live in cali and every year I drive through this area on my way to Portland or Seattle. This is one of the last true wildernesses in the lower 48. I hope it stays this way
I’d say Maine is close as well
And the upper peninsula of Michigan for sure.
There is plenty of wilderness in the lower 48
No tf it's not lol there's plenty of wilderness In America what a clown comment.
@@Nxkamxbxms Yep, there's a ton of wilderness left. Much more than many other countries, especially in Europe and Asia.
I lived in the Rogue Valley for 8 years. It is an undeniably gorgeous geographic region. If access to wild lands and epic scenery is a priority, it’s hard to beat.
It's way too hot in the summer, but yes very beautiful.
Things are probably different now, (and the temps are certainly higher) but when I lived there in the early/mid '80's you could leave after work on a Friday to go camping and STILL find many primo spots, even by the river. I'm glad I got to experience that! Great stuff!
@@Doomer_Optimist Well you can go for a swim in the rogue river and you might even find a gold nugget.
Definitely very pretty. I like driving up in the mountains.
@@Doomer_Optimist The humidity is so low, though, that you hardly notice the heat.
I live in Mendocino County in the area talked about. We love it because people don’t live here and it’s so beautiful and peaceful.
Come visit any time or redwoods are amazing and magical.
Live in the Sierra Foothills and drive out to the Mendocino Coast frequently. Beautiful area.
I heard that crazy stuff happens in the Mendocino county is that true or no
@@adynathaly3145 crazy stuff???
If immigration continues, the area will be ruined in 50 years.
I was born in Eugene, grew up in Gold Beach for 7 years, then Medford (Phoenix specifically is where I grew up) until 18, lived in Klamath for 9 months, back to Medford for 3 years, tried out Sacramento, now back in Gold Beach. Seems I’ve lived in this “empty” space my whole life. It’s beautiful because nobody ever knows where they are when traveling through, everyone thinks big cities and doesn’t stop and enjoy the beauty of our areas. Until everyone decided to leave the upper PNW, Bay Area and LA, and move here, it’s slowly becoming bigger and overpopulated for our small roads and 101 highway, small towns and small cities (compared to Sacramento for example). It’s become so full of drugs and poverty it’s heartbreaking, but I love where I’m from, and glad I’ve got to experience so much ❤
I just spent a month in Gold Beach and really enjoyed it.
Yeah. Maybe shouldn't legalize drugs and encourage people to not work... was nice when I was there. Not any more.
Меня заинтересовал Юджин. Можно ли подробнее узнать о нём...!???!
I live in the empty west, on the Oregon coast. I've seen a lot of people move here, and then leave again, because they can't handle the 9+ month rainy season. Also, the lack of infrastructure is real. If highway 101 is closed, I'm stuck at home, and can't get anywhere. There is no alternative route. Phone coverage is also spotty, and our local cell tower doesn't have backup power. So in the winter, it's not uncommon to be stranded at home, with no power or phone.
A few hardy folks would love what you're describing!
As someone planning to move there, I absolutely love the thought of a near never ending rainy season. Will take some adjusting to but I am excited to live somewhere with relative water security.
@@ianstuart5660 I love it here. Especially in the winter, when the tourists are gone. It's definitely paradise for the right kind of people. I think we've only had one day above 70 degrees so far this summer.
@@robrod7120 For six months a year, you're right. But we can go months in the summer without any substantial rain. Also, if it's hot inland, it gets colder as you approach the shore. I drove from Salem to where I live a few summers ago, and it was 107 there, 89 at the east side of the coastal range, 70 at the town limits and 57 at my house a few blocks from the beach. Hot air rises and pulls the air off the water. It's rather remarkable.
@owlbuquerqueturkey Thanks, sounds very idyllic, and certainly looks the part too. Would love to visit someday. Best wishes from Canada!
I live in this region (Del Norte) and the infrastructure struggles are real, the we have three ways out of town, and one is always under construction because it is slowly sliding into the ocean. Also, a single redwood tree falling on the highway does an incredible amount of damage.
But you can't neglect that even where infrastructure exists, a lack of economic opportunity means there's little other than natural beauty to attract people to much of this region, particularly the various smaller towns along the coast and highways. This lack of economic opportunity coincides with a lack of healthcare, poor education, little in the way of public or private services, and an environment that is thoroughly inhospitable to the unsheltered.... As beautiful as it is It's not a great place to be starting out life unless you are fairly well off already.
I love the coast along Crescent City and Brookings. There was a great little restaurant in Crescent city owned by a Portuguese gentlemen who made one of the best Cioppino's I've had. Love that town!!!!! Funny, I was the guy that bought the right-of-way to widen a County road in town.
Is the Smith Complex Fire still going?
@@paintingmama7761 it's mostly contained now. We got a heavy rain about a week ago that helped a lot, but traffic is still limited going over the border.
Ive been here my whole life.67 years. Its been a great life. Always had a good job and the ability to fulfill my dreans, and i wasnt born rich.
@@gasquetmike8320I never said it was impossible to enjoy living in this area, nor that you have to be rich to do so.... Being fairly well off doesn't mean you are rich, it means you are relatively stable and capable of providing for yourself. There's a difference between moving here with a decent job and house lined up versus moving here with a hope and a dream but no job, skills, house, or family.
I'm not even middle class, but I still enjoy living here because it's a beautiful area with easy access to camping, fishing, kayaking, and basically anything you could dream of as an outdoors lover.... I live close enough to all these activities that I can spend the day at the river, catch sunset at the beach, have a bonfire and then sleep in my own bed for the cost of a gallon or two of gas. If that's your dream, them you certainly don't need to be rich to generally enjoy living here.
That doesn't change that there are many cities with more job opportunities than crescent city has people, healthcare often requires travel (if you can even afford to access it), nor that many of us in del norte struggle to make ends meet with the available opportunities.
Excellent choice of topic. I lived in both CA and OR and often wondered why this area was so sparsely populated. You've done a great job researching and explaining the reason. I have Subscribed and will contiue to watch your videos.
Have lived behind "the Redwood Curtain" and north of Arcata for 37 years. With all the beauty Humboldt County has to offer, life here is challenging because of the decline in our economy and lack of health care.
It's actually pretty sad how many people don't know it snows in CA in the Northern and North East parts of CA. The bay area really isn't all that North. More in the middle.
Most people don’t know it snows sometimes in Hawaii and you can even snow ski there!
@@blueeyedlady8973 Seems pretty cool to me.
Snowed in the bay area last year!
Bay Area is Northern CA.
It even snows in parts of SoCal, like in the lower end of the Sierra Nevada mountains.
I'm a California runaway and I chose the North Coast of Oregon because just the idea of moving more than an hour away from the ocean makes me nervous. I work in healthcare so I feel honored to be able to help the smaller communities where it is hard to get workers. I have been here for 4 years now, first in Seaside then now in Astoria. I love the wild winter storms, the grey blue skies are calming to me instead of depressing especially with the emerald green land. I love the periods between storms when the sun cracks through and you can see the invisible bridge between the earth and sky in the form of the evaporation. In Astoria we have resident deer that wander through the neighborhood.
Bears?
It's rare to find a Californian that actually appreciates the rain. Here in Eugene they always complain about it, forgetting that 8+ months of rain means fewer summer wildfires
@@knote4958 Yeah, after 20+ years of hot, smoggy, interminable summers in the Bay Area I appreciate the rain even more. I also love that we even get a few days of snow in the winter.
@@MilkMan317 I think the bears hang out over in the Cascade range more then the coast. Perhaps they could be in the southern coastal area around the Rogue river valley.
I visited Astoria a few years ago. I loved it. It’s a gorgeous town. You’re lucky to live there.
Subbed. I love geography. Especially if the deliverer of information is on point.
I spent most of 2023 in remote southern Oregon and it was amazing.
Good people, good times, perfect set and setting.
I was born and raised in Eureka, CA. I'm surprised you didn't mention the Humboldt Bay area as it's the only "city" we have on the coast but around here we refer to the parks as the Redwood Curtain. Feels like we are almost a decade behind the times with how slow things get up here. Loved the video though as most people assume Sacramento when you tell them northern California lol
I think you have a skewed view on "city". It's a town.
Eureka is a grey, melancholy town
@@originalname9999
A large town
@@originalname9999by coast standards it’s positively bustling, there’s not much bigger on Nor Cal / Oregon / Washington coastline. Only Coos Bay and Aberdeen are bigger.
I'm in Redding
I lived in Covelo, CA (no stoplights, one grocery store, one restaurant, one bar. 1000-1500 ppl) for about 3yrs circa 2010 and it was paradise. We spent so much of our downtime going out to the coast. Towns like Bodega Bay, Fort Bragg, Arcata/Eureka were all awesome. The best spot was Shelter Cove and The Lost Coast. I'll just say it's like a videogame or movie set. You will have sensory overload.
I stopped by the Lost Coast on a solo road trip last year, absolutely beautiful yet also haunting in its isolation. I found a Giant Pacific Clam fossil there by accident, and it sits on my shelf now! Definitely want to return!
The bouldering and climbing on the beaches up there is some of the best in the world. No one is ever there….wide open
Gatekeep this information dont cry when people move into your town and start building there
@kbuttstadt Wow! I grew up on a cattle ranch just north of Covelo. I still have land up there. I went up last year - the fire several years ago burnt the valley I grew up in, but outside the burn scar it's still beautiful.
Huh, I grew up way out in the backwoods, 40 miles (of road) North-West of Garberville. If you really want solitude, take the old Petrolia road along the lost coast and see Lands-End. Provided it isn't washed out at the time. Check first. Or stop to look at King's Peak (King range) in the distance along the road to Shelter Cove.
Very interesting and well done. Thank you!
You have a nicely done site - Good Video / Graphics / Good writing & editing & good narration. A pleasant surprise. Thank You
If it weren’t for that pesky but seemingly unavoidable Cascadia Subduction, what a perfect place to establish a post-apocalyptic settlement. I live in Colorado and thought we had the most beautiful vistas in America but, holy crap, this section of the US is epic!
I flew to Denver to buy a vehicle and drove it all the way back to the west coast. Driving west bound looked fucking amazing to say the least. So much green/foliage/vegetation/mountains. Utah was cool too, stayed at circlesville pit stop. Once I got to NV/CA looked like ass and so were the drivers.
Surely it is also a good place to establish… a normal house? Why post apocalypse lmao
The area most likely would be hit with bombs because of military installations in the area
A Cascadia subduction earthquake is due likely to happen within a fifty-year time frame from now, according to some geologists. Due to its nature, it is believed to be in excess of a 9.0+ magnitude, which would leave the region uninhabitable for many weeks, if not months. A lot of bridges transverse the area and would be brought down by landslides and unstable soil base. Fires, gas leaks, and power outages will be a thing. Food and commodities would become scarce in short order because of no roads, unless supplies can be delivered by air, pending operable communications on the ground.
The coastal communities can't build inland because of the forested mountainous terrain that borders the towns. As a result, the tsunami that will be generated will submerge what the quake hasn't destroyed, hence, isolating those places.. Deaths would be inevitable because tsunami-strenghth shelters are not adequate in most coastal communities and less than ten minutes is the estimated time frame of a Cascadia subduction-generated tsunami strike.
A devastated infrastructure would hinder an already slow rescue response across the region.
One of my favorites part of the country, particularly Redwood National and State Parks and Samuel Boardman State Scenic Corridor. I’d like to explore more parts - Crater Lake, Lassen, etc.
I live in Klamath Falls, surprised you didn't mention this area. Volcanos, Volcanos, Volcanos have changed this topography and made it hostile to farming. A conservative area of the west, this area truly has its own identity.
I used to live in K falls
K Falls! Love it here! :)
hour south in mcRthur, ca. it's like living in yellowstone with less people
@@jj3johnsonid I rode through a couple weeks ago.. the line into Burney Falls Park was insane!!
Mt shasta area here..
love your area!! 💯👍🏽
I loved there briefly. The lack of air not smelling like a campfire was horrendous
Great video and easy succinct description and presentation of so many relevant and connected topics, from the Missoula floods to why everyone is where they are now. Will use this to educate others. From a Columbia Gorge resident familiar with all of these places and history.
I was born and raised in the "empty"west coast and i love it. Some of the most beautiful part of the country and I wouldn't want to grow up anywhere else
Eugene, OR is really part of the north block that includes Portland & Seattle, and not the empty part. Politics, economy and geography are very similar in Eugene and Portland, and there is a continuously populated river valley between the two with no mountains or other natural dividers. Once you get a little farther south to Roseburg, things are very different.
Yeah, we're basically tucked into the crook of the north end of the "empty west", right on the edge. South, West, and East of Eugene get more rugged pretty quickly, but the trip north to Portland is pretty much a straight shot.
I would say Eugene is where is starts to change between those two regions. Eugene and it's outter areas are pretty checkerboard as far as politics. It's also fairly small.
@@erincarr9411
Actually no, Eugene is almost overwhelmingly left wing and liberal. A college town and known as “Baby Berkeley”. 🙂
@@anthonyfisher6051 Who would’ve thought a talk about geography and geological features would trigger a snowflake melting event.
@@anthonyfisher6051 if you read carefully I include it's outter areas in my comment. It is a college town, but it's surounded by lots of old farm land. As someone from a larger college town (Tucson) and lived in even more conservative areas ( treasure valley ID) and now live outside of Eugene - it's kinda purple. I've met plenty of more conservative to solidly conservative folks in Eugene and it's surrounding areas.
I have lived in Arizona, California twice, Oregon twice and Washington state. I have driven through beautiful places across the USA. I have driven Interstate 5 from Mexico to Seattle. I have driven 1-5 from LA to Portland and back many times. I have driven coast highway 1 From Washington to San Diego. There’s just something about the drive from Reading to everywhere North of there that is just different than anywhere I’ve ever driven. It’s beyond beautiful but also mysterious, it’s hard to explain. Before I had my own RV I rented one and had the best vacation of my life. We Drove North on I-5 making some detours camping in the redwoods, crater lake, up North camping in the Columbia river gorge, etc. On the return trip we took the coast highway 1 South from Astoria Oregon to Santa Barbara. This is Probably the most beautiful drive on earth. Our vacation was 2 weeks and felt very rushed. 2 months would have been much better. There’s so much beauty and nature to see and explore. If you’ve never hiked through a Forrest of giant redwoods, you haven’t lived. The first time i experienced it as a child I couldn’t even say WTF, I was speechless. If your adventurous and love nature and this isn’t at the top of your bucket list for trips, you might reconsider. Damn, it’s back on top of mine again. Save travels.
Man you named off a lot of places I know haha. I grew up in northern California, lived in Santa Barbara, then Prescott, AZ, and have since lived in a few places around Phoenix. We are getting the Black Bear Diners around Arizona now, but having grown up going to the originals a lot, it bums me out that they don't provide the same feel here as they do up there where they're sort of 'good 'ol boy' types of diners in small towns. The decor and newspaper menus don't really reach people here like they do up thwre
dear livelikemateo6951: Reading ?? Are you talking about Redding, just south of Shasta Lake / Shasta Mountain.......?
You can't comprehend the costal redwood forest even when you are in it.
Love geography and the way you tell about talk about it is so enjoyable 😊
Absolutely gorgeous and incredibly remote. I grew up just south of this region and even though it was so nearby, it took us a long time to get anywhere in the area, since so many of the roads are narrow and winding. This remains true for most of the central coast of California-where the larger cities like Monterey and Santa Cruz are squeezed between the bluffs and the mountains-and it's why people drive through the valley from LA to SF and not along the coast. Highway 1 is constantly blocked by landslides and construction. Some of the most beautiful driving you'll ever do but it's not sustainable for a city of any real size.
Something to note is that all the largest cities mentioned in the video (with the exception of Bend) are right off the I-5 freeway. They can only grow because they can get reasonable access to goods from larger port cities.
"striking" is an understatement. In 2021 I needed to drive from Sacramento to Yellowstone for business. I decided to drive through that western portion of Oregon that "has more in common with Nevada." My goodness, I was in awe for hours. It looked like a natural wonderland from a fairytale, the epic proportions of the landscape have no words that can accurately depict what it's like to experience it. There were several moments where I said out loud "Wow" to myself. I had no idea that region existed and my brain really struggled with that fact lol. That's how impressive it is. And as a frequent traveler, I can confirm it stands out as the most unique surprise I couldn't have ever expected. I thought I was just going to traverse Oregon. That means something totally different to me now, and I can't wait to do it again.
Like driving into another world all of a sudden. I've lived in northern Calif for 67 years and never had a reason to leave. Why would anyone want to.
@@richard3793 Why would anyone want to? Creeping communism?
Just the drive north along I-5 has some pretty nice sights, and Mt. Shasta is a sight to behold, a giant white peak jutting out of the ground. The entire northern 1/3 of California is dotted with small towns and villages often near beautiful forests and mountains, it's ripe for remote-only workers to live in assuming telecom infrastructure is sufficient.
Oregon is the 2nd most beautiful state in my opinion. Hawaii is 1st of course
@@charlesritter6640 I lived in Denver for 37 years ( I was a long-haul trucker based there ) and made many trips to the Pacific Northwest.
Over the years - people have often asked me "where was my favorite part of the country? " Although I loved living in
Colorado - I always tell them - Oregon or southern Washington would be my next choice ! I always loved going there !
This is funny to me, because I work for the Forest Service, and thanks to all those National Forests you mentioned, I swear 1 out of every 5 people I know professionally live in that "empty" chunk of the west. 😂 I never considered how empty it is of people otherwise.
LOL ... come here to where I live, in crowded, urban New York City !!! Then you will see how empty it is in your area!!
@cathynewyork7918 funnily enough, my very best friend lives in Queens. We are very different lol
@@savannah115 LOL. I live in Queens, NY also! [which is part of New York City.] It's okay to be different from your best friend. Maybe you can each visit each other and share a bit in each other's lives, while still going home to what you like best. My best friend lives on horse property in New Mexico -- way different than here in New York City. You and I have the same situation.😀
why does it feel like you two ARE the best friends and you just haven't realized it yet?
@@loftyjones675 if they aren't yet they should definitely become friendsss!!!
I visit this place every winter, Chico, weed, Banning,(siskiyou area) , Klamath Falls, beautiful places, mount Shasta is such a great view even from afar. Hiking and enjoying nature with family
This was totally interesting! Thank you😊👍
I used to live in this region. I lived in a small town called Arcata in California. Absolutely loved it. Weather was amazing, people were nice, and I had access to everything I needed. I miss living there, but the prices are too high for me to live there anymore. Someday, I'll return.
I met a beautiful girl from arcata, I’m from Hawaii :)
Arcata is charming and beautiful
I lived in Eureka for over 5 years. The lack of sun got to me eventually
Most would think redding when i asked.
Loved living in and going to school in Arcata :)
I'm a biker and I've ridden through that region multiple times. The land between Redding, CA and Salem, Oregon is gorgeous. I really enjoyed the ride from Redding to Reno. It reminded me of Colorado and Wyoming
Exactly what, in Salem, Oregon, is gorgeous ?
@@Trump_Lake_24the view of the trees and mountains
@@Trump_Lake_24 I was born and raised in Salem. When you get into the countryside it's beautiful. Downtown not so much
Exactly what is a biker
🏍️
Salem Trees 🌴 & Mountain @@frozen2golden
Great graphics and presentation- love it 😊
Very informative.
I live in this area. If everyone would enlarge the map they would see the Great Pacific Northwest forests. Besides there isnt any industry in this area besides logging. It’s what has protected the Pacific Northwest from huge populations. Thankfully.
It might have more to do with what goes on in those forests
@@aWomanFreedwhat do you mean?
@@yes_.01 the rituals, of course
@@aWomanFreed😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Have you’ve been smoking something?😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
@@yes_.01 shhhh, dont give us away! lol
As someone who live in the area it is one of the most beautiful part of the United States and has some of the nicest people and sense of community anywhere around. If your even in California come visit Coloma (where gold was first discovered in California) and see the American river
That part of California is really nice. The Weaverville historical district is nice too, but I think the American and Feather River sites are better developed.
I like eureka, Ca
The area is nice but the people can be a mixed bag. I’m from placer county and the culture is much different then the rest of California
Thank you for the video!
Oregon is epic. So is the western Washington coast/ the entire Olympic national park. I love how the Washington coast is so remote and removed from everything. No fancy beach towns. When you’re out there it’s just basically nothing.
I grew up in Brookings, that whole region is some of Americas most wild and beautiful. It’s empty for the simple fact it’s so mountainous. It’s the convergence of multiple mountain ranges including the Sierra Nevadas, Cascade, Siskiyou, Klamath, Oregon Coast range and California Coast Range. Rivers run clean and fast, trees grow to dizzying heights and the coast is steep and rugged. It will likely stay remote indefinitely due to the lack of developable land and the expense of expanding infrastructure in such mountainous terrain.
I went to the 2 room school in Pistol River in the 80s.
My parents lived near Brookings for 25 years before they died
Brookings is cool for the fact it has redwoods. Oregon used have more :/
I arrived at this video after watching a few about the Cascadia Fault Line just off the Pacific Northwest Coast. I am now thinking it is probably a good thing that this area is so unpopulated. Also, as a foreigner who enjoys visiting areas of wilderness that are untouched by the human hand, I find it fascinating that, despite being one of the most technologically advanced continents on Earth, North America still has some of the most beautiful areas of outstanding natural beauty on the planet.
We had an earthquake last December and Humbolt County lost power for seal hours and many homes near the epicenter- Mendocino triple junction were damaged beyond repair. Then there is the ongoing crumbling coastline. They still haven't finished Last Chace Grade from two winters ago.
@mozellewilliams6382 indeed. I live in CC, born and raised, and last chance grade is a Neverending saga I swear. Driven thru it countless times too and from Klamath or humboldt
4000 foot mountains are great Tsunami barriers. It is Seattle, Portland, San Fransisco and LA that are in real danger.
@@matthewbeasley7765 True, but the intensity of the earthquake will still create a lot of destruction
Yes, it is A VERY DANGEROUS PLACE TO LIVE. Do not move here.
I've wondered the same thing for years. Thanks Geoff!
A great video! Very insightful, a few things that could have been good information were left out, but very good regardless.
What's really crazy is that the entire east coast from Portland Maine to Miami Florida is just one giant continuous urban sprawl. Over 100 million people live along I-95.
Really a little sad. But I know what you mean.
Although living in Seattle as a youngster, we often visited our relatives north in Skagit Valley & on Lopez Island.
My dad’s high school summer job was logging!
Huge spans between the Pacific cities.
Well, not exactly. The Eastern shore of Virginia is not like that. If you drive through it, it's like driving through a country area where houses are sometimes a mile or more apart. The 70 mile stretch has less than 46k people living there. It may be because there aren't many beaches (more marshlike) and there and not many companies around. Also, a lot of it is low lying and can flood easily. Highest point is around 50ft above sea level.
Recently myself and a friend drove north past Mt Shasta on a clear night with a full moon lighting up the entire ice-covered surface of that giant. What a presence it had that night. I have passed by it many dozens of times in the daylight and moonless darkness, but this last time was impressive
I have lived in Mount Shasta for 40 years. The best kept secret in the real Northern CA.
FWIW, my favorite stretch of I-5 is the big valley between Weed and Yreka.
"A friend and I drove"
Basically, take out the other person and if you'd say, "I", such as "I drove," you use "I".
You wouldn't say, "Myself drove," so you shouldn't say, "Myself and a friend drove ."
You COULD say, "I drove myself," but "myself" is an understood subject of "I" and isn't required in the sentence.
It's like saying, "I drove Ed to the store."
I drove Ed to the store.
"I" is doing the driving. "Ed" is who was driven.
I drove myself to the store,
"I" is doing the driving.
"Myself" doesn't get to drive because "I" is driving.
So, "A friend and I drove to the store" or,
"I drove with a friend to the store,"
are the correct ways to convey that through both speaking and writing.
"I drove a friend to the store," is grammatically correct, but this sentence can be confusing because now "in a car" becomes the understood part of the sentence and is left out.
You didn't drive your friend, you drove (in a car with) your friend.
It's like, "I drove (myself)".
The main thing is, "Myself" doesn't get to DO anything.
OK. Everyone, feel free to hate away. Someone will read that, learn something, and start speaking and writing English more correctly. I'm happy with helping THAT person.
Oooooo!! Sounds magical! Very nice...
@@Texas240@Texas240 look up the difference between linguistic prescriptivism and descriptivism. The point of language is communicating ideas clearly. If there's no ambiguity or confusion (and I don't believe in this case there was) then it's as correct as it needs to be. If everyone started saying it the "wrong" way and everyone understood what it meant then it would just become the new "proper" way to say it. Every language has weird quirks in it that at one point were considered incorrect but no longer are. Every language changes.
It's quite possible that in the region where the original commenter is from, most people say it the way they did. There's nothing wrong about it, it's just different. Things being technically incorrect doesn't matter in communication; the only practical concern is if one has to talk to someone who will tell them they said it wrong, despite understanding perfectly well what they meant, and make a big deal out of it.
It's like how everyone knows what "can I use the bathroom" means, and the only time most people would say "may I use the bathroom" is if they're asking a teacher who is going to make a big deal out of it and make them "correct" their "mistake" lol
At 13 years old I took a train ride with my Mom from Central Coast California to Portland Oregon. I was awe struck by the nature and scenery. It was like I discovered a new Biome. Honestly did not expect that beauty, highly recommend!!
as someone who lives in the tiny town of dunsmuir right next to mount shasta, come through sometime. Its pretty and you can get lost so easily(in a good way)
Correction deep water ports: the town of Coos Bay, Oregon is the largest ocean facing town between Fort Bragg and Victoria BC and a deep water port that’s getting revitalized. It’s now being dredged to accommodate larger ships and has a direct rail line to Eugene. The areas of Bandon, and Coos Bay could easily be much much larger if that industry takes off.
As someone from this area, southern Oregon Coast, I can say the lost coast is on next level sparsely populated. There’s one town of 500 in 120 miles of coast line. It’s kinda incredible.
The Port of Coos Bay is closer to Asia than any of the other deep water ports on the U.S. West Coast. When I grew up there, it was the World's Largest Lumber Shipping Port. It was like Las Vegas with logs and ran 24/6 with Sundays off.
Its always amazed me living here how that port has been slept on and mismanaged for so long.
In addition to what you already stated, there has been a big push to get a shipping container operation started up here as a response to the supply chain shortcoming revealed by Covid Lockdowns.
Still all of that work seems to be going at a snails pace, and in the meantime they're wasting potentially valuable dockspace to build that stupid minimall. I'm not holding my breath on the efforts to overhaul the port. If they ever doing wind up bringing any windfall, I'll probably be too old by then to benefit from it.
@@MagicSpudit's probably because coos bay Is a shit hole
I just spent the weekend on the Lost Coast and was taken back how such a beautiful place could be so sparsely populated. Thank for this video and answering a lingering question I had as to why that was.
Been out there a few times, just got to keep clear of the growers is all.
The sad part is, it will remain beautiful precisely because it's not ideal for giant population centers. Population brings land development, which tends to disrupt and scar the landscape.
@@richard3793 BS.
@@johnbrattan9341 : He does have a point to a certain degree. There is legal growers (white). Illegal growers (black). And mixed.(Grey). The legal growers are having a hard time making money. The black market is where the money is at. That's the ones I assume he refers to.
@@wopalongcassidy Hilarious! Why assume. Instead of giving your ASSUMPTIONS to me....
Ask "him," who "does have a point to a certain degree."
Who are you people?
Tour the Oregon Coastal Hwy. Quaint shops, restaurants and local fishing excursions. Most of the skippers are local fishermen. Know the waters, and don't object to filleting your catch. Small town Oregon, Portland is industrial and Eugene is more of a young person's town.
In the middle of the in Willamette Valley is our Capitol City, 'Salem'. An Indian word meaning, "this place is peaceful".
The "Indian Nation" Will Return, an Oregon band by the name: Paul Reveere and the Raiders.
My favorite part of west coast. I made the drive up north and down south several times in my life, visited almost all the small towns, camp sites, beaches, forest, and natural attractions. Thus region is paradise for introvert loners. I had considered buying a place there to retire but I had to consider convenient access to medical care, gas station, grocery shops, and Uber service. So I ended up retiring in a bedroom city in SoCal where everything I need is close by.
Fun fact: the entire coast of Oregon is a state park. Also, some of the best fish n chips come from the area. Small towns + local breweries make for a fun but chilled experience.
As someone who just went to a family members wedding in Guerneville, CA, it is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen, and I’ve lived on multiple continents.
Guerneville
I have loved guerenville for many years. We have a secret place we stay (not telling) when passing through. Always wish...
@@ephemerabluetit335Awwww,cm on…just a hint? Is it a camp ground or a Airbnb? Thank you.
I had acreage above Guerneville with awesome views for 6 yrs and it was quiet but Sonoma Co is not so great a place to live now with Sustainable Dev Agenda 2030 policies in the rampage! But so I know the beauty you speak of but now live in S. Oregon, Rogue River Valley and it’s way less congested with ppl, further from metropolis’s and SF Bay Area. Better and still gorgeous!
One of my relatives lived there in the early 1980's.
I learned something new today, thank you!
Thanks for shining light on this part of the coast. You have good information. I am someone who lives on the coast in a small town. I've got to say though that is the beauty living here and not being a part of a large city. Small is how I like it and a supportive community where everyone looks after another. Our school system thrives and it's easy to find a job, make something of yourself.
I bicycled through this area as part of a longer trip and having grown up around the crowded beaches of Southern California I was shocked to see hundreds of miles of essentially untouched beaches and coastline. It is truly one of the most beautiful places in the country.
Well keep it to yourself.
@@mickdodge9778too late. Us Democrats love it!
But don't try to go swimming in it
@@kbanghart Don't believe that, bad things happen to democrats who live here, I mean there
@@kbanghartIt's "We Democrats" and stop invading America!
I live in Boonville, Northern California, and growing up here was the best. Things have changed for the worst in the past 20 years because big money vineyards have completely decimated the land and don't give anything back ito the community. Millions of dollars are made off the land and the people, yet we have little to no housing, no community center, a run down school, and its sports program that needs money for uniforms or new scoreboards. What a shame to watch paradise lost.
That sucks. Has the town tried to lobby the vineyards to help with funding for the community?
I went to boarding school in Boonville. I haven’t been back there in years. Anderson Valley was gorgeous back then, it was a great place to go to school.
I’ve heard it’s not the same, especially not on the school property. And I guess Hendy Woods has dried up. What a shame! We had so many excellent trips to go swimming there.
I knew there were vineyards there, we were surrounded by 🍎 APPLES!
Wow I’m sorry to hear that. You speak Boont? I hope the Horn Of Zeese and at least Jack’s Ace Hardware is still there!
✨🥰✨. Stay blessed.
@WhiteWolfBlackStar , Yeah I harp a slib of boont. 5th generation to live here. Unfortunately, the Horn of Zeese is a wine bar. Jack's Valley Stlore is there, but it's a different owner.
@lesaamoore , In the beginning I believe some folks did approach them, to no avail. When owners don't live here, it proves to be difficult. Now, the majority of people living here are afraid to approach the owners in fear of loosing their job, perhaps, or maybe they don't care.
@@JeffreyKB So frustrating for those who do care I’m sure. Sounds like your congressman and town council need to get in gear. We have a strong school and parks system in my city. Residents tend to approve taxation bills that target wealthy landowners and corps. Feels like we pass school bills every few years. Being a tourist destination, they also have particular laws for higher min wages for hotel workers. Boonville gov and your councilman should be receiving persistent calls to find solutions.
Joking a little here, but it takes like 12 or 16 hours to get in there (the Oregon coast) from anywhere and if its summer and a festival is going on you might be in a line of RVs that is miles long. You gotta sneak in there when it's off season, lol. It's gorgeous and beautiful for sure, but there are no main highways in the area. The corner of California you picked out is strikingly beautiful as well. Lucky to have visited these places.
It's been said that Angelenos in particular enter the region traveling north on I-5 thinking that the state line's maybe 20 minutes north of Sac or Marin. They then go through "still California", ""still more California", and "I can't believe it's still California", and by the time they reach the Welcome to Oregon sign they're convinced they missed it 50 miles back.
I live in the redwoods state and national park near crescent city, ca and it is incredibly beautiful but unfortunately almost all towns nearby are crime infested with drug addicts and lacks job opportunities. Crescent city, Klamath, orick, arcata, even brookings could be so amazing.
You are lying about the drugs and crime. I doubt you even live there if you think it is that way as anyone that has been there knows you will almost definitely not find cleaner towns anywhere else. Maybe some annoying potheads doing drugs in the backwoods where they grow their weed, but definitely not going to find drug addicts in cities or any of them doing any crime.
It's just so awful what the Democrats have done to your state.
@@KB-ke3fi You don't know wtf you're talking about. Our states have improved tremendously under the democratic administrations. The issues on the coast aren't of their doing, it mainly has to do with the collapse of the fishery and timber industries, along with tourism.
Also republicans control much of the coast. They have had decades to improve our region. They could build more housing, they could invest more money into our economy, and they could actually take a hardline against profiteering. But they're against all of that. They're cowards who always bend the knee to the rich f**ks who keep our region down.
@@KB-ke3fi Dumbest comment in history. You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.
Who are you people?
They are amazing, everywhere has problems it's just a matter of which problems. Crime and drugs are pretty much everywhere. The alternative is gentrification, hipsters, unaffordable housing, pretentious restaurants, traffic, McMansions blighting the countryside etc etc. Be careful what you wish for.
I live in the eclectic city of Ashland, Oregon. It is full of theater actors, college students, artisans, transients, buskers, rich people, and Joe Six-Packs. It has culture and a sense of community. If you travel twenty miles in any direction, it changes from hipsters to good ol' boys.
Corporations are buying up land, apartments, and houses. They can't raise the rent to the amount they want legally so they are evicting people left and right. Pretty soon this town will be nothing but rich people.
It's a great place. Loved the natural springs there.
@@Himesua Other than the hot, smoky summers, I have no complaints.
I love Ashland. That's where I buy my weed.
@@angel1431 I am 100% for weed being legal, but I rarely partake. That said, if and when I want some, it seems like there is a pot shop every 500 feet.
Not mentioned, but I think interesting, is the the SE corner of Oregon is one of the handful of places in the lower 48 that still meets the definition of "frontier" by still having less than two people per square mile. The drive from Boise to Reno is easily the most isolated highway I've been on anywhere in the lower 48.
oh come on, there's plenty of deer in the road to yell at.
@@duckkillerclydeclyde 😂
Thank you for your video, I think I just found me my future retirement place. It's amazing
I had a friend move to eastern Oregon to work for the forest service. I got to visit him in the high desert / Oregon outback and to this day cannot get over how untouched, sparse and beautiful that part of Oregon is.
Well put, totally wild. Remote and beautiful. Great place for the witness protection program also lol
To the northeast are high steep canyons,great coastline to west. And Mt hood and so much beauty in between.😊
As an eastern Oregon native I speak for all of us when I say we would appreciate it if you would please stop telling people about it.
Come to Joseph Oregon. The lake is pristine and never very crowded. I'm sure that's why Jack Black came here last year.
Had a blast fishing and chatting with the locals. Very sweet guy I'm sure he'll be back. It's so low key especially for someone that famous. I hope Pearl was on her best behavior. 🙏 She's a local gal born and raised here and works at the little store. Boy she can be sooooo cranky with our visitors and locals alike. Don't take it personally if she gets cranky. 😅🎉
@@clamathkowboyz9608Don't worry kowboyz. Seven months of deep snow and 13 degrees keeps most from moving here, for very long anyway 😂
I grew up in the Willamette Valley as a kid. In elementary school, they were teaching us about the Oregon trail, and they did a simulated Oregon trail game in small groups over a span of a couple weeks. I specifically remember as like a 4th or 5th grader being devastated because my character drowned in a river LOL
I always hated when one of my character’s family members died of dysentery 😅
I remember this! It wasn’t the video game that so many people remember. It was a live action role playing game that requires everyone to get into groups of 3 or 4 and that was your “wagon”. You then had to make decisions and vote on what to do at each turn. Most of the wagons in class didn’t make it.
@@sammierose1150that’s a fun game but not what OP is referring to.
My kids played that game over 20 years ago . great game
That made me laugh..so sorry about your character! My husband and I used to visit pioneer cemeteries. Sometimes the reason someone died was chiseled into the stone like: "Drowned to save the child" or "Snakebit"... "Fell into a well" etc. I'd always leave cemeteries grateful that I live now, so I'd have a chance to get old.
Luv the deception pass bridge clip!
Very Interesting! Thank You! 😊❤
I lived in crescent city California and Brookings Oregon . Both places are probably the most beautiful places in America . Crystal clear rivers and beautiful hiking trails . You won’t find anything more beautiful than the ocean views. I do miss it but after being diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis (hereditary) I had to travels 8+ hours to San Francisco every other month to get procedures done because health care in that part of the state is almost non existent. Now the bad meth is rampant and homelessness is everywhere it’s crazy to see because for small towns there are ALOT of them .
Pretty hard to beat the fireworks. Unless it's foggy
Damn! The same is here where I wound up moving to, meaning meth hears all over the place. It's a nationwide problem, not just a rural America problem. Same crap was killing San Diego, CA as well. I was born and raised in southern CA, both in cities and in rural areas. CA and OR were just too expensive to move to. I wanted back into forest in the worst of ways. I wound up in S.E. Kentucky in the Appalachian Mountains. The fact is I miss western evergreen forests BIG time, and I sorely miss clean, clear streams, creeks, rivers and lakes. Everything here is full of suspended silts that make the water ugly.
Health care where I am is shaky at best and deadly at it's worst. To get really decent care you have to drive 1 1/2 hours to Lexington!
@@jazzcatt I grew up in a small town in pa on the Appalachian Trail. I miss it there no where near as many tornados health care was better but even there the problem they have there is with heroin . Within 4 months of being in California 6 people that I went to high school with had overdosed and died . I do really miss Oregon and that part of California it’s never really hot and the views and the rivers are crystal clear but everything else kinda sucks anymore . It’s turning into no place is really any better as far as drugs go .
I live a little north of those in Gold Beach, OR though I'm not home much being a trucker. But last time I was home a few weeks ago I noticed way less homeless in Gold Beach. Not sure whatever their doing, but it seems to be helping. Good places to retire, if you have a good retirement fund, otherwise jobs are pretty limited out there.
Eventually I've been looking into moving over to Klamath Falls. I only lived in Gold Beach to help out with my grandma, but she passed back in March. Gonna stick around with my mom and stepdad, help get the house fixed up good. Then migrate over to an area I prefer. Especially since the company I drove for is based out of Central Point. From my company yard to Gold Beach it's about a 3 hour drive when I take home time, only about a 70-80 minute drive to Klamath Falls.
I prefer the mountains over the coast personally. Klamath Falls gets a lot more sunshine than the coast, plus I enjoy a bit of snow in the winter having grown up in Iowa and Utah. I've heard they also have a pretty good farmers market over there too. Tons of lakes in all directions, a big public park, lot's of hiking/hunting/fishing opportunities. Only other boon would be if the whole greater Idaho thing happens, kinda of a toss up. If it did happen I wouldn't be complaining, the policies out of Portland and Salem only seem to be making homelessness worse. I've noticed the situation in Medford is getting worse, more and more tent communities popping up all over the place, and more panhandlers standing on street corners. It's getting pretty bad in areas along the I-5 Corridor..
@@Demonoid1990 I like Gold beach it’s a cool town . I rode with the vagos a lot and we would go through there pretty often. I like the coast because of the views I could see the mountains in my back yard and ocean in the front . I grew up in Pennsylvania and lived there for 35 years before moving out to that part of Northern California southern Oregon so I liked not having the snow and it isn’t that cold in the winter. Plus I was up high enough of a tsunami hit . I lived in brookings right across from the booming site . If health care was a lot better when I retired I’d go back .
As somebody who’s lived in Eureka CA their whole life, it’s so bizarre hearing about people talk about about visiting NorCal because when you live with the landscape your whole life it’s not really something you think twice about. The redwoods are just how trees are, just like the beaches are just how beaches are from my point of view.
That’s funny, I’m from St. Louis and everyone is aware of how ugly this place is.
Yeah, when you're from somewhere else and a "big tree" is something that you and one other person can hold hands and hug... then you stand next to an old growth redwood. Or having only seen the Gulf of Mexico and thinking you know what big waves are, then see a big winter storm swell on the North Coast. 🤷♂️... at least, that's how it is for me, even though I've been here for almost 22 years.
The ocean in eureka is so cold and angry. You should travel more. Baja CA has some calm warm waters during late summer and Palo Verdes trees are like ferns compared to a redwood. Humboldt has so much huge wild nature. Sad you take it for granted. I lived in Fortuna and eureka for about 15 years on and off and the massivenss of the redwoods never failed to impress me. Hope you get out a bit and find a new sense of appreciation for what you live with. It's really impressive
When I was a kid, my dad was an appliance tech for sears that was in the eureka mall. We moved outta CA in 98. I don’t think that sears is there anymore. We lived in Trinidad.
Seems that you dont travel to see different landscapes
Excellent video mate. Now I wanna live there in harmony 🤠
Hi Geoff!!! This popped up on our feed. Awesome video!
I am shocked that you didn't mention Coos Bay at least. It is the only sizable town on the Oregon Coast and is also a major fishing and lumber products port. You didn't mention the fishing or logging industries that have dominated the economy in the southern Oregon and Northern California for most of their history. Also, the geologic instability of the region - earthquakes and especially volcanoes dominate the entire Cascade and Coast ranges. That volcanic activity is, in part, why the area of the Shasta region (and the Willamette and Palouse further north) are such productive agricultural areas. Quite enjoyable for a quick 12 minute vid.
Not to mention the wildfires. Driving back and forth along I-5 shows how many swaths of land are charred and recover and get charred again.
@@harley2die4 Being that I'm not a city guy at all, those things are moot. More worried about CA homeless using the 101 as a path to places like Brookings, Port Orford, Bandon, Coos Bay and so on up the coast. Portland might as well be on another planet as far as I'm concerned.
@@harley2die4 Lived in Coos Bay years ago....when you mentioned the cesspool of crime,etc...please tell me that you are referring to the larger cities in general. Would be saddened if that were the case for Coos Bay and the surrounding area. Thanks!
@@nwicconsultants6640 Coos Bay aka the Dirty Bay has a serious Meth issue like all American small towns, but is a wonderful place to visit.
@@BossaNovaLife So sorry to hear that Coos Bay has not escaped the scourge that many small towns have become victim to. Thank you for your response and by the way you and Lola did a great job on your Vintage Trailer Rally excursion! New subscriber...glad to have found you.
I visited Oregon for the first time last year and found it one of the most beautiful places I’ve been in the US. And it has the nicest people as well.
Don't come back! We don't want your kind.
You must be white. State is full of lame closet bigots who love to tell everyone they have a black friend or family member.
As long as you don't tell him your Progressive if you are
I've lived here for 25 years and I find the entire state to be unlivable.
Oregon sucks.
Thank goodness few people live here. I live in Chico and have always lived in far NorCal. The geography is so beautiful, especially as you get closer to the coast.
Awesome channel man.
That's where I was born (almost 80 years ago) and grew up. It had long been an area of underemployment, unemployment, and alcohol abuse. The two mainstays of the economy were fishing and lumbering; the former was destroyed by huge trawlers, and the latter by imports of low-priced Canadian softwood lumber imports. The influx of people who sold their houses in the greater San Francisco area and bid up the price of houses beyond what the locals could afford was also a serious blow.
Should’ve talked about ports: Fort Bragg, Humboldt Bay, Crescent City, Bandon, Coos Bay and Florence, and most importantly how inefficient inland transportation routes are to these port areas. Narrow winding and even treacherous two-lane highways (if that), rail lines and undulating river canyons leaving nothing but slow, high-energy, and safety-riddled minor corridors to provide or transfer products to and from these ports. They simply cannot accommodate effective inland trade.
This is the opposite of the Central Valley to San Francisco Bay area, the Los Angeles area ports which distribute directly into the Interstate systems, and Portland’s upland corridor along the wide Columbia River. Even Seattle can accommodate much more inland trade despite the hills and islands, as enough of the Sound could accommodate significant settlement and it’s proximity to international trade with nearby Vancouver and the Canadian railways in addition to US rails north and south and intestates eastward into farm and ranch lands in eastern Washington could accommodate a more functional regional economy than anything between Redding and Eureka, or Medford and Brookings or even Eugene to Florence ever could. And why would they? Much cheaper to ship forest products south from Redding or intensive agricultural products from Chico south to the Bay Area. Much cheaper to ship north from Medford and Eugene to Portland-why would you do otherwise. These trade routes then defined the functional regions and would ever forward even if as rural areas they may feel aggrieved.
But if Jefferson ever did succeed, I vote for Ashland to become the capital. The ironic liberal capital city of a rural politically conservative borderland. Plus, Shakespeare.
great explanation, thanks
Fuck Ashland and liberals. That would defeat the point of a State of Jefferson.
Look up Coos Bay, OR. There’s been talk of developing it more into a major port town.
Oh, another thing to keep in mind: things are different on the West Coast. A lot more expensive, a very colorful political spectrum (especially in Oregon), and if in the PNW, high rates of depression . Even though I take Vitamin D year round, the winters are hard. If you’re a vampire that sparkles then it’s perfect. I have to use a tanning booth once a week to not feel blah during the colder months (7 months out of the year.) If given the chance, I would move farther East in a heartbeat.
I consider myself fortunate to have grown up in Ashland Oregon. In the summer I would take a canoe out on Emigrant Lake to go fishing which was basically a 5 minute drive across the highway. In the winter I would drive up to Mt Ashland to go snowboarding which took about 35 minutes. It really is a beautiful and special place.
I grew up in Ashland too :) thought it was boring as a little kid but I’m very grateful for it now
@@zephyr2905 I know you did Zeph lol. How you been?
Very beautiful and very expensive!I would love to move there,but for the prices!
I'm in Ashland right now
same@@eroc7894
Native Californian, 61 years old. Grew up in the SF Bay Area. I now live in Susanville.... and it's pretty idyllic. High mountain desert valley (4000ft elev.), just below the treeline. Wildlife everywhere. Cold in winter, a touch of snow (rarely sticks). Very manageable. Makes Christmas fun. Peaceful, nice people. Mostly conservative, "live and let live" folk. Living here reminds me what it was like to grow up in the Bay Area in he 70's.
This video was fire
My family has vacationed to this exact place in the US every year for the last half decade, and plan to continue to do so for the foreseeable future. The lack of people in this area is one of the big draws, but the unique geography smooshes all our favorites together. We absolutely love it there!
Half decade? Ummm, you mean 5 years? Who the fuck says that?
i visited the area a couple months ago and honestly its one of the only places i could travel to repeatedly and not get sick of it. pretty and peaceful, nothing like its vibes
Do you smoosh your mother on the snizz?
Us too! Not so since 2020 but it’s the greatest. Mount Shasta area has to be my favorite spot
It is a very beautiful area of the Pacific Northwest.
Born and raised in Baltimore. Lived in Humboldt/ Trinity in the lower section of six river national forest in 2017. One of the most beautiful places I have even been. Will never forget my time living there. He's not kidding about the tallest and oldest trees in the world. I saw douglas fir and cedars the size of the redwoods up in the mountains, some of which had been burned 50 percent of its trunk but the tops were still alive and thriving. The madrone trees were also a sight ot behold. I had never seen the night sky more clear than when I lived out there, you could see the whole milky way. Vastly different than growing up living in the east coast in big cities. So many cool things i saw out there including Mt Shasta from about 200 miles away on a montain top close the where i was living. could also see Mt.Lassen and the Pacific Ocean all from the same spot. I got lost hiking the redwood national forest near Orick, completely alone one day hiked easily 10 miles in around noon time and didn't make it back to my car untill 2 hours after sunset, was still on a trail and was a full moon,but man it was dark,and i was scared shitless. lol Thought "bigfoot" was going to get my ass lol....after living out there, you can see why people would belive creatures like that exist.
YOU CAN STAY HOME BECAUSE MANY OF US LOVE ❤ THE ALONE TIME 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕
I live in Corvallis Oregon. Did he mention it rains here continuously for 6 months per year? Before you move here spend a winter here to see if you like it.
My Navy buddy in the early 1970s had property in Crescent City, California. I would drive down with him from Whidbey Island, Washington from time to time to Crescent City. It seemed the true definition of the middle of nowhere, especially if we arrived in the middle of a rainy night.
When I was a kid I had a book "The Most Scenic Roads in America", and the pages on that particular region were the most spectacular ones.
Two winters ago I drove through there on I-5 and also Hwy 101. There was extreme winter weather in the Siskiyou mountains, especially snow. There were vehicles in the ditch all over the place. So then we went over to the coast highway thinking it would be easier to drive because rain, not snow. But there were landslides blocking the highway for 100-mile segments. There was flooding also sometimes covering the highway. The whole time it was gorgeous, just difficult to travel. The people are great!
You must have your years mixed up, or your geography. There have been no 100 mile landslides/traffic jams on 101 in the 7 years I have been here. Wildfire smoke, yes, but no flooding or landslides (except for one tiny bridge that collapsed and required the long route for nearly a month.)
@@grannypantsification That actually happened further south on 101 near San Luis Obispo, so not actually in that part of the coast. We were driving from Seattle to San Diego and some things got mixed u in my mind. It wasn't a 100mile landslide, but a 100mi section of highway you couldn't get through, forcing very long detours.
Roads Access ,jobs !! Need more forward thinking people's toos change graffics !! As roads are the main factors & mountain s !!
@@josephliddle309 I see. That makes much more sense 😊 I’ve always thought it is amazing the human ingenuity that built a highway on the edge of a cliff with the ocean just feet away. On the southern Oregon coast it seems miraculous that the whole thing doesn’t just slide into the water😜 …and yet it is remarkably persistent.👍🏻💕
Its called the Last Chance grade, cliff hugging part of the 101 that keeps washing out. Its actually just a short distance before Crescent city but can cut off transportation for a good while. Cal trans is pretty good at setting up one way access but it still delays traffic and shipping trucks a lot.@@grannypantsification
Great work!
I live in So Cal but have made the drive from here to Seattle a few times and that portion of the trip is gorgeous yet unnerving. I have encountered everything from the thickest fog banks I have ever encountered to big foot hunters to beavers blocking traffic. I've camped there once and woke up to the foggy campground innundated with moose. Like no joke, just standing around our tents and vehicles grazing and mooing and seeing us as threats. The second night we had to sleep in the truck cause the moose were not having it. It wasn't until later that I realized just how dangerous moose are. lol
Very amazed how well informed this video is, touching every part while complimenting the hidden beauty of this region. Down to even mentioning Jefferson State itself, thank you for this video! -A resident of the region of the empty west.
When he mentioned modern push for the State of Jefferson I was shocked he didn't point out that that has largely morphed into Greater Idaho because of that challenge of starting a new state.
@@ronrothrock7116 But Greater Idaho is only for Eastern Oregon. The State of Jefferson is Southwestern Oregon and Northwestern California.