I Found This ENORMOUS Desert Pit Using LiDAR Maps!

#googleearthfind #googleearth #googlemapsfun #drone #exploring #dronevideo #thetrekplanner #nature #lidar

In this video, I found a huge pit on Google Earth and LiDAR maps, so I went to investigate what this thing was...

I forgot to mention in my video what LiDAR is! LiDAR, which stands for Light Detection and Ranging, is a technology that uses laser light to create detailed, three-dimensional maps of the Earth's surface. By sending out laser pulses and measuring the time it takes for them to bounce back, LiDAR can accurately determine the distance to objects and create precise images of the landscape, even through dense vegetation or darkness. This makes it incredibly useful for discovering hidden features like ancient ruins, geological formations, or, as in our case, a massive pit in the desert.
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🌟 If you want to see my videos early, bonus content, and 3D models of sites that I visit on my trips, please support me on Patreon!
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I hope you enjoyed this adventure! It means so much to me that you spent the time watching it. If you enjoyed this, please consider subscribing. I strive to bring relatively unknown, odd, unique, and special places to you each week from the American Southwest!
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👍How to be a respectful visitor to these places👍
Native American groups still live in this area and beyond today. These places are still special and hold significance.

1️⃣Don't climb on walls or structures. Don't lean on or climb over them. Many places don't even need to be visited up close. View these places from a distance or with binoculars.

2️⃣Do not touch the rock art. Don't touch or create new rock art to preserve ancient stories.

3️⃣ Leave All Artifacts. Leave artifacts and structures undisturbed to maintain their historical significance. It is illegal and wrong to take artifacts. If you want something to take home, support local tribes by buying their handicrafts and jewelry.

4️⃣ Manage Waste Responsibly. Use waste bags; don't leave human or pet waste behind. Don't 'go' near cultural sites.

5️⃣ Camp With Care. Don't camp near historical sites. No fires near these areas, and ensure all waste is packed out. Don't make fires in caves or alcoves. Camp in designated spots only. When you leave, make sure to make the site cleaner and better than when you found it. Pick up extra trash you may see.

6️⃣ Control Your Pets. Don't let pets roam freely near archaeological areas to prevent destruction. Pets are not allowed in or near sites.

7️⃣ Preserve Fragile Areas. Don't disturb fossils and please protect delicate soil and plant life.

8️⃣ Follow Rules. Don't engage in illegal actions such as building cairns, or using climbing gear to access archaeological sites.

9️⃣ Obey Drone Rules and Laws. Numerous locations in the American Southwest and beyond, such as the Navajo Reservation, Wilderness Study Areas, and various restricted spaces, enforce strict drone usage prohibitions. It is crucial to not only honor the legacy of the people who once inhabited these areas but also show respect for the present-day residents and adhere to their local laws, customs and regulations.
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NOTE: I don't claim that I am the first person to "discover" these places. I just find things on Google Earth and want to go see what they are!

I do not claim to be an expert on anthropology, geology, or archaeology. I say that my channel is about "amateur archaeology". I don't have a degree or formal training in archaeology. I am just a hiker who loves to explore and see new things especially the ancient history in the American Southwest. This is what my channel is about. I hope you stick around and explore with me!

I do not give out locations to the places in my videos. I take seriously the responsibility to protect and respect these ancient places. If you do find/visit one of these locations, please visit respectfully. I try my best to hide noticeable landmarks, mountains, and canyons in my videos.

-----🎵MUSIC🎵-----

🎵Track: "Like You"

[ca]

When I was a kid, I would sit and dangle my legs over the edges of places like this. Now (60 yo), I can't get within 10 feet of the edge. With age comes wisdom.

[davidbandler]

Eagle Sink in Utah off Highway 89. What you missed - it has a very visible and known slip fault line passing through it and the fault is likely the cause of the sink (not simple karst erosion). The sink is prehistoric. Western & Southern Utah is peppered with sinks and potholes.

[woodturner]

Got to remember this land was covered by oceans millions of years ago. That's what the layer lines are. Millions of years of sediment building up. Though a lot of people hate them drones really do have some great uses, like what you are doing.

[paulyoung]

Your adventures do not need always be grandiose. I am 79 years old, so I venture precariously through videos such as yours.

[billsherman]

Always love it when you get yourself into the shot to help give a sense of scale. Even if you're just a tiny person in one corner of the shot! Very cool place!

[marjoriemoto]

Cool! I got the heebie jeebies just looking over the edge with you! Thanks foe the adventure!😊

[dalehumble]

That's an incredible place. I'm so glad you sent the drone down in there.

[Janer-]

Another wonderful Trek - Thank you! The earth is such an amazing place: sinkholes, mesas, rivers, forests and so much more. I appreciate the Lidar models - preserving what we see now. Perhaps plan to go back after some years and Lidar again, noting changes if any. That could be interesting, also.

[richardhoover]

Thanks for the impressive adventure. I did some “googling” and found mention that there is geologic slip-strike fault that runs right through the area and that fault had a hand in creating the sinkhole; as the ground broke along the fault it allowed the water to run in and undercut the layers of sediment eventually leading to the collapse(s) of earth above. Impressive mother nature at work!

[zweispurmopped]

I would suggest asking one of the brilliant American Geologists running Youtube channels about this. Shawn Wilsey, Nick Zentner, Myron Cook. Pick one of the three.
Nature has many ways to make such holes. 🤗

[lisalorentz]

WOW! What an anomaly. I really enjoyed this episode.

[jaytay]

All those layers of history, impossible to imagine the length of time that it has taken to form that landscape.

[sharoncarthy]

Your adventures are so much fun!! I'm impressed with your curiosity, your trekking skills, your photography skills, and your just plain goodness. Trek on!!

[scifieric]

Young fellow, I absolutely love your channel. I truly enjoy seeing things like this that I will never be able to see for myself. Your channel is a joy to watch.

[cdd]

I absolutely love the drone flights with the ambient sounds. Really Lovely.

[joeduke]

I'm so excited about LiDAR tech. I can't wait to see new discoveries in the coming years. I'm hoping they develop a "sonar" version, so they can map the ocean floor, and the Great Lakes.

[peggyclark]

I am so thankful you travel to Utah and along with other areas of the Southwest. I also have an adventurous Spirit for traveling and seeing all the destinations that Trek Planner visits, makes me feel like I am there, too in seeing what you see. Don’t ever stop what your doing.

[crashman]

I love getting to tag along with you on adventures that I will, unfortunately, never be able to experience on my own. Thanks to you and your channel I get the second best thing to walking there on my own.
Cannot wait for your next adventure.
Thank you for taking us with you.

[sandramorey]

I venture with my whole heart through your videos. At almost 85 and arthritis all over my lower body, I am confined to hiking on video. I have never had time to explore the Southwest, so I enjoy it through your videos and Desert Drifter. You guys are performing a service. Thank you

[PatriciaRodriguez-vncv]

Our stomachs are rolling. My daughter and I sure do like this find. Thank you Jeff. Although scary, it’s beautiful. The large walls slats falling off the edges are incredible to imaging coming down.
We are both screaming, “WATCH YOUR STEP”!!