I was born and raised in the heart of the Appalachians. I spent my childhood running through the hills and valleys, often ranging miles from my home, drinking from streams and carrying my trusty .22 pistol and snakebite kit. One of my favorite things to do was climb to the top of the highest hemlock tree I could find on a windy day, and sit at the top while the tree swayed back and forth, enjoying the view. It's funny how, when you've lived in a place your entire life, you don't appreciate the beauty of it as you should. A video like this where the landscape is framed by the loving eye of another helps me appreciate it more in retrospect.
Not going to lie, I'm bit jealous of you guys who get to live in Appalachians. Certainly it's bit of a shame about the lodging and invasive species, but man, those hills and temperate forests are just amazing. We've only got one small forest that's atleast somewhat similar in it's flora.
It's also worth mentioning that large areas of the Appalachia's were originally dominated by giant American chestnut trees that reached sizes similar to the Redwoods on the west coast, until chestnut blight was introduced from Asia in the early 1900's and wiped them out, leaving only small saplings surviving in the wild today. That and Chinese chestnuts which are adapted to resist the blight. You can find pictures of the old giant American chestnuts on google, they're amazing.
I always wonder, did no original Chestnut trees DNA survive? Can't scientists revive a modified chestnut tree which has majority American Chestnut DNA? I have seen those Old trees in pictures. Also I read somewhere that having Chestnut trees was an ecosystem in itself. Farmers will get nuts from them, it would be used to feed hogs. Wood will be used for construction, and so on.
@@learndesignwithdevyes there are still isolated individual trees. Also there is currently an effort to cross breed the American Chestnut with other blight resistant variants so it can be reintroduced back into the forests in greater numbers.
@@learndesignwithdev there are some small groves that persist as root systems, but can never grow up to the point that they can reproduce. eventually those will die out, too. there are some attempts to create hybrids with chestnuts from other parts of the world, and also genetically modified chestnut that has a resistance to the blight. we also used chestnuts as currency. we were and still are very poor in Southern Appalachia, and they became a way to afford goods like shoes.
There are two programs to revive the American Chestnut. One involves cross breeding and intercrossing American chestnut and Chinese chestnut and then selective breeding trees with desired properties. They have had limited success. The other program is taking a direct approach and has genetically modified American chestnut with the blight resistance genes from wheat. They have had limited success. We are still a long ways off of having an 99% American chestnut that will be blight resistant. We may NEVER have an American chestnut that will grow to the size and grandeur of those old trees.
Fun fact! The Appalachian Mountains have the largest salamander diversity then anywhere else in the world with some estimates saying there are over 100 different species of salamanders. (Most are Endemic to the Appalachia region)
Man those forest shots are so deeply green, a calming tone of it, with the sense of solitude and all the fog? This is one hell of a vibe, I could watch and rewatch this video a thousand times for the visuals alone!
There's definitely something very comforting about being in those woods. We don't have the tall peaks you see out west but the experience of being deep in the forest of southern Appalachia is unmatched.
@@gardeniagorgeous4232 I used to live near Boone NC and the air really does have a refreshing quality to it. That is, when it isn't 80% bugs by volume during the summer.
I live in the Upstate part of South Carolina and the regions in this video are not far from my home. I have been to Cherokee, NC and the Great Smokeys numerous times as well as driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is a beautiful and peaceful drive. Not much traffic especially during the shoulder seasons. The BL Parkway could be closed a chunk of the year due to snow, so better check. Here in SC, we too glimpses of such beauty: Waterfalls, untold number of trees, ferns on the ground, black bear. It is paradise here and only the good 'yankees' are welcomed here!
The last bit of this video honestly made me emotional. I've lived in the Appalachian Mountains my entire life, I love it here, absolutely love it here. But I constantly have to battle with the fact that, it seems no one else really does. It seems almost consistently that I am the only person in my area that cares about these mountains, and maintaining the wild nature of them. Even in my own family, they constantly talk of wanting to level ground, and bring down trees older then the coal mines buried under these mountains, and its deeply upsetting. Thank you for this video, and hopefully bringing attention to the absolute beauty of our mountains, and *how worth it, it is, to protect and preserve them.
As a North Carolinian, I really appreciate you taking the time to cover the cultural, ecological, and geological history of Western NC. It truly is a special place with so many fascinating stories to tell, and I'm glad to see someone depict it with such passion. Keep up the great work!
i genuinely believe unless someone has lived around this region of appalachia or visited it, they couldn't even begin to comprehend the beauty that is this region of the world.
100% agree. As someone who has lived in Japan, the Redwoods, and many other beautiful places, the Appalachians are truly unique and hold a special place in my heart as an American.
Native Appalachian. We don't even realize it until we venture out of the mountains and it becomes GLARINGLY apparent that once you leave the Cumberland plateau, the scenery is radically different.
Are you talking about the age of the rocks themselves or formation of the range, because even then there’s some contention around it…at the very least the age of rocks doesn’t even come close to some other ranges. Not even top 5.
the thing that blows my mind the most is that not only are the mountains (obviously) older than the trees, the mountains are literally older than any trees that ever existed on the planet. the appalachian mountains are older than the idea of trees
That was always a huge draw for me living near them. Everything had a different feel, ancient yet also timeless. If you look up the geological history of Mount Mitchell and the surrounding Black Mountains, their original heights surpassed the Himalayas. They are for the most part rolling and pastoral now only because of time wearing them down to what we see today. Plus wherever you see the side of the mountains cut into for roads, you see rock that could not have any fossils, as it predates a lot of life.
Got familial roots in Appalachia, NC specifically. Because of that, something about those mountains just feels like home. Hiking in them with my boy scout troop, standing atop a lookout in autumn and seeing the orange and red leafs for miles in every direction, the deafening sounds of pure nature. It can be an isolated place, even a lonely one, but its some of the most beautiful scenery on earth
I have never stepped foot into Continental North America, but Aidan's videos are really inspiring and educational over the wilderness of the eastern US, as well as temperate rainforests. The history and landscape reminds me of the German Black Forest - though less wild, once full of settlements spreading far and wide (it still is), underwent a cycle of deforestation for agriculture and logging, and is since reforested - though plagued with monocultures.
There's something haunting about a cemetery reclaimed by mother nature. It feels like it symbolizes that even in death there will always be a chance for new life, a chance to regrow.
Makes me think about us as humans. Those in that graveyard laughed and cried, loved and hated. They experienced triumphs and defeats; had families… Who remembers their names now? Who will remember us? Someday that will be us: forgotten to time. Only the Lord will remember our names.
Wow you're right! I'm surprised he's so open about being in these mountain woods, I've been told by a lot of people that live in Appalachia that those woods have really strange things happening in them and strange creatures spotted
When my family moved to Charlotte, NC, from the North Shore of Oahu, HI as a middle schooler... I felt I'd lose the connection to nature I felt on the reef. The Appalachian mountains changed my mind and shaped my adolescence. Your videos capture the history, beauty, and awe that I hold dear. Thank you. And if you want a trail buddy in Pisgah or elsewhere one day, let me know!
I grew up in this exact region, the mountains may seem small compared to Rockies but they've been eroding since before mammals walked on land. Theyre were once part of the same Pangean mountain range that the Scottish Highlands were part of. Thats why the terrain and climate can be so similar at times. Part of my family fled from the English influence in Scotland and settled in the mountains and we've been here ever since. Its a major part of my and many others identity, it not only shaped up but the region itself
A TH-camr going hard core with 4k video quality showing the stunning beauty of my backyard and unparalleled research on their videos. Truly you are a rare breed and your videos show that. Love everything about them because they are so well made, but also because the Appalachians are where I grew up and watching your videos make me feel like I am in the woods/mountains as a kid again experiencing them for the first time. Thank you for these trips!
its insane growing up in appalachia and living here my whole life and seeing more and more people become enamored by it. definitely doesn't have the same charm it used to but im glad people love my home
*Oldest observable mountain range*... Not trying to be nitpicky... More so just some interesting geography trivia. The Oldest known mountain range is actually in Australia.... But what remains is buried underground so they can't even be called mountains anymore yet are still very much there... It's fascinating to think that someday the Appalachian Mountains will do the same and be reclaimed by the Earth's crust.
You could literally make a month's long trip out of it! ..or more. There's so many places along the range to visit seeing as it crosses all the way from Georgia to Maine.
It's goregous!. If you want a more tourist friendly place (everyone's pretty nice along the mountains but for amenities and infrastructure) look up the Delaware water gap, also jim thrope in PA. It's stunning and I'm absolutely in love with this state.
As someone who has been in the Appalachia's and physically super close to some of the oldest forests and some of the only old growth temperate forests left, this moved me greatly. I've always shown great interest in wildlife and history, and just seeing the explanations that are very in depth while also being able to understand all of this and soak it all in, it really puts you into perspective just how influential these places are. Not just in recent history, but for the whole worlds history. The Appalachians are 480 million years old. They formed along side Pangea. It is so introspective to be able to go outside and hike up a super short hill, only for it to never have any fossils because it used to be taller than the Swiss Alps and no fossils have ever been able to form there. I've never wanted to leave these mountains and this just makes me want to stay more. There is TOO much to learn about this place, and ill be forever grateful to be from the Appalachians.
If you love these N.C. mountains, this land, if you plan to visit or move, please keep in mind that the masses of folks and big businesses that have come here for the nature and cheaper living, are destroying the very things they came for. Locals that have lived here our entire lives can't hardly afford their homes any more. My family has lived in North Carolina for centuries and I don't recognize many of the places I've lived my entire life. I love my home, my culture, and my community. Please be part of our community, respect our culture and our people, stand up to big business ruining our lands and waterways, and become a true North Carolinian. If you love North Carolina, help us protect our beautiful state from further damage. Let's move into the future together in a respectful and collaborative way.
As a Person who lives next to mount Mitchel in the temperate rainforest thank you for making this vid! 🔥 people don’t get to see how beautiful this place is much so thanks for sharing it! These mountains are older then Saturns rings and need some respect 😔✊
In North Georgia, the Cohutta wilderness has huge hemlocks completely covered in Moss. The area where the Conasauga river headwaters are (the most diverse river in North America), it’s literally a jungle. I’ve never seen so many ferns in my life. Literally growing on trees.
@@Quantrills.Raiders If you like the AT in North Georgia, check out the BMT trail, it goes through the Cohutttas on the east side of them. You can add an extra trail and go to Jack's River falls, the largest waterfall by water volume in North Georgia.
As the person who wrote a lot of the wikipedia article the first minutes were based on, and made one of the maps featured in this video, I am SO HAPPY this region is getting more appreciation and visibility!
my family is from this area. i’ve grown up loving this place that holds so much history and love. i went out west to Wyoming and saw the Tetons and the Wind River and Absaroka mountains. they were empty. bare and untouched. which is its own beauty. but the Appalachians are teeming with life and history. ghosts of the past. i love that.
These videos on old rainforests are so important. Thank you so much for making them. I selfishly would love you to please visit more of the ones in Western Europe!
@@maxzeyyy I recall the Scotland one, and the Madeira one was excellent, I hadn’t forgotten that one :) (hence my phrasing of “more”) :) but I don’t recall any in Ireland and I personally am in the south west uk so am interested in that too.
This man needs an award for his storytelling, facts, and especially his photography. I never thought there was a rainforest in the Appalachian mountains
I moved from Baltimore to where this video is about 6 years ago. I miss the bay, being close to the beach, Baltimore and DC, but actual nature here is crazy. You should visit. It’s only like an 8 or so hour drive without traffic at night
I once went to a music festival in an area called Deerfields, just outside of Asheville. It had a deciduous rainforest microclimate. It rained constantly and it maintained a comfy temperature in the mid 70 degree Fahrenheit range, despite it being late July. Walking through the trails was like walking through a dreamscape. I've never seen so many different shades of green, Everything was covered in moss and dripping with different types of ferns and multi-colored lichens. The ground was so deeply covered in moss that it felt like a carpet that you could comfortably fall asleep on if it wasn't so wet. Everything looked like some illustration out of a book of fairytales. It looked like the type of place where you would see fairies and gnomes hiding in the trees. Seeing so much life layered upon more life almost gave the whole area a feeling of sentience. I really want to go back there again sometime because it was truly a magical experience.
@@decrox13 Oh ok, thanks Mr. Trebek. I should have said Temperate Rainforest. Thank you for deeming me worthy enough to bestow me with a bit of your vest well of knowledge.
This video is so amazing and I learned so much about an area that I'm not really too far from. I'm from Maryland so I visit the skii resorts in West Virginia one or two times but I didn't know the rest of the landscape looked like this! 3:25 is very helpful to understand how the plants got here from Canada and that was new to me because I didn't know plants also moved locations.
There is a black shadowy thing that passed in front of the camera at 8:35 holy crap man they weren't playing when they said it was weird in the Appalachians lmao
I live in this area. Marble NC. The mountain i live on, the trail of tears passed directly through. The creek has had some major native american finds like pottery, tools, etc. Its a wonderful place. I just please wish that you have a way to protect yourself. Ive encountered many a threat out here. Animal and man. Be careful and thank you for the absolute gorgeous videos of mine(and your) backyard!
@IdidntAskuAnything no specifics. I personally havnt heard anything to weird. Maybe a big cat in the middle of the night. People say they will hear indian chants in the distance at night sometimes. My neighbor says he hears like tribal drums sometimes. Who knows tho 🤷♂️
Omg yes, I mean of course there are cemeteries in these woods but that's something I never thought of and to see it reclaimed by nature was just breathtaking and sad because they have been forgotten.
I grew up in Washington, and visited the Appalachians of west NC/ east TN last year. It really does feel like a southern version of the Pacific Northwest in places, what with both regions being a temperate rain forest.
My family comes from the Cataloochee Valley in GSMNP. My great great grandfather, W.G.B. Messer, helped settle Little Cataloochee. There are graves of my ancestors in those mountains. Those rainforests are a long lost home to me. Granddaddy Messer sold his land for pennies on the dollar to the federal government and moved out of the park to Haywood county, NC (Maggie Valley). He always said that the federal government should’ve paid mountain folk more than they did for the land inside the park. Amazing history to me, this video brings makes me feel like I remember things I never experienced.
Truly a love letter to the incredible environments on the east coast. Not as immediately dramatic as the new mountains out west but still absolutely incredible
May 2023 I hiked to the peak of Mount Mitchell with my friends. For a good portion of the hike, we were in clouds, I could barely see my hands in front of me. It was an immaculate experience that I will never forget.
It's probably worth noting that the Appalachian mountains have, for the most part, never been underwater in the history of the Earth unlike most places. Quite literally, there are things in the Appalachian mountains that have never left since the first supercontinent.
Your videos are so special to me, I almost can’t quite describe it but it’s almost nostalgic and makes me want to explore. Thanks Aiden for making such high quality videos.
As an Indian historian I'm impressed by the quality of that section of this video! Most discussions of east coast Indians just either pretend everyone disappeared from "disease" or ignores that and jumps straight to accusations of race faking and that whole topic. Speaking specifically on how Indian populations did not "shrink" but were pushed back by expansion from colonizers is a refreshingly accurate description compared to the norm of describing white settlers as expanding into a void left behind by Indians who died on their own, and I thank you for it. There's basically no actual historical evidence for communicable disease playing any significant role in the destruction of east coast Indian communities. Indian communities were forced out or destroyed by settler violence, either directly or indirectly (such as killing off all the game in an area, deforesting, poisoning water supplies with industrial runoff and sewage, etc). They even tried germ warfare with the smallpox blankets on multiple occasions, although it always resulted in failure (Indian medical standards tended to be superior to the European standards of the 18th century thanks to having better ideas of how to safely treat the sick compared to people who still believed in miasma theory). There's like one diary of some white guy claiming to have come across an empty Indian town and going "oh I guess they all died of smallpox!", and that's it. There's a ton of documentation about Indians dying from infected wounds caused by settler violence though, going back to Columbus's genocide of the Taino.
oh I should probably mention: These regions are almost certainly much more wild now than they were 400 years ago. Indian communities practiced forestry management and cultivation, along with maintaining the trails mentioned in the video. It's why there's early settler reports claiming America looked like a "park" (while falsely attributing that to God preparing a gift for them lol). There's also almost certainly fewer people living in Appalachia today than there were pre-colonization.
Finally got the free time to actually watch and enjoy this piece of art. Had no idea you were from this area too, though to be fair I've only had a chance to watch a couple of your vids prior to this. Phenomenal work, my dude. I'm 40 as of this year, and have spent about 36 of those years in the area, mostly between Buncombe, Haywood, Transylvania and Henderson Counties. I grew up running the rigelines of the Pisgah National Forest, walking the old logging roads on the slopes of Pisgah itself, rockhopping the many forks of streams and rivers that run down roads like 276, 215, and my home of 151. My family has been in various parts of NC since 1696. I celebrated my 21st birthday on the top of Mt. Mitchell, wrecked my first car on The Blue Ridge Parkway, scattered my father's ashes on Pisgah, watched the 2017 solar eclipse from the top of Devil's Courthouse, camped deep in the Yellow Gap area for a month when covid hit, dodging park rangers and the virus both. I've left twice, and come back in less than 2 years each time due to homesickness. The only negative emotions I ever feel about this area are either due to some of the modern people here being so stuck behind the social/political times, and the remorse of knowing that my own blood ancestors more than likely played their part in pushing the natives out. All that is just to say that you've done a phenomenal job capturing the beauty, the history, the connection between the land and the people that appreciate it. And I truly love this vid essay for that. I'm really glad the algorithm finally introduced me to your content just in time to catch this. Thank you again. After a pretty lousy couple of weeks, I needed a calming voice to remind me why I keep going at my age with nothing else to show for it. It's the beauty of the forest, of my home. Plain and simple. I'm not a religious or spiritual man, but it's hard not to feel something mystical in these woods, especially when you get off the beaten path and find somewhere that signs of human activity are scarce. I think it's getting close to time to take another month off from my societal duties, tie some traps, and disappear deep into the forest once more time, just to feel again.
I too am always busy and always have something to do but I like to play these videos in the background of whatever I'm doing just to hear his voice is so calming and then when I do get a glimpse it's absolutely stunning video
climbed Mt Le Conte in Tenneesee this spring.. rained non stop the entire hike. gave up on the rain jacket after 3 hours and just let myself get soaked. showering and laying down at the cabin after felt like HEAVEN.
Me and my family vacation there every year as we have strong family roots there and I love it. ( we were there for the 4th) we go to montreat north carolina and its so cool as its a town tucked into the forrest there is not a point where the tree canopy never breaks for a building the buildings are all under this tree canopy and its such a neat town at the base of mount michle ( I always say it looks like a rainforrest but never knew it was actualy)
Found this channel through the Scottish rainforest vid (as I imagine many did) and I feel so blessed, like I’ve found content made specifically for me. Adored this video and can’t wait to see what comes next ❤
You do such a great job of capturing the essence and ambience of the rainforests and other wooded areas. The camera work, the distant birds, the sounds of rain hitting the leaves. It is definitely my happy place......and I'm not just saying that because I had a recent journey with Mother Ayehausca 😀
thanks to teddy roosevelt there are still some old growth trees still in the area. The first 100 miles of the appalachian trail made me feel like i was in jurassic park, highly recommend the hike
The smokeys are my favorite place on earth. It looks beautiful in pictures and videos but the beauty of it when you actually see it is unimaginable! I alsp love Cherokee. Stop in Pauls diner. Yum😊
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. Only ever visited the east coast a handful of times. There's something about the Pacific Northwest, the coastal forests ranging from Oregon to Southern Alaska that's just unparalleled to anywhere else in the world, you get a feeling here that's just different.. I'm very biased though haha. Nonetheless this is a beautiful video! Amazing photography, love that you have taken the time to cover some of the geological history out east.
**DONT EVER RUN FROM BLACK BEARS** some people don’t know that they can go more than 35-40 mph in speed. Climbing a tree won’t help either because they can climb higher and faster. Best to walk backwards slowly, and if it’s not letting you,r than spread your arms and try to make yourself look bigger in any way you can, and start screaming loud and deep or banging things and acting crazy. Or….just carry bear spray 😉
Yesterday I returned from a vacation in Pennsylvania and after visiting towns, seeing Fallingwater, and hiking up mountains that are way taller than they look. I can confident say Appalachia is really beautiful and one day I hope I can visit these amazing rainforests as well.
They may not be the tallest or most visually impressive mountains in the world, but they are my favorite mountains for good reasons, and you have showed that excellently here in this beautiful video! Fantastic job as always, Aidin!
Those taller mountains are just big rocks. The Appalachian mountains are so full of life and weird history. I generally prefer the endless sea of green you get in panoramic views of southern Appalachia.
@@darlsbarkley3493 I agree. I've been out west for the past few weeks on a trip, and while it has been beautiful, I can't wait to get back to those beautiful green mountains that I call home.
Visually impressive? These forests on 6000+ foot hills are incredibly impressive. You want high desert? Go out west. You want trees, trees, trees green? It’s here.
It's still a poor region today, but the feel of WNC is the reason I don't want to leave. I live, and was raised in Franklin. I have a small piece of this literally out my back door. It sickens me to know that certain politicians in the state would rather gain money instead of saving our ecosystem. They want to get rid of state park and monument protections across the country and sell them off to developers and oil magnates, as indicated by their Project 2025 manifesto. If they succeed, places like the Smokies will be deforested. The very people that keep voting for those despots will be the first ones affected. The SCOTUS rulings as of late are just the precursors.
This video is a gem! I had no idea the Appalachian Rainforest even existed, let alone how unique and biodiverse it is. The history and connection to the Cherokee, the glaciers, and the old logging roads really bring the place to life. The bear encounter was a nice touch, too! It’s amazing to see how this rare ecosystem has shaped both nature and people over the years. Now I’m inspired to explore these mountains and appreciate the hidden beauty in my own backyard. 🌲🐻
You should check out the Florida hammocks, it’s basically a tropical forest with bromeliads, orchids, butterflies, one cycad species, and strangler figs, a tree from the Amazon. I also think they deserve some more awareness because of how most of it has been cleared away.
I'm not sure how it's a secret since the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which is smack-dab in the middle of the Appalachian temperate rainforest, is the most visited National Park in the United States-with more annual visitors than the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Yosemite combined.
It's completely safe in the Appalachian mountains so long as you prepare yourself for the elements. We don't even have wildlife that is exceptionally dangerous like you'd see on the west coast (black bear vs grizzly bear as an example.) The biggest thing you're battling every time you go on a trail, the elements.
@@jz295491 I quite literally stated black bear in my response lol. They really aren't that big of a threat. Less than 1 person a year die from black bears in the US. As for wolves, there have only been 21 confirmed fatal wolf attacks in recorded history. Not really a concern either.
@@sway_onthetrailI believe this person was referring to the unspoken creatures that are here ....I know exactly what they are talking about...we've seen them ... species one wishes was only in horror films or nightmares....I live on 55 acres in rural Alabama...they really ARE here.
@@nelliesfarm8473 I literally live in the Blue Ridge Mountains and have spent my whole life in the woods and haven't seen anything scarier than a snake or a bear.
You're in my backyard bro. I wouldn't choose to live anywhere else. The mountains get in your bones, the rivers in your blood. App people are good people.
Hey! Incredible video! Just wanted to say that I actually work in the Appalachians, near the Great Smokey Mountain National Park, and the mountain Clingmans Dome is actually no longer called that! It was renamed in 2022 to Kuwohi Mountain, which is the name given to it by the Cherokee. This name change is currently under review by the United States Board of Geographic Names after the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted to support the name change. Little fun trivia about the area!
@@Dysgalt Ghosts cannot be larger than their physical counterparts silly. For example, a person can choose to be a smaller ghost but a fly cannot choose to be a person sized ghost.
What’s so crazy and beautiful to me is that these mountains have existed since before Saturn has had its rings, and will most likely continue to exist until Saturn loses them
It's funny that all of Ireland is highlighted as a Temperate Rainforest when our forests have been completely decimated and we have the lowest forest coverage in all of Europe. Forest coverage in Ireland something like 10%. The vast majority of that is is logging forest with non-indigenous sitka spruce planted in rows. Almost completely devoid of forest life. Natural forest is less than 2%. And a significant portion of that natural forest is on private land that you're not allowed to visit.
This is my first video from this channel, but I’m blown away at the writing and production value. The aesthetic choices are wonderful and the audio is perfect. Personal and intimate shots of the fern stand and moss carpets in the understory and along riparian areas, drone footage of fog-laden overstory canopies, cycling through grainy projector slides and that simple, but perfect red sharpie underling pertinent text in scanned/printed documents and delineating key areas on old maps… It’s all absolutely great.
I've lived all over here, spent my childhood running around feral in these woods in shorts and barefeet every day for years unsupervised. I've lived in other places and moved a lot but always ended up back here due to family or relationships. I live at the base of Mt Pisgah a mile from the parkway entrance now. It's...melancholy. I think I'm ready to leave. The land is gorgeous, but the people here have made it ugly. Literally and metaphorically. Much of the dispersed camping in parks is shut down down because everyone trashes them. Tourists and locals. I see trash everywhere I go on the side of the road, whether on the parkway or on residential roads. I try to clean whenever I stop at an overlook or go to any park but that doesn't really make a difference when so few others give a shit. People literally use sections of backcountry road as trash dumps for furniture, appliances, cars etc and it all just....stays there. Add to that the poverty, the proud ignorance of the bigoted white southerners who live everywhere here, and the fact that the state treats our forest like nothing but a honeypot for tourists and...it just becomes difficult to enjoy, difficult to call "home". Difficult to be proud of. There are days driving home and seeing Mt. Pisgah in the mist ahead of me I feel something special, but then I remember where I am who I share these mountains with - and it's not the people I want to share them with. We, and by we I mean the descendants of the colonizers who took this land, don't deserve this place or its beauty. Landback.
@@00i0ii0 The term “white settlers” is used in historical contexts to refer to European colonists who migrated to what is now the United States. These were not the only people who came to settle in America. Before the arrival of Europeans, the Americas were already inhabited by diverse groups of Native Americans. The prevailing theory proposes that these indigenous people from Eurasia followed game across Beringia, a land bridge that connected Siberia to present-day Alaska during the Ice Age, and then spread southward throughout the Americas. The European colonization of the Americas began in the early 16th century. Settlers came from a variety of social and religious groups, including adventurers, farmers, indentured servants, tradesmen, and a very few from the aristocracy. These settlers included the Dutch of New Netherland, the Swedes and Finns of New Sweden, the English Quakers of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English Puritans of New England, the Virginian Cavaliers, the English Catholics and Protestant Nonconformists of the Province of Maryland, the “worthy poor” of the Province of Georgia, the Germans who settled the mid-Atlantic colonies, and the Ulster Scots of the Appalachian Mountains. The term “white settlers” is used to distinguish these European settlers from the indigenous populations and from other non-European groups that also came to America, such as enslaved Africans. The first enslaved African arrived in Virginia in 16193. So, while European settlers played a significant role in the history of the United States, they were not the only people who came to settle in America.
How can you tell this was a documentary filmed in 2024 and not the 90's? the narrator says "White people" when introducing who the early European explorers and settlers were. Alexander Spotswood was a British Army Officer, explorer, and lieutenant governor of Colonial Virginia; he is regarded as one of the most significant historical figures in British North American colonial history. Was that so hard to do? I ripped that from his Wiki page. I suggest you change your passive-aggressive tone and show a little respect to the greats.
Imagine getting butthurt cause he called the white colonizers white. I heard no passive-aggressive tone at all, that's just you coming up with reasons to be mad cause he said white. You lot are worse than SJWs.
This channel could just be about the study of rain forest for the rest of Aidins career and I'm here for it
Don't tempt me
@@AidinRobbins Aidin we need you to be the modern george mosa! haha
Your username checks out
Please rewatch around minute 08:32. Looks creepy to me
@@Greaterbing52saw that too, wtf?!
I was born and raised in the heart of the Appalachians. I spent my childhood running through the hills and valleys, often ranging miles from my home, drinking from streams and carrying my trusty .22 pistol and snakebite kit. One of my favorite things to do was climb to the top of the highest hemlock tree I could find on a windy day, and sit at the top while the tree swayed back and forth, enjoying the view.
It's funny how, when you've lived in a place your entire life, you don't appreciate the beauty of it as you should. A video like this where the landscape is framed by the loving eye of another helps me appreciate it more in retrospect.
Well said, I agree whole heartedly
Gorgeous comment
Any relation in Pike County, OH?
Not going to lie, I'm bit jealous of you guys who get to live in Appalachians. Certainly it's bit of a shame about the lodging and invasive species, but man, those hills and temperate forests are just amazing. We've only got one small forest that's atleast somewhat similar in it's flora.
pistol?
It's also worth mentioning that large areas of the Appalachia's were originally dominated by giant American chestnut trees that reached sizes similar to the Redwoods on the west coast, until chestnut blight was introduced from Asia in the early 1900's and wiped them out, leaving only small saplings surviving in the wild today. That and Chinese chestnuts which are adapted to resist the blight. You can find pictures of the old giant American chestnuts on google, they're amazing.
I always wonder, did no original Chestnut trees DNA survive?
Can't scientists revive a modified chestnut tree which has majority American Chestnut DNA?
I have seen those Old trees in pictures.
Also I read somewhere that having Chestnut trees was an ecosystem in itself.
Farmers will get nuts from them, it would be used to feed hogs. Wood will be used for construction, and so on.
@@learndesignwithdevyes there are still isolated individual trees. Also there is currently an effort to cross breed the American Chestnut with other blight resistant variants so it can be reintroduced back into the forests in greater numbers.
they were a big part of our culture too. we would trade chestnuts for goods like shoes.
@@learndesignwithdev there are some small groves that persist as root systems, but can never grow up to the point that they can reproduce. eventually those will die out, too. there are some attempts to create hybrids with chestnuts from other parts of the world, and also genetically modified chestnut that has a resistance to the blight.
we also used chestnuts as currency. we were and still are very poor in Southern Appalachia, and they became a way to afford goods like shoes.
There are two programs to revive the American Chestnut. One involves cross breeding and intercrossing American chestnut and Chinese chestnut and then selective breeding trees with desired properties. They have had limited success. The other program is taking a direct approach and has genetically modified American chestnut with the blight resistance genes from wheat. They have had limited success. We are still a long ways off of having an 99% American chestnut that will be blight resistant. We may NEVER have an American chestnut that will grow to the size and grandeur of those old trees.
Fun fact! The Appalachian Mountains have the largest salamander diversity then anywhere else in the world with some estimates saying there are over 100 different species of salamanders. (Most are Endemic to the Appalachia region)
Man those forest shots are so deeply green, a calming tone of it, with the sense of solitude and all the fog? This is one hell of a vibe, I could watch and rewatch this video a thousand times for the visuals alone!
There's definitely something very comforting about being in those woods. We don't have the tall peaks you see out west but the experience of being deep in the forest of southern Appalachia is unmatched.
Same! I can almost smell the glorious negative ions coming from that rich luscious forest! I would love to be there and breathe deeply.
@@gardeniagorgeous4232 I used to live near Boone NC and the air really does have a refreshing quality to it. That is, when it isn't 80% bugs by volume during the summer.
I live in the Upstate part of South Carolina and the regions in this video are not far from my home. I have been to Cherokee, NC and the Great Smokeys numerous times as well as driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is a beautiful and peaceful drive. Not much traffic especially during the shoulder seasons. The BL Parkway could be closed a chunk of the year due to snow, so better check. Here in SC, we too glimpses of such beauty: Waterfalls, untold number of trees, ferns on the ground, black bear. It is paradise here and only the good 'yankees' are welcomed here!
@@darlsbarkley3493So true. Always get crap for not having “mountains” over here but man there is something magical in these forests I swear
The last bit of this video honestly made me emotional. I've lived in the Appalachian Mountains my entire life, I love it here, absolutely love it here. But I constantly have to battle with the fact that, it seems no one else really does. It seems almost consistently that I am the only person in my area that cares about these mountains, and maintaining the wild nature of them. Even in my own family, they constantly talk of wanting to level ground, and bring down trees older then the coal mines buried under these mountains, and its deeply upsetting. Thank you for this video, and hopefully bringing attention to the absolute beauty of our mountains, and *how worth it, it is, to protect and preserve them.
As a North Carolinian, I really appreciate you taking the time to cover the cultural, ecological, and geological history of Western NC. It truly is a special place with so many fascinating stories to tell, and I'm glad to see someone depict it with such passion. Keep up the great work!
As a fellow North Carolinian, it's my favorite place in the world. I'm glad Aidin made such a high quality video covering it!
Same
There's going to be a million more people moving to Asheville because of this video.
i live on grandfather mountain, best place possible
Raised in Ashe County, then moved to Boone, now Asheville. SO grateful to have spent my whole life here
Mount Mitchel on a misty morning looks like something straight out of a fairy tale.
It literally looks like something out of Tolkien, you could certainly picture the Elves passing through...
i genuinely believe unless someone has lived around this region of appalachia or visited it, they couldn't even begin to comprehend the beauty that is this region of the world.
100% agree. As someone who has lived in Japan, the Redwoods, and many other beautiful places, the Appalachians are truly unique and hold a special place in my heart as an American.
if i could like this 5 times i would
Lived here all my life and I wanna see the world and all but I'll die in these mountains
Native Appalachian. We don't even realize it until we venture out of the mountains and it becomes GLARINGLY apparent that once you leave the Cumberland plateau, the scenery is radically different.
I moved here from CO, it's pretty mid compared to the Rockies. I might just be biased because I miss home
The Appalachians are the oldest mountain range on the planet, and date back to Pangea. In fact, the end of the Appalachians is in northern Scotland.
One of the oldest.
@@Mahima-dg9ic THE oldest...do some research
@@ramsoncole4605 the oldest range is in South Africa , Barberton mountains standing for 3.5 billions years.
@@ramsoncole4605 They aren’t the oldest, even in the US, Michigan has an older range
Are you talking about the age of the rocks themselves or formation of the range, because even then there’s some contention around it…at the very least the age of rocks doesn’t even come close to some other ranges. Not even top 5.
I loved this story. I'm from Oregon but live in Virginia and am always trying to understand and decode the quieter beauty of the nature out here.
when i see johnnyharris comment here and i knew im in right place.
Fr
Have you done the appalachian trail?
Yo let’s go one of my fav creators lives in my state
If you live in virginia I recommend mountain biking, good way to get out and you cover ground faster. Its also just widely supported here.
Hiking through the Appalachian Trail right now, it’s a breathtaking experience
I'm surprised you have internet! I'm at the far end , in rural northeast Alabama on 55 acres. I'd love to do what you are. Stay safe. ❤
And no one says it’s a rainforest. Best of luck it’s definitely beautiful.
the thing that blows my mind the most is that not only are the mountains (obviously) older than the trees, the mountains are literally older than any trees that ever existed on the planet. the appalachian mountains are older than the idea of trees
they're older than bones and older than life on land
That was always a huge draw for me living near them. Everything had a different feel, ancient yet also timeless. If you look up the geological history of Mount Mitchell and the surrounding Black Mountains, their original heights surpassed the Himalayas. They are for the most part rolling and pastoral now only because of time wearing them down to what we see today.
Plus wherever you see the side of the mountains cut into for roads, you see rock that could not have any fossils, as it predates a lot of life.
Along the foothill area in GA you can find prehistoric marine fossils. Super cool.
The Appalachian mountains date back to the last ice age. They were created by the last glaciers. Trees existed tens of millions of years before that.
@@charleshulsey3103 That’s right, grew up in that area and sometimes we’d get lucky enough to split open a stone to find small fossilized shells.
Got familial roots in Appalachia, NC specifically. Because of that, something about those mountains just feels like home. Hiking in them with my boy scout troop, standing atop a lookout in autumn and seeing the orange and red leafs for miles in every direction, the deafening sounds of pure nature. It can be an isolated place, even a lonely one, but its some of the most beautiful scenery on earth
everything this man makes is an absolute masterpiece
genuine poetry
I have never stepped foot into Continental North America, but Aidan's videos are really inspiring and educational over the wilderness of the eastern US, as well as temperate rainforests. The history and landscape reminds me of the German Black Forest - though less wild, once full of settlements spreading far and wide (it still is), underwent a cycle of deforestation for agriculture and logging, and is since reforested - though plagued with monocultures.
You make some of the best content on TH-cam, the audio, the script, the cinematography, and the B-roll, just beautiful.
I couldn't agree more, high quality all the way
You sure specify 'white' settlers with a suspicious frequency
There's something haunting about a cemetery reclaimed by mother nature. It feels like it symbolizes that even in death there will always be a chance for new life, a chance to regrow.
Makes me think about us as humans. Those in that graveyard laughed and cried, loved and hated. They experienced triumphs and defeats; had families… Who remembers their names now? Who will remember us? Someday that will be us: forgotten to time. Only the Lord will remember our names.
that’s beautiful
8:35 a dark figure can be seen floating in front of the camera going From left to right 😮
Wow you're right! I'm surprised he's so open about being in these mountain woods, I've been told by a lot of people that live in Appalachia that those woods have really strange things happening in them and strange creatures spotted
Maybe a bug or smth just flew very close to the camera?
RIGHT?? I WAS LIKE WHY NOBODY IS TALKING ABOUT THAT
@@danamihalyi4951 YA I WAS JUST GONNA COMMENT ABOUT THIS IT CREEPED ME OUT
@@danamihalyi4951 Sasquatch loves mountains and rain forest maybe it's him as they move like this through portals.
When my family moved to Charlotte, NC, from the North Shore of Oahu, HI as a middle schooler... I felt I'd lose the connection to nature I felt on the reef. The Appalachian mountains changed my mind and shaped my adolescence. Your videos capture the history, beauty, and awe that I hold dear. Thank you.
And if you want a trail buddy in Pisgah or elsewhere one day, let me know!
I grew up in this exact region, the mountains may seem small compared to Rockies but they've been eroding since before mammals walked on land. Theyre were once part of the same Pangean mountain range that the Scottish Highlands were part of. Thats why the terrain and climate can be so similar at times. Part of my family fled from the English influence in Scotland and settled in the mountains and we've been here ever since. Its a major part of my and many others identity, it not only shaped up but the region itself
A TH-camr going hard core with 4k video quality showing the stunning beauty of my backyard and unparalleled research on their videos. Truly you are a rare breed and your videos show that. Love everything about them because they are so well made, but also because the Appalachians are where I grew up and watching your videos make me feel like I am in the woods/mountains as a kid again experiencing them for the first time. Thank you for these trips!
its insane growing up in appalachia and living here my whole life and seeing more and more people become enamored by it. definitely doesn't have the same charm it used to but im glad people love my home
Why does it not have the same charm? Have you just become use to it over the years, or is all the new people moving in making the area worse?
It is a big feel being in the oldest mountain range on the planet. Such a beautiful land
*Oldest observable mountain range*... Not trying to be nitpicky... More so just some interesting geography trivia. The Oldest known mountain range is actually in Australia.... But what remains is buried underground so they can't even be called mountains anymore yet are still very much there... It's fascinating to think that someday the Appalachian Mountains will do the same and be reclaimed by the Earth's crust.
The Ozarks are the oldest mountain range in the US. The Appalachians are beautiful, though.
@@scottjs5207ok so technically their point still stands. 😒 who’s going to talk about something that’s not there above ground anymore?
THANK YOU FOR PRONOUNCING APPALACHIAN CORRECTLY
Same. It's refreshing to hear someone pronounce it so easily. Really shows how much of a native he is XD
Both pronunciations are correct.
there's more than one way to pronounce it? never heard anything but how he said it
yeah but one of em is wrong
I'm British, but your videos have made me fall in love with Appalachia. I really want to visit the USA just to hike the AT.
You could literally make a month's long trip out of it! ..or more. There's so many places along the range to visit seeing as it crosses all the way from Georgia to Maine.
You should hike it, it’s awesome
It's goregous!.
If you want a more tourist friendly place (everyone's pretty nice along the mountains but for amenities and infrastructure) look up the Delaware water gap, also jim thrope in PA. It's stunning and I'm absolutely in love with this state.
Gotta be used to the rain to do it, so I think Brits will do well.
Safety is an issue on the appalacchian trail. If you do go take extra security precautions.
Cool! I live on a remote island in Southeast Alaska, in the Tongass National Forest. 17.6 million acres. 2:12
Please do a video on irelands rainforests! 🙏 🇮🇪
Looks beautiful out there!
@@AidinRobbins it really is! Come to the Beara peninsula!
@@MusketeerTed I swear I saw someone cover it recently... Maybe Mossy Earth or one of the ecological reclamation groups?
There’s already a video about it look it up, just not from him
I love this country. Such beauty, such history. I'm a North Carolinian myself, so I'll look into taking a trip out that way some time.
There goes the Ghost of the Truck driver 8:35 😂
You beat me to it!!!
Yeah! I rewatched that part like 50 tiles times trying to determine what the heck it was lol
As someone who has been in the Appalachia's and physically super close to some of the oldest forests and some of the only old growth temperate forests left, this moved me greatly. I've always shown great interest in wildlife and history, and just seeing the explanations that are very in depth while also being able to understand all of this and soak it all in, it really puts you into perspective just how influential these places are. Not just in recent history, but for the whole worlds history. The Appalachians are 480 million years old. They formed along side Pangea. It is so introspective to be able to go outside and hike up a super short hill, only for it to never have any fossils because it used to be taller than the Swiss Alps and no fossils have ever been able to form there. I've never wanted to leave these mountains and this just makes me want to stay more. There is TOO much to learn about this place, and ill be forever grateful to be from the Appalachians.
I grew up in a holler in these mountains and cried while watching. Thank you for making this.
If you love these N.C. mountains, this land, if you plan to visit or move, please keep in mind that the masses of folks and big businesses that have come here for the nature and cheaper living, are destroying the very things they came for.
Locals that have lived here our entire lives can't hardly afford their homes any more. My family has lived in North Carolina for centuries and I don't recognize many of the places I've lived my entire life. I love my home, my culture, and my community. Please be part of our community, respect our culture and our people, stand up to big business ruining our lands and waterways, and become a true North Carolinian.
If you love North Carolina, help us protect our beautiful state from further damage. Let's move into the future together in a respectful and collaborative way.
As a geologist I love this channels content, and color editing is always top notch, kind of creates a cozy vibe for every video.
As a Person who lives next to mount Mitchel in the temperate rainforest thank you for making this vid! 🔥 people don’t get to see how beautiful this place is much so thanks for sharing it! These mountains are older then Saturns rings and need some respect 😔✊
In North Georgia, the Cohutta wilderness has huge hemlocks completely covered in Moss. The area where the Conasauga river headwaters are (the most diverse river in North America), it’s literally a jungle. I’ve never seen so many ferns in my life. Literally growing on trees.
I'm in rural st Clair county Alabama on 55 acres...same here !!!
the first 50 miles of the AT trail in north georgia were my favorite, i felt like i was in a lord of the rings movie
@@Quantrills.Raiders If you like the AT in North Georgia, check out the BMT trail, it goes through the Cohutttas on the east side of them. You can add an extra trail and go to Jack's River falls, the largest waterfall by water volume in North Georgia.
Victory belongs to the most persevering.
As the person who wrote a lot of the wikipedia article the first minutes were based on, and made one of the maps featured in this video, I am SO HAPPY this region is getting more appreciation and visibility!
People who write Wikipedia articles are the GOATs. Thank you. I’ve learned an incredible amount about so many different things with Wikipedia.
my family is from this area. i’ve grown up loving this place that holds so much history and love. i went out west to Wyoming and saw the Tetons and the Wind River and Absaroka mountains. they were empty. bare and untouched. which is its own beauty. but the Appalachians are teeming with life and history. ghosts of the past. i love that.
These videos on old rainforests are so important. Thank you so much for making them.
I selfishly would love you to please visit more of the ones in Western Europe!
hes done a few videos on some ones in ireland and scotland and madeira
@@maxzeyyy I recall the Scotland one, and the Madeira one was excellent, I hadn’t forgotten that one :) (hence my phrasing of “more”) :) but I don’t recall any in Ireland and I personally am in the south west uk so am interested in that too.
@@Toastybear1 yeah I always get Scotland and Ireland confused so I just put both dont mind me
He should do Western France/Brittany next!
This man needs an award for his storytelling, facts, and especially his photography. I never thought there was a rainforest in the Appalachian mountains
caught the upload just in time with my bowl of cinnamon toast crunch. gonna be a good day!
You've got it dialed 🤌
You should eat healthier
@@johnadams3038 I don't think a bowl of cinnamon toast crunch is gonna kill him, people eat a lot worse, relax.
@@inaudibletune5934 It kills with time
@@johnadams3038 So does breathing air.
I'm in Baltimore and I didn't realize I had a rainforest so close to me. I've heard about the trail plenty. Thanks
I moved from Baltimore to where this video is about 6 years ago. I miss the bay, being close to the beach, Baltimore and DC, but actual nature here is crazy. You should visit. It’s only like an 8 or so hour drive without traffic at night
I once went to a music festival in an area called Deerfields, just outside of Asheville. It had a deciduous rainforest microclimate. It rained constantly and it maintained a comfy temperature in the mid 70 degree Fahrenheit range, despite it being late July. Walking through the trails was like walking through a dreamscape. I've never seen so many different shades of green, Everything was covered in moss and dripping with different types of ferns and multi-colored lichens. The ground was so deeply covered in moss that it felt like a carpet that you could comfortably fall asleep on if it wasn't so wet. Everything looked like some illustration out of a book of fairytales. It looked like the type of place where you would see fairies and gnomes hiding in the trees. Seeing so much life layered upon more life almost gave the whole area a feeling of sentience. I really want to go back there again sometime because it was truly a magical experience.
Was it Equinox by chance? Deerfields is incredible.
@@weedian710 It was!
"Deciduous rainforest" doesn't make sense. It's a Warm Temperate Moist Forest in the Holdridge zone.
@@decrox13 Oh ok, thanks Mr. Trebek. I should have said Temperate Rainforest. Thank you for deeming me worthy enough to bestow me with a bit of your vest well of knowledge.
You are currently feeling a little bit frisky atm
This video is so amazing and I learned so much about an area that I'm not really too far from. I'm from Maryland so I visit the skii resorts in West Virginia one or two times but I didn't know the rest of the landscape looked like this! 3:25 is very helpful to understand how the plants got here from Canada and that was new to me because I didn't know plants also moved locations.
There is a black shadowy thing that passed in front of the camera at 8:35 holy crap man they weren't playing when they said it was weird in the Appalachians lmao
Omg I seen it , you're right. That is so creepy
Yeah these mountains are spooky
I was hoping someone else noticed, too! So I'm not crazy! 8:33
I had to make sure I’m not crazy and I’m not the only one that caught that!
I saw it too. Went straight to the comments to make sure I’m sane.
I live in this area. Marble NC. The mountain i live on, the trail of tears passed directly through. The creek has had some major native american finds like pottery, tools, etc. Its a wonderful place. I just please wish that you have a way to protect yourself. Ive encountered many a threat out here. Animal and man. Be careful and thank you for the absolute gorgeous videos of mine(and your) backyard!
Do you know any stories about any spirits that May roam the land
@IdidntAskuAnything no specifics. I personally havnt heard anything to weird. Maybe a big cat in the middle of the night. People say they will hear indian chants in the distance at night sometimes. My neighbor says he hears like tribal drums sometimes. Who knows tho 🤷♂️
in the least suggestive way possible, your videos make me feel things I didn't know I had in me
Omg yes, I mean of course there are cemeteries in these woods but that's something I never thought of and to see it reclaimed by nature was just breathtaking and sad because they have been forgotten.
I grew up in Washington, and visited the Appalachians of west NC/ east TN last year. It really does feel like a southern version of the Pacific Northwest in places, what with both regions being a temperate rain forest.
My family comes from the Cataloochee Valley in GSMNP. My great great grandfather, W.G.B. Messer, helped settle Little Cataloochee. There are graves of my ancestors in those mountains. Those rainforests are a long lost home to me. Granddaddy Messer sold his land for pennies on the dollar to the federal government and moved out of the park to Haywood county, NC (Maggie Valley). He always said that the federal government should’ve paid mountain folk more than they did for the land inside the park. Amazing history to me, this video brings makes me feel like I remember things I never experienced.
Thank you for sharing your story
Cataloochee js incredible. Very cool
So he was a sell out to the goverment?
Would never call it that sir. I grew up along that while mountain range Pa. WV. And NC but ain’t never heard anyone say rainforest.
I'm half a world away and even then the appalachian range gives me the creeps
Truly a love letter to the incredible environments on the east coast. Not as immediately dramatic as the new mountains out west but still absolutely incredible
May 2023 I hiked to the peak of Mount Mitchell with my friends. For a good portion of the hike, we were in clouds, I could barely see my hands in front of me.
It was an immaculate experience that I will never forget.
If you are on TH-cam long enough you'd know when you find one of them gems. This is channel surely one of them. Please never stop making videos Aidin.
It's probably worth noting that the Appalachian mountains have, for the most part, never been underwater in the history of the Earth unlike most places. Quite literally, there are things in the Appalachian mountains that have never left since the first supercontinent.
Your videos are so special to me, I almost can’t quite describe it but it’s almost nostalgic and makes me want to explore. Thanks Aiden for making such high quality videos.
thank god you mentioned several times that the settlers were white when on the topic of negative actions!
As an Indian historian I'm impressed by the quality of that section of this video! Most discussions of east coast Indians just either pretend everyone disappeared from "disease" or ignores that and jumps straight to accusations of race faking and that whole topic. Speaking specifically on how Indian populations did not "shrink" but were pushed back by expansion from colonizers is a refreshingly accurate description compared to the norm of describing white settlers as expanding into a void left behind by Indians who died on their own, and I thank you for it. There's basically no actual historical evidence for communicable disease playing any significant role in the destruction of east coast Indian communities. Indian communities were forced out or destroyed by settler violence, either directly or indirectly (such as killing off all the game in an area, deforesting, poisoning water supplies with industrial runoff and sewage, etc). They even tried germ warfare with the smallpox blankets on multiple occasions, although it always resulted in failure (Indian medical standards tended to be superior to the European standards of the 18th century thanks to having better ideas of how to safely treat the sick compared to people who still believed in miasma theory). There's like one diary of some white guy claiming to have come across an empty Indian town and going "oh I guess they all died of smallpox!", and that's it. There's a ton of documentation about Indians dying from infected wounds caused by settler violence though, going back to Columbus's genocide of the Taino.
oh I should probably mention: These regions are almost certainly much more wild now than they were 400 years ago. Indian communities practiced forestry management and cultivation, along with maintaining the trails mentioned in the video. It's why there's early settler reports claiming America looked like a "park" (while falsely attributing that to God preparing a gift for them lol). There's also almost certainly fewer people living in Appalachia today than there were pre-colonization.
@@Jetsetlemming this is really interesting. after some quick google anywhere i can hear/read about this old forest cultivation?
Thank you . Our native American anestors are not forgotten ❤
Does anybody else see the dark ghostly figure go across the screen at 8:36 ???
Finally got the free time to actually watch and enjoy this piece of art. Had no idea you were from this area too, though to be fair I've only had a chance to watch a couple of your vids prior to this.
Phenomenal work, my dude. I'm 40 as of this year, and have spent about 36 of those years in the area, mostly between Buncombe, Haywood, Transylvania and Henderson Counties. I grew up running the rigelines of the Pisgah National Forest, walking the old logging roads on the slopes of Pisgah itself, rockhopping the many forks of streams and rivers that run down roads like 276, 215, and my home of 151. My family has been in various parts of NC since 1696. I celebrated my 21st birthday on the top of Mt. Mitchell, wrecked my first car on The Blue Ridge Parkway, scattered my father's ashes on Pisgah, watched the 2017 solar eclipse from the top of Devil's Courthouse, camped deep in the Yellow Gap area for a month when covid hit, dodging park rangers and the virus both. I've left twice, and come back in less than 2 years each time due to homesickness.
The only negative emotions I ever feel about this area are either due to some of the modern people here being so stuck behind the social/political times, and the remorse of knowing that my own blood ancestors more than likely played their part in pushing the natives out.
All that is just to say that you've done a phenomenal job capturing the beauty, the history, the connection between the land and the people that appreciate it. And I truly love this vid essay for that. I'm really glad the algorithm finally introduced me to your content just in time to catch this.
Thank you again. After a pretty lousy couple of weeks, I needed a calming voice to remind me why I keep going at my age with nothing else to show for it. It's the beauty of the forest, of my home. Plain and simple. I'm not a religious or spiritual man, but it's hard not to feel something mystical in these woods, especially when you get off the beaten path and find somewhere that signs of human activity are scarce. I think it's getting close to time to take another month off from my societal duties, tie some traps, and disappear deep into the forest once more time, just to feel again.
I too am always busy and always have something to do but I like to play these videos in the background of whatever I'm doing just to hear his voice is so calming and then when I do get a glimpse it's absolutely stunning video
16 years old and producing extremely high quality documentary like this? Hats off, you are talented young man!
whered he say he was 16
@@craiggussi4779 in another video on his channel
Do a video on the El Yunque Rainforest in Puerto Rico, as a Puerto rican
Definitely interested in heading out there!
If North America was alot hotter The Appalachian mountains would be extremely densely populated
climbed Mt Le Conte in Tenneesee this spring.. rained non stop the entire hike. gave up on the rain jacket after 3 hours and just let myself get soaked.
showering and laying down at the cabin after felt like HEAVEN.
Me and my family vacation there every year as we have strong family roots there and I love it. ( we were there for the 4th) we go to montreat north carolina and its so cool as its a town tucked into the forrest there is not a point where the tree canopy never breaks for a building the buildings are all under this tree canopy and its such a neat town at the base of mount michle
( I always say it looks like a rainforrest but never knew it was actualy)
Found this channel through the Scottish rainforest vid (as I imagine many did) and I feel so blessed, like I’ve found content made specifically for me. Adored this video and can’t wait to see what comes next ❤
A lot of people saying they were born here but left, makes me feel left out lmao. I'm still here living on the Cherokee Reservation.
You do such a great job of capturing the essence and ambience of the rainforests and other wooded areas. The camera work, the distant birds, the sounds of rain hitting the leaves. It is definitely my happy place......and I'm not just saying that because I had a recent journey with Mother Ayehausca 😀
this video is extremely well done. literal chills. history, ecology, empathy, poetry, call to action. bravo!
love the ending and all of the acknowledgment towards native Americans! Bears seeing beauty seems like a wild idea until you see the evidence haha
Right! I want to believe that bears appreciate the scenery😅
im not even joking bro u can see a figure moving at 8:36 look closely at the screen it appears on the left and walks to the right
Glad I'm not the only one calling this out 👻👻👻
So crazy watching something like this for free.
thanks to teddy roosevelt there are still some old growth trees still in the area. The first 100 miles of the appalachian trail made me feel like i was in jurassic park, highly recommend the hike
because of this channel, I love rain forest and rain now. I have learned A lot from Aidin :)
The smokeys are my favorite place on earth. It looks beautiful in pictures and videos but the beauty of it when you actually see it is unimaginable! I alsp love Cherokee. Stop in Pauls diner. Yum😊
Been supporting you for a while and your growth is insane man, you always inspire me!
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. Only ever visited the east coast a handful of times. There's something about the Pacific Northwest, the coastal forests ranging from Oregon to Southern Alaska that's just unparalleled to anywhere else in the world, you get a feeling here that's just different.. I'm very biased though haha. Nonetheless this is a beautiful video! Amazing photography, love that you have taken the time to cover some of the geological history out east.
As a Tennessean i love every chance i get to see those mountains. Fascinates me too that it existed before the triassic period!? Flippin wild.
**DONT EVER RUN FROM BLACK BEARS** some people don’t know that they can go more than 35-40 mph in speed.
Climbing a tree won’t help either because they can climb higher and faster.
Best to walk backwards slowly, and if it’s not letting you,r than spread your arms and try to make yourself look bigger in any way you can, and start screaming loud and deep or banging things and acting crazy.
Or….just carry bear spray 😉
Yesterday I returned from a vacation in Pennsylvania and after visiting towns, seeing Fallingwater, and hiking up mountains that are way taller than they look. I can confident say Appalachia is really beautiful and one day I hope I can visit these amazing rainforests as well.
Look at 8:35 mins in you'll see a shadow from left to right what is that!
They may not be the tallest or most visually impressive mountains in the world, but they are my favorite mountains for good reasons, and you have showed that excellently here in this beautiful video! Fantastic job as always, Aidin!
Those taller mountains are just big rocks. The Appalachian mountains are so full of life and weird history. I generally prefer the endless sea of green you get in panoramic views of southern Appalachia.
@@darlsbarkley3493 I agree. I've been out west for the past few weeks on a trip, and while it has been beautiful, I can't wait to get back to those beautiful green mountains that I call home.
Visually impressive? These forests on 6000+ foot hills are incredibly impressive. You want high desert? Go out west. You want trees, trees, trees green? It’s here.
These mountains were the size of the Rockies when the Rockies got formed.
It's still a poor region today, but the feel of WNC is the reason I don't want to leave. I live, and was raised in Franklin. I have a small piece of this literally out my back door. It sickens me to know that certain politicians in the state would rather gain money instead of saving our ecosystem. They want to get rid of state park and monument protections across the country and sell them off to developers and oil magnates, as indicated by their Project 2025 manifesto. If they succeed, places like the Smokies will be deforested.
The very people that keep voting for those despots will be the first ones affected. The SCOTUS rulings as of late are just the precursors.
The Appalachian people are just as wonderful as the Appalachian mountains
I'm...not so sure about that.
This video is a gem! I had no idea the Appalachian Rainforest even existed, let alone how unique and biodiverse it is. The history and connection to the Cherokee, the glaciers, and the old logging roads really bring the place to life. The bear encounter was a nice touch, too! It’s amazing to see how this rare ecosystem has shaped both nature and people over the years. Now I’m inspired to explore these mountains and appreciate the hidden beauty in my own backyard. 🌲🐻
You should check out the Florida hammocks, it’s basically a tropical forest with bromeliads, orchids, butterflies, one cycad species, and strangler figs, a tree from the Amazon. I also think they deserve some more awareness because of how most of it has been cleared away.
I'm not sure how it's a secret since the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which is smack-dab in the middle of the Appalachian temperate rainforest, is the most visited National Park in the United States-with more annual visitors than the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Yosemite combined.
Stay safe because there's all kinds of things in the deep woods and some of them that ain't supposed to be but are..💯
It's completely safe in the Appalachian mountains so long as you prepare yourself for the elements. We don't even have wildlife that is exceptionally dangerous like you'd see on the west coast (black bear vs grizzly bear as an example.) The biggest thing you're battling every time you go on a trail, the elements.
@@sway_onthetrail r u sating there are no bears or wolves there ?
@@jz295491 I quite literally stated black bear in my response lol. They really aren't that big of a threat. Less than 1 person a year die from black bears in the US. As for wolves, there have only been 21 confirmed fatal wolf attacks in recorded history. Not really a concern either.
@@sway_onthetrailI believe this person was referring to the unspoken creatures that are here ....I know exactly what they are talking about...we've seen them ... species one wishes was only in horror films or nightmares....I live on 55 acres in rural Alabama...they really ARE here.
@@nelliesfarm8473 I literally live in the Blue Ridge Mountains and have spent my whole life in the woods and haven't seen anything scarier than a snake or a bear.
You're in my backyard bro. I wouldn't choose to live anywhere else. The mountains get in your bones, the rivers in your blood. App people are good people.
0:03 rainbow falls
I did that hike in the rain
Hey! Incredible video! Just wanted to say that I actually work in the Appalachians, near the Great Smokey Mountain National Park, and the mountain Clingmans Dome is actually no longer called that! It was renamed in 2022 to Kuwohi Mountain, which is the name given to it by the Cherokee. This name change is currently under review by the United States Board of Geographic Names after the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted to support the name change. Little fun trivia about the area!
8:35 to 8:39 you can see a ghost passing from the left to right. Spooky 👻
it is a fly that is out of focus
@@decker8ers What if the fly is the physical manifestation of the ghost? 🤔
@@flow5718what if it’s the ghost of a fly
@@Dysgalt Ghosts cannot be larger than their physical counterparts silly. For example, a person can choose to be a smaller ghost but a fly cannot choose to be a person sized ghost.
That is the ghost of Popcorn. y'all debate it while I fetch more mason jars and copper. *no revenuers were injured during filming*
What’s so crazy and beautiful to me is that these mountains have existed since before Saturn has had its rings, and will most likely continue to exist until Saturn loses them
I think there is a shadow figure walking in front of the camera @ 8:35-8:40 creepy. You weren't alone out there...
DUDE
Why is no one else talking about this
It's funny that all of Ireland is highlighted as a Temperate Rainforest when our forests have been completely decimated and we have the lowest forest coverage in all of Europe.
Forest coverage in Ireland something like 10%. The vast majority of that is is logging forest with non-indigenous sitka spruce planted in rows. Almost completely devoid of forest life.
Natural forest is less than 2%. And a significant portion of that natural forest is on private land that you're not allowed to visit.
This is my first video from this channel, but I’m blown away at the writing and production value. The aesthetic choices are wonderful and the audio is perfect. Personal and intimate shots of the fern stand and moss carpets in the understory and along riparian areas, drone footage of fog-laden overstory canopies, cycling through grainy projector slides and that simple, but perfect red sharpie underling pertinent text in scanned/printed documents and delineating key areas on old maps…
It’s all absolutely great.
I've lived all over here, spent my childhood running around feral in these woods in shorts and barefeet every day for years unsupervised. I've lived in other places and moved a lot but always ended up back here due to family or relationships. I live at the base of Mt Pisgah a mile from the parkway entrance now. It's...melancholy.
I think I'm ready to leave. The land is gorgeous, but the people here have made it ugly. Literally and metaphorically.
Much of the dispersed camping in parks is shut down down because everyone trashes them. Tourists and locals. I see trash everywhere I go on the side of the road, whether on the parkway or on residential roads. I try to clean whenever I stop at an overlook or go to any park but that doesn't really make a difference when so few others give a shit. People literally use sections of backcountry road as trash dumps for furniture, appliances, cars etc and it all just....stays there.
Add to that the poverty, the proud ignorance of the bigoted white southerners who live everywhere here, and the fact that the state treats our forest like nothing but a honeypot for tourists and...it just becomes difficult to enjoy, difficult to call "home". Difficult to be proud of.
There are days driving home and seeing Mt. Pisgah in the mist ahead of me I feel something special, but then I remember where I am who I share these mountains with - and it's not the people I want to share them with.
We, and by we I mean the descendants of the colonizers who took this land, don't deserve this place or its beauty. Landback.
I'm sorry, was there some other kind of settlers in America that I haven't heard of? Why do you keep saying they're white 😂
There have been many kinds of settlers in America.
@own4801 no, not really
@@00i0ii0 Yes, really.
@@own4801 who else?
@@00i0ii0 The term “white settlers” is used in historical contexts to refer to European colonists who migrated to what is now the United States. These were not the only people who came to settle in America. Before the arrival of Europeans, the Americas were already inhabited by diverse groups of Native Americans. The prevailing theory proposes that these indigenous people from Eurasia followed game across Beringia, a land bridge that connected Siberia to present-day Alaska during the Ice Age, and then spread southward throughout the Americas.
The European colonization of the Americas began in the early 16th century. Settlers came from a variety of social and religious groups, including adventurers, farmers, indentured servants, tradesmen, and a very few from the aristocracy. These settlers included the Dutch of New Netherland, the Swedes and Finns of New Sweden, the English Quakers of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English Puritans of New England, the Virginian Cavaliers, the English Catholics and Protestant Nonconformists of the Province of Maryland, the “worthy poor” of the Province of Georgia, the Germans who settled the mid-Atlantic colonies, and the Ulster Scots of the Appalachian Mountains.
The term “white settlers” is used to distinguish these European settlers from the indigenous populations and from other non-European groups that also came to America, such as enslaved Africans. The first enslaved African arrived in Virginia in 16193.
So, while European settlers played a significant role in the history of the United States, they were not the only people who came to settle in America.
How can you tell this was a documentary filmed in 2024 and not the 90's? the narrator says "White people" when introducing who the early European explorers and settlers were. Alexander Spotswood was a British Army Officer, explorer, and lieutenant governor of Colonial Virginia; he is regarded as one of the most significant historical figures in British North American colonial history. Was that so hard to do? I ripped that from his Wiki page. I suggest you change your passive-aggressive tone and show a little respect to the greats.
Imagine getting butthurt cause he called the white colonizers white. I heard no passive-aggressive tone at all, that's just you coming up with reasons to be mad cause he said white. You lot are worse than SJWs.