Yep -- they are great "memory triggers" in that way. In fact the main reason for starting this channel was to share my treks with family and to document them for myself. That way when I'm really old and gray -- I'll have something to look back on. Thanks for watching! 🌞✌
You comment about how a photo / video does not capture being there. This is so true. It is so powerful to have beauty just in your face like that, especially with nothing human-made around, solitude, and having worked hard for it. Your tone of voice expressed such sentiment. It is exactly that which keeps me going, wanting to just burn such experiences into my memory. In my old pre-retirement office, I did have a 14K horizontal display... 5 monitors side by side, filling a wall, and I would craft panos for it. Sometimes sitting in just the right place in the middle, it started to feel like being there... but really it was a memory trigger, since I was the one who shot the photo. Continually loving your scenery, even with the low-res experience :) Thanks so much for these.
Thanks -- I was hoping that wouldn't come across as cheesy, but glad you and others understand. Occasionally photos/video can do a decent job at capturing the surroundings, but when it comes to seeing a vast scale... with the wind blowing your hair... ...and the smell of sage nearby... it just never can compare. They do provide great memory triggers though like you mention. Thanks again for "following along" and the comment. 🌞✌
You are incredible! I first found your videos about a year ago. I love them, the more the better. In the 70s I did a month long survival trip in southern Utah, had never hiked before or been there. Fell in love with this country. Planned to see it all. Moved here when I retired. As a single woman at some point I began to be concerned about my safety but I've seen a lot when I can find a hiking buddy. I have long covid and cant do uphill too much right now so I'm following you. And you are seeing every nook and cranny, I absolutely love it. Thank you so much for taking me along. Makes me happy!! You are living my dream!!!!
Jamal...I rarely comment but just wanted to say how much I have enjoyed following this adventure. I love the daily videos!!! Thanks for taking us along. Due to family and life responsibilities my adventures never last more than 1-2 weeks so it is great following you on such a long adventure through epic scenery few ever see. Thank you!
Hope you had some good food in your cache, I was getting tired just watching (sitting here with my cheese and crackers). Such beautiful scenery, thanks so much for these vlogs!
As a photographer I agree that photos and video never do a scene justice. Even my best images don't compare to what I actually saw. I used to watch you quite a bit but somehow lost track. This video popped up on my page today. Glad it did. It always amazes me that you do these epic treks through the back country.
Yep -- on occasion cameras do a decent job, so so often it's just not possible to capture the true sense of scale or incredible play of light and shadow. Glad the video got recommended and you are "following along" once again. Cheers! 🌞✌
Dang! That long (but beautiful) Ding Canyon. Good to see an intact cache! And the pronghorn! Thanks for taking us along through yet another beautiful stretch of country.
I agree -- it was amazing how much the color would change as the sun went in and out from behind the clouds. Not too far from here there are few places to drive by similar hills. Thanks again for watching and the comment! 🌞✌
I hear you Jamal about the photography not capturing the essence of the experience, but if a person has been in the vast wide open silence, the visual reminder is enough to bring back those feelings for me. (even though I am an amateur ) That's one of the reasons I enjoy your documentation of these treks. Its hard to 'explain' this to someone without waxing 'spiritual' for me. Anyway THANKS AGAIN!! Jamal!!
Very true -- I sometimes refer to my photos as "memory triggers" as that's exactly what they provide to me. Thanks again for watching and the comment. 🌞
You are an impressive person. Thanks for sharing these wonderful adventures. I'm not sure the word adventures really captures what you do. It is way more than the way we use the word in this modern world.
Jamal, I loved this day! The Canyons were beautiful, and I shared it with a friend because "DingDang" is her favorite curse. I pondered your thought of the day about not being able to capture the beauty in a video or photo. I, too, have felt this when watching a particularly amazing sunset or the like. I think the gift, as the observer of the scenery, is that only you get the absolute Splendor of the moment because you took the hike and made the effort.
DingDang! 😉 Yep, sometimes pics/video do a decent job, but frequently they fall short especially when it comes to a sense of scale or true-to-life colors. I remember when I used to shoot on film and had to wait to get pics developed. I'd be so anxious to see my "great shots" only to later be frequently disappointed with the result. BUT... they still serve as good "memory triggers" most of the time. Thanks for watching... and the comment... and for sharing the video. 🌞✌
Yeah -- by this point I was getting pretty worn down (again). It even shocked me a bit to see how tired and grungy I was looking at end of this day! Thanks again for watching. 👍
Yeah, I thought that was kinda funny too. Have you done the loop? Evidently Dang is more difficult and several of the climbs require more skill and/or gear. I'm not a great climber and didn't want to try it with the big pack, but I know many have done it w/o tech gear. BUT... in the internet age I guess it's quite easy for some people to wander in beyond their abilities. Thanks again for watching! 🌞✌
@@Acrossutah Yeah I've done the loop twice. Dang is definitely the more difficult canyon due to one spot that is a sketchy downclimb, but it has always had a rope you can use to easily get up or down it. I was cracking up about your Mike Kelsey exit comment a couple episodes ago. About 2 years ago when I lived in Provo, UT I was hiking down a mountain in the Wasatch Front and I look down the trail and see Kelsey motoring up the mountain and past me. He had to have been at least in his late 70's then; still killing it.
Pronghorn! awesome/ good thing the rattlers let you know they are there, ugh! ... great day and well sure not as good as being there but you taking us with you this way is a lot better than not seeing it at all! thanks
Thanks again for watching! Yes... I was so surprised/happy to see the pronghorn. It's only the second one I've ever seen while hiking (other one down near the Wahweap Hoodoos.) Yeah... I would have never even known that rattler was there if he didn't set off the alarm (it really was near pitch-black dark by then.) Cheers! ✌
I love your impressive, super wide & high angle shots! I look forward to them. I like all your videos & for us that are not able to be there in person, they show amazing views! Just beautiful. Thank you Jamal. My heart goes out to you when you mention being low on food & water. ❤
Awesome -- glad you like them. I think the super-wide angle gives a unique perspective, though I try to use it sparingly as I know some don't like it (or the fast-motion shots). Glad you enjoy seeing these off-the-beaten path locations. Cheers! 🌞✌
Yeah -- that did seem out of place (I actually cut out a closer look at it unfortunately.) I was nearing the end of the canyon so somehow there must have been just enough light there for one lucky plant to take root. Thanks again for watching! 🌞✌
Sorry -- it was always meant to be Ding! And... you very well might be right re: the mango. Not sure how I missed it, but taking a closer look at the puree ingredients both mango and passion fruit are listed -- so it could be either of those (at the time it just really looked like purple circle w/o any texture.) Thanks again for watching and the comment. 🌞✌
Yep -- it's a nice short and sweet canyon. I'd seen photos of that walk-under boulder for years in various books, so I'm glad I finally go there and was able to walk under it myself. Thanks again for watching! 🌞✌
Wow. What a wonderful variety of scenery you hiked through. It’s so great to see you go through new territory. I know video doesn’t capture all of the beauty, but it most certainly captures a lot of it.
The Bentonite Hills reminds me of the Painted Desert in AZ. Beautiful! I kept thinking about rattlesnakes while watching this clip. Sure enough, lol. Another epic day on your hike!
Yep -- very similar geology. The Painted Desert is the Chinle formation so technically it's the older stuff, but they are both quite colorful. Cheers! 🌞
I loved how the sky looked on this day. The hills and canyons are amazing. I put the Ding & Dang Canyons on my bucket list last year, thanks for giving me a sneak preview! Another great VLOG Jamal, thank you for sharing
It changed so much off/on throughout the day -- at times it was really hazy and then other times the sky was a deep blue. It really played havoc on the color balance of my camera at times (so many strange colors out there anyway!) Ding is considered the easier of the two canyons as Dang requires some true climbing skills or technical gear (ie not really my cup of tea.) Thanks again for watching! 🌞✌
Yeah... I think it's really apparent here (if not earlier) that I'm pretty worn out and grungy by this point of the hike. Just... a... little.. bit more. Thanks for watching! 🌞
Sir the great how you managed your food and beverages during this entire expedition? I didn't saw any facilities like Appalachian Trail? Great work! Lot of love and respect from a solo mountain hiker friend from the Lower Chitral District of Pakistan!
I do all my own re-supplies by putting out caches before my hike. It's a bit of a challenge to estimate what one will need for 30+ days, but I enjoy not having to leave the trail for a re-supply. This year I somewhat underestimated unfortunately. Thanks again for watching! ✌
Definitely a wide variety of colors out there -- especially with all the different minerals in the soil east of the reef. It really changes throughout the day too especially if the sun it going in and out of the clouds like it was for me on this day. Cheers! 🌞
Haha -- that's funny as I have a pizza reference in the next episode! 😀🍕 I was still enjoying my surroundings, but I think it became fairly evident in this episode that I was ready for a big meal and a shower. ✌
Thanks! Yeah, I def agree that it's better than nothing AND actually some moments do get captured fairly well -- it's just the sense of scale which falls short on occasion I think. Thanks for watching! ✌
Those crystalline flattish plates I would call Mica. It's all the way back off Cottonwood Rd as well. The pioneers would use it as window making material. San Rafael Reef- what a great name for a surfing place, but that is the only one I believe. 🤔 Might even get a Ding in your board surfing there! Throwing a bit of fruit in your pack might bolster the energy. Though I usually have it for the first couple of days knowing it'll be gone soon. This was a good but tough section.
Thanks for that reference. I always thought of Mica as super-shiny stuff that looks metallic (I've found some in Colorado), but I see now that it is actually more general than that and includes types of crystals like these. I do often have fruit in my caches, but like you guessed I usually eat it right away. Thanks again for watching! 🌞✌
I've fallen a bit behind in watching your videos. I was away for a while at a big geocaching event in Yuma. Anyway, I picked you hiking down Ding canyon. It's the easier of the two, in my opinion. I wouldn't want to hike Dang with a big pack!
Yep -- that's exactly why I picked Ding. I've never done Dang, but knew it was tougher and at this point in my hike I wanted fun, but not too tough. Even Ding was pretty tedious getting down with the pack (not technically hard, just tedious.) Thanks again for watching and hope you found some good stuff in Yuma! 🌞✌
I usually see about 1 rattlesnake per week that I'm out on the trail. However, this hike was an exception as I think this was the first rattler I saw (saw one in the Buckskin Gulch too just before I started this hike.) I saw a few Gopher and Racer snakes on this hike as well, but all-in-all I think those too were fewer than normal. Never had any closer calls really -- usually rattlesnakes sound the alarm if one is anywhere close to them. This one was probably 10 feet away on the road's edge and if it hadn't started rattling like crazy I would have walked right past it. Thanks for watching and the question. ✌
Hi Jamal, Looks like I started a small discussion! I think anyone who creates wilderness hiking videos has to decide who/what is the star: the hike or the hiker. I'll never forget the sense of wonder when I discovered your site years ago. It was the 40-day trek across Utah from Nevada to Colorado. Since then I have never missed a video, and seen most of them multiple times. But then maybe five years ago as you were reclining against some red sandstone, you said that some friends had said that your videos are missing the personal touch, that you should strive to get more of your personality into them. Well, you certainly seem to be a very friendly, kind, and wise man, but my reaction to this advice was... no no no!! I've looked at literally hundreds of youtube wilderness hiking videos and far too many of them emphasize the hiker -- how many times have I seen walking talking heads making inane comments while their massive faces obscure the magnificent scenery! FF
Haha -- yes you did and as I said in the other reply I welcome the feedback and opinions (I listen to them, even if I don't change). In fact... stay tuned until the next episode as I talk a bit more about that. Yep, the star of my channel is definitely Utah -- I'm just the jovial sidekick. 😉 IMHO what's just as important as "knowing the star", is... to know one's audience. I actually don't watch a lot of hiking videos myself, but when I do I actually think I prefer those like you are talking about: landscape > host. BUT... the audience that I've always been focused on has been first and foremost my family and friends (those few which are interested in this stuff.) Ultimately I'm just trying to share my adventure with them and that primarily includes showing off the landscape and my personal journey without getting too deep into the "how to" stuff or other minutia. That said... I do feel lucky to have found a small audience here that seems to enjoy that style as well. This year's new daily format was a bit of an experiment to determine how people would react and though it's been overly positive -- I know I lost some people along the way too. So, TBD how things will evolve here, but rest assured I don't plan on making the channel All Jamal: Everything Everywhere All the Time! 😱✌
I was flying around Hidden Splendor in flight sim (inspired by your previous video) and saw those painted hills. beautiful spot. Also that fruit blob looks kind of like a mango!
Wow -- that's a great idea. I haven't tried a flight sim for a while, but I've seen some recent demos which look awesome and I'd love to fly over a lot of this area. Thanks for the idea. A mango would make sense, but it's not listed and really I think it's just an abstract shape (I know it's hard to see in the vid). Cheers! ✌
CORRECTION -- mango IS listed on the back, so... you might be right! Passion Fruit is also listed, so it could be that. Grape and Pear are also included on the ingredients and again not very "island"-like to me.
I think you are right based on the reference material on the similar ones found in Capitol Reef. Thanks for watching and commenting with the added info. Cheers! ✌
Yeah... sometimes it does an OK job, like in the narrow canyons, but when it comes to conveying that sense of grand scale... it always seems to fall short IMHO. Thanks again for watching! 🌞✌
Jamal, you mentioned that maybe in past trips you carried too much food - though maybe a little light for this trip. Do you have an estimate for the daily calories you need? About. Even better, your protein/fat/carb ratios.
Yeah, I used to make complicated spreadsheets of all of it -- even comparing the weight-to-calorie ratios to determine optimal efficiency for food. BUT... after a while I realized that was too much work (for me) and just got better at winging it based on my past experience. Unfortunately my adjustments for this trip went too far in the wrong direction. Cheers! ✌
I usually have just over 2000 calories a day. That's less than a normal day for me, but it usually keeps me content despite burning so many more calories than normal (and I have splurge days at cache sites usually.) Science-wise I know I should consume more, but often I feel more than satisfied on the trail (but it does eventually catch up with me.) This year was definitely an anomaly though due to the various reasons discussed (and more in the next episodes as well.) Cheers! ✌
Mostly freeze-dried meals and CLIF bars. I also have various other trail snacks like the gummy fruits, nuts, M&Ms, etc. I have some more varied foods at my cache sites (fruit, peanut butter, pop tarts, etc.), but I usually eat that first and thus it doesn't last long. Thanks for watching and the question! ✌
I know all to well what you mean when you say that video or photos do not capture the grandeur of places you hike on. I am often disappointed as well and trying to explain or paint a picture for someone is impossible. There is nothing like being there in person, and all senses being activated at once.
Yep -- on occasion video/pics can do a decent job, but when it comes to the sense of grand scale... or dynamic range of light/color... or the wind and smell in the air... there's just no way to capture all that. Thanks for watching and the comment! 🌞✌
In minute 13 you talk about how the video never looks as good as the real place. I don’t know how many times I’ve visited places that I’d seen on video and been blown away by the real thing. Is there anything you can do to keep the video from flattening everything? I hardly bother taking pics because they are so disappointing. You seem to be better at it than me.
Yep -- I mean sometimes the camera does a decent job, but other times it just can't capture/evoke the sense of true scale. I was very excited about the potential of VR tech as in a way it does capture the full surroundings and hits on a more cerebral level in some ways. But unforutnaly the hardware is still too clunky and inaccessible in my opinion (and too expensive and hard to create content for as well.) Thanks again for watching. ✌
Oh no -- I'm guessing it's the super-wide/high-angle shots that you don't like? I think they add a cool perspective of the full environment, but still try to use them sparingly as I know some people find them disorienting. All the same -- thanks for watching and your feedback. ✌
@@Acrossutah I'm not trying to be critical at all, I LOVE your videos, but you're right, the super wide angle ones where the edges get bendy tend to mess with my head, I'm prone to a bit of dizziness. Still, would not miss a video at all! I just have to pause sometimes and let my brain settle down. :)
@Judy No problem, I like getting feedback from people. I know some people don't like certain things: super-wide shots, fast-motion shots, hand-held camera, or even the choice of music at times or my rambling bits! And for some I realize that some of these may be more than a simple dislike but actually border on motion sickness. Thus I do try to find that balance of all of these things and though I ultimately do what I think is best, I do listen and... if I learn that a bunch of people don't like a certain something or another I will definitely do less of it. 🌞✌
@@Acrossutah I'm in that camp as well...not a fan of those shots...one channel I followed the guy was so enamored with them that he used them all the time and videos became almost non watchable. You are much more judicious and a few seconds here and there is tolerable.
100%... videos can never capture the moment! but they can bring back great memories!
Yep -- they are great "memory triggers" in that way. In fact the main reason for starting this channel was to share my treks with family and to document them for myself. That way when I'm really old and gray -- I'll have something to look back on. Thanks for watching! 🌞✌
You comment about how a photo / video does not capture being there. This is so true. It is so powerful to have beauty just in your face like that, especially with nothing human-made around, solitude, and having worked hard for it. Your tone of voice expressed such sentiment. It is exactly that which keeps me going, wanting to just burn such experiences into my memory. In my old pre-retirement office, I did have a 14K horizontal display... 5 monitors side by side, filling a wall, and I would craft panos for it. Sometimes sitting in just the right place in the middle, it started to feel like being there... but really it was a memory trigger, since I was the one who shot the photo. Continually loving your scenery, even with the low-res experience :) Thanks so much for these.
Thanks -- I was hoping that wouldn't come across as cheesy, but glad you and others understand. Occasionally photos/video can do a decent job at capturing the surroundings, but when it comes to seeing a vast scale... with the wind blowing your hair... ...and the smell of sage nearby... it just never can compare. They do provide great memory triggers though like you mention. Thanks again for "following along" and the comment. 🌞✌
You are incredible! I first found your videos about a year ago. I love them, the more the better. In the 70s I did a month long survival trip in southern Utah, had never hiked before or been there. Fell in love with this country. Planned to see it all. Moved here when I retired. As a single woman at some point I began to be concerned about my safety but I've seen a lot when I can find a hiking buddy. I have long covid and cant do uphill too much right now so I'm following you. And you are seeing every nook and cranny, I absolutely love it. Thank you so much for taking me along. Makes me happy!! You are living my dream!!!!
Thanks so much! Glad you like the vids and "follow along". I appreciate you for watching and sharing your experience. 🌞✌
Jamal...I rarely comment but just wanted to say how much I have enjoyed following this adventure. I love the daily videos!!! Thanks for taking us along. Due to family and life responsibilities my adventures never last more than 1-2 weeks so it is great following you on such a long adventure through epic scenery few ever see. Thank you!
Awesome -- thanks, I really appreciate that! Glad you've been "following along". 🌞✌
Hope you had some good food in your cache, I was getting tired just watching (sitting here with my cheese and crackers). Such beautiful scenery, thanks so much for these vlogs!
I did! But... it still wasn't really ALL that I wanted (more on that coming up.) Thanks again for watching! 🌞✌
As a photographer I agree that photos and video never do a scene justice. Even my best images don't compare to what I actually saw. I used to watch you quite a bit but somehow lost track. This video popped up on my page today. Glad it did. It always amazes me that you do these epic treks through the back country.
Yep -- on occasion cameras do a decent job, so so often it's just not possible to capture the true sense of scale or incredible play of light and shadow. Glad the video got recommended and you are "following along" once again. Cheers! 🌞✌
Dang! That long (but beautiful) Ding Canyon. Good to see an intact cache! And the pronghorn! Thanks for taking us along through yet another beautiful stretch of country.
Sorry about Dang, but Ding was good (but tiring!) Thanks again for watching and leaving a comment. 🌞✌
The Bentonite Hills are surreal. Thanks for sharing.
I agree -- it was amazing how much the color would change as the sun went in and out from behind the clouds. Not too far from here there are few places to drive by similar hills. Thanks again for watching and the comment! 🌞✌
I hear you Jamal about the photography not capturing the essence of the experience, but if a person has been in the vast wide open silence, the visual reminder is enough to bring back those feelings for me. (even though I am an amateur ) That's one of the reasons I enjoy your documentation of these treks. Its hard to 'explain' this to someone without waxing 'spiritual' for me. Anyway THANKS AGAIN!! Jamal!!
Very true -- I sometimes refer to my photos as "memory triggers" as that's exactly what they provide to me. Thanks again for watching and the comment. 🌞
You are an impressive person. Thanks for sharing these wonderful adventures. I'm not sure the word adventures really captures what you do. It is way more than the way we use the word in this modern world.
Thanks -- that's very nice of you. I appreciate the comment and you for watching. 🌞✌
Jamal, I loved this day! The Canyons were beautiful, and I shared it with a friend because "DingDang" is her favorite curse.
I pondered your thought of the day about not being able to capture the beauty in a video or photo. I, too, have felt this when watching a particularly amazing sunset or the like. I think the gift, as the observer of the scenery, is that only you get the absolute Splendor of the moment because you took the hike and made the effort.
DingDang! 😉 Yep, sometimes pics/video do a decent job, but frequently they fall short especially when it comes to a sense of scale or true-to-life colors. I remember when I used to shoot on film and had to wait to get pics developed. I'd be so anxious to see my "great shots" only to later be frequently disappointed with the result. BUT... they still serve as good "memory triggers" most of the time. Thanks for watching... and the comment... and for sharing the video. 🌞✌
Wow you had me worried you looked exhausted glad alls well that ends well
Yeah -- by this point I was getting pretty worn down (again). It even shocked me a bit to see how tired and grungy I was looking at end of this day! Thanks again for watching. 👍
I can't believe that sign about technical gear for Ding and Dang.
Great video as usual! Love the Swell.
Yeah, I thought that was kinda funny too. Have you done the loop? Evidently Dang is more difficult and several of the climbs require more skill and/or gear. I'm not a great climber and didn't want to try it with the big pack, but I know many have done it w/o tech gear. BUT... in the internet age I guess it's quite easy for some people to wander in beyond their abilities. Thanks again for watching! 🌞✌
@@Acrossutah Yeah I've done the loop twice. Dang is definitely the more difficult canyon due to one spot that is a sketchy downclimb, but it has always had a rope you can use to easily get up or down it.
I was cracking up about your Mike Kelsey exit comment a couple episodes ago. About 2 years ago when I lived in Provo, UT I was hiking down a mountain in the Wasatch Front and I look down the trail and see Kelsey motoring up the mountain and past me. He had to have been at least in his late 70's then; still killing it.
Pronghorn! awesome/ good thing the rattlers let you know they are there, ugh! ... great day and well sure not as good as being there but you taking us with you this way is a lot better than not seeing it at all! thanks
Thanks again for watching! Yes... I was so surprised/happy to see the pronghorn. It's only the second one I've ever seen while hiking (other one down near the Wahweap Hoodoos.) Yeah... I would have never even known that rattler was there if he didn't set off the alarm (it really was near pitch-black dark by then.) Cheers! ✌
I love your impressive, super wide & high angle shots! I look forward to them.
I like all your videos & for us that are not able to be there in person, they show amazing views! Just beautiful. Thank you Jamal. My heart goes out to you when you mention being low on food & water. ❤
Awesome -- glad you like them. I think the super-wide angle gives a unique perspective, though I try to use it sparingly as I know some don't like it (or the fast-motion shots). Glad you enjoy seeing these off-the-beaten path locations. Cheers! 🌞✌
Interesting that long dry twisty canyon, and then at about 18:20 something, a bushy green plant. Just one!
Yeah -- that did seem out of place (I actually cut out a closer look at it unfortunately.) I was nearing the end of the canyon so somehow there must have been just enough light there for one lucky plant to take root. Thanks again for watching! 🌞✌
Beautiful rocks today Jamal, thanks for sharing...
Thanks, Jeffrey -- appreciate you for watching and the comment. ✌
Amazing place and video!!! I will be there in about four weeks!!! Can't wait.
Thanks, Jean! I appreciate you for watching and the comment and... enjoy your trip! (BTW -- the map on my site will be updated soon for reference.) 👍
I was screaming "Dang" 🤣. I think that could possibly be a mango on the package, dunno. Incredible views, drinking it in, wishing I was out there.
Sorry -- it was always meant to be Ding! And... you very well might be right re: the mango. Not sure how I missed it, but taking a closer look at the puree ingredients both mango and passion fruit are listed -- so it could be either of those (at the time it just really looked like purple circle w/o any texture.) Thanks again for watching and the comment. 🌞✌
Cistern Canyon is the bomb! I’m so jelly.
Yep -- it's a nice short and sweet canyon. I'd seen photos of that walk-under boulder for years in various books, so I'm glad I finally go there and was able to walk under it myself. Thanks again for watching! 🌞✌
Wow. What a wonderful variety of scenery you hiked through. It’s so great to see you go through new territory. I know video doesn’t capture all of the beauty, but it most certainly captures a lot of it.
The Bentonite Hills reminds me of the Painted Desert in AZ. Beautiful! I kept thinking about rattlesnakes while watching this clip. Sure enough, lol.
Another epic day on your hike!
Yep -- very similar geology. The Painted Desert is the Chinle formation so technically it's the older stuff, but they are both quite colorful. Cheers! 🌞
I loved how the sky looked on this day. The hills and canyons are amazing. I put the Ding & Dang Canyons on my bucket list last year, thanks for giving me a sneak preview! Another great VLOG Jamal, thank you for sharing
It changed so much off/on throughout the day -- at times it was really hazy and then other times the sky was a deep blue. It really played havoc on the color balance of my camera at times (so many strange colors out there anyway!) Ding is considered the easier of the two canyons as Dang requires some true climbing skills or technical gear (ie not really my cup of tea.) Thanks again for watching! 🌞✌
@@Acrossutah thank you for that information
Oh boy! You look so exhausted! I can relate and appreciate it. That said, fantastic scenery that day.
Yeah... I think it's really apparent here (if not earlier) that I'm pretty worn out and grungy by this point of the hike. Just... a... little.. bit more. Thanks for watching! 🌞
Sir the great how you managed your food and beverages during this entire expedition? I didn't saw any facilities like Appalachian Trail? Great work! Lot of love and respect from a solo mountain hiker friend from the Lower Chitral District of Pakistan!
I do all my own re-supplies by putting out caches before my hike. It's a bit of a challenge to estimate what one will need for 30+ days, but I enjoy not having to leave the trail for a re-supply. This year I somewhat underestimated unfortunately. Thanks again for watching! ✌
I can imagine the colors in those canyons. Red rocks and green spots of junipers. So epic journey.
Definitely a wide variety of colors out there -- especially with all the different minerals in the soil east of the reef. It really changes throughout the day too especially if the sun it going in and out of the clouds like it was for me on this day. Cheers! 🌞
Beautiful!
Thanks for watching! 🌞✌
Hopefully the beauty of your surroundings makeup for the difficulty of your hikes! Towards the end I wanted to hand you a big fat Pizza!
Haha -- that's funny as I have a pizza reference in the next episode! 😀🍕 I was still enjoying my surroundings, but I think it became fairly evident in this episode that I was ready for a big meal and a shower. ✌
@@Acrossutah can't wait to see the next episode!
Saying Ding Dang Dome 3x is about just as easy as Dawn Duke Day 3x!!
Love having you take us along these great excursions!
Haha -- that's funny! Yep, you have a unique experience for such a tongue twister! 😀👍 Thanks again for watching and the comment.
nice landscape like you said i wish i was there to see the real but thanks for the videos for those who cant make it there Better than nothing!!!
Thanks! Yeah, I def agree that it's better than nothing AND actually some moments do get captured fairly well -- it's just the sense of scale which falls short on occasion I think. Thanks for watching! ✌
amazing videos Jamal
Thanks -- glad you enjoy them and "follow along". Cheers! ✌
Those crystalline flattish plates I would call Mica. It's all the way back off Cottonwood Rd as well. The pioneers would use it as window making material. San Rafael Reef- what a great name for a surfing place, but that is the only one I believe. 🤔 Might even get a Ding in your board surfing there! Throwing a bit of fruit in your pack might bolster the energy. Though I usually have it for the first couple of days knowing it'll be gone soon. This was a good but tough section.
Thanks for that reference. I always thought of Mica as super-shiny stuff that looks metallic (I've found some in Colorado), but I see now that it is actually more general than that and includes types of crystals like these. I do often have fruit in my caches, but like you guessed I usually eat it right away. Thanks again for watching! 🌞✌
@@Acrossutah Yes, Mica is pretty general it was even in the hills behind our house in West LA.
Dang!
Sorry! Ding for now, maybe Dang next time. 😉✌
I've fallen a bit behind in watching your videos. I was away for a while at a big geocaching event in Yuma. Anyway, I picked you hiking down Ding canyon. It's the easier of the two, in my opinion. I wouldn't want to hike Dang with a big pack!
Yep -- that's exactly why I picked Ding. I've never done Dang, but knew it was tougher and at this point in my hike I wanted fun, but not too tough. Even Ding was pretty tedious getting down with the pack (not technically hard, just tedious.) Thanks again for watching and hope you found some good stuff in Yuma! 🌞✌
Probably been asked many times but how many rattlesnakes have you seen on this trip and all your trips
Any close calls?
I usually see about 1 rattlesnake per week that I'm out on the trail. However, this hike was an exception as I think this was the first rattler I saw (saw one in the Buckskin Gulch too just before I started this hike.) I saw a few Gopher and Racer snakes on this hike as well, but all-in-all I think those too were fewer than normal. Never had any closer calls really -- usually rattlesnakes sound the alarm if one is anywhere close to them. This one was probably 10 feet away on the road's edge and if it hadn't started rattling like crazy I would have walked right past it. Thanks for watching and the question. ✌
Hi Jamal,
Looks like I started a small discussion! I think anyone who creates wilderness hiking videos has to decide who/what is the star: the hike or the hiker.
I'll never forget the sense of wonder when I discovered your site years ago. It was the 40-day trek across Utah from Nevada to Colorado. Since then I have never missed a video, and seen most of them multiple times. But then maybe five years ago as you were reclining against some red sandstone, you said that some friends had said that your videos are missing the personal touch, that you should strive to get more of your personality into them. Well, you certainly seem to be a very friendly, kind, and wise man, but my reaction to this advice was... no no no!! I've looked at literally hundreds of youtube wilderness hiking videos and far too many of them emphasize the hiker -- how many times have I seen walking talking heads making inane comments while their massive faces obscure the magnificent scenery! FF
Haha -- yes you did and as I said in the other reply I welcome the feedback and opinions (I listen to them, even if I don't change). In fact... stay tuned until the next episode as I talk a bit more about that. Yep, the star of my channel is definitely Utah -- I'm just the jovial sidekick. 😉 IMHO what's just as important as "knowing the star", is... to know one's audience. I actually don't watch a lot of hiking videos myself, but when I do I actually think I prefer those like you are talking about: landscape > host. BUT... the audience that I've always been focused on has been first and foremost my family and friends (those few which are interested in this stuff.) Ultimately I'm just trying to share my adventure with them and that primarily includes showing off the landscape and my personal journey without getting too deep into the "how to" stuff or other minutia. That said... I do feel lucky to have found a small audience here that seems to enjoy that style as well. This year's new daily format was a bit of an experiment to determine how people would react and though it's been overly positive -- I know I lost some people along the way too. So, TBD how things will evolve here, but rest assured I don't plan on making the channel All Jamal: Everything Everywhere All the Time! 😱✌
@@Acrossutah The daily format is fantastic!
I was flying around Hidden Splendor in flight sim (inspired by your previous video) and saw those painted hills. beautiful spot. Also that fruit blob looks kind of like a mango!
Wow -- that's a great idea. I haven't tried a flight sim for a while, but I've seen some recent demos which look awesome and I'd love to fly over a lot of this area. Thanks for the idea. A mango would make sense, but it's not listed and really I think it's just an abstract shape (I know it's hard to see in the vid). Cheers! ✌
CORRECTION -- mango IS listed on the back, so... you might be right! Passion Fruit is also listed, so it could be that. Grape and Pear are also included on the ingredients and again not very "island"-like to me.
I think those crystals are Selenite crystals, they are in the Gypsum family.
I think you are right based on the reference material on the similar ones found in Capitol Reef. Thanks for watching and commenting with the added info. Cheers! ✌
“Ding” The camera views do not really show the “actual”views! Agree!
Yeah... sometimes it does an OK job, like in the narrow canyons, but when it comes to conveying that sense of grand scale... it always seems to fall short IMHO. Thanks again for watching! 🌞✌
Jamal, you mentioned that maybe in past trips you carried too much food - though maybe a little light for this trip. Do you have an estimate for the daily calories you need? About. Even better, your protein/fat/carb ratios.
Yeah, I used to make complicated spreadsheets of all of it -- even comparing the weight-to-calorie ratios to determine optimal efficiency for food. BUT... after a while I realized that was too much work (for me) and just got better at winging it based on my past experience. Unfortunately my adjustments for this trip went too far in the wrong direction. Cheers! ✌
@@Acrossutah Right, but what do you aim for? 2500? 3000?
I usually have just over 2000 calories a day. That's less than a normal day for me, but it usually keeps me content despite burning so many more calories than normal (and I have splurge days at cache sites usually.) Science-wise I know I should consume more, but often I feel more than satisfied on the trail (but it does eventually catch up with me.) This year was definitely an anomaly though due to the various reasons discussed (and more in the next episodes as well.) Cheers! ✌
@@Acrossutah OK, that's about what I plan for. Great way to burn off the spare tire!
What do you eat???
Mostly freeze-dried meals and CLIF bars. I also have various other trail snacks like the gummy fruits, nuts, M&Ms, etc. I have some more varied foods at my cache sites (fruit, peanut butter, pop tarts, etc.), but I usually eat that first and thus it doesn't last long. Thanks for watching and the question! ✌
I know all to well what you mean when you say that video or photos do not capture the grandeur of places you hike on. I am often disappointed as well and trying to explain or paint a picture for someone is impossible. There is nothing like being there in person, and all senses being activated at once.
Yep -- on occasion video/pics can do a decent job, but when it comes to the sense of grand scale... or dynamic range of light/color... or the wind and smell in the air... there's just no way to capture all that. Thanks for watching and the comment! 🌞✌
In minute 13 you talk about how the video never looks as good as the real place. I don’t know how many times I’ve visited places that I’d seen on video and been blown away by the real thing. Is there anything you can do to keep the video from flattening everything? I hardly bother taking pics because they are so disappointing. You seem to be better at it than me.
Yep -- I mean sometimes the camera does a decent job, but other times it just can't capture/evoke the sense of true scale. I was very excited about the potential of VR tech as in a way it does capture the full surroundings and hits on a more cerebral level in some ways. But unforutnaly the hardware is still too clunky and inaccessible in my opinion (and too expensive and hard to create content for as well.) Thanks again for watching. ✌
Hi Jamal,
Why do you have so many (annoying) visual distortions in your videos?
FF
Oh no -- I'm guessing it's the super-wide/high-angle shots that you don't like? I think they add a cool perspective of the full environment, but still try to use them sparingly as I know some people find them disorienting. All the same -- thanks for watching and your feedback. ✌
@@Acrossutah I'm not trying to be critical at all, I LOVE your videos, but you're right, the super wide angle ones where the edges get bendy tend to mess with my head, I'm prone to a bit of dizziness. Still, would not miss a video at all! I just have to pause sometimes and let my brain settle down. :)
@Judy No problem, I like getting feedback from people. I know some people don't like certain things: super-wide shots, fast-motion shots, hand-held camera, or even the choice of music at times or my rambling bits! And for some I realize that some of these may be more than a simple dislike but actually border on motion sickness. Thus I do try to find that balance of all of these things and though I ultimately do what I think is best, I do listen and... if I learn that a bunch of people don't like a certain something or another I will definitely do less of it. 🌞✌
I also get a bit seasick playing computer games, but I'm not giving those up either!
@@Acrossutah I'm in that camp as well...not a fan of those shots...one channel I followed the guy was so enamored with them that he used them all the time and videos became almost non watchable. You are much more judicious and a few seconds here and there is tolerable.