We flew to Alaska and rented an UTV and took it on a 2 day adventure into the Alaskan bush. Were We hunted gold nuggets at a real gold mine, fossil hunted for 250 million year old fossils, camped and rode ATVs through some amazing country. Me and my two oldest sons meet up with Jake and his son Luke from How To Alaska.
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TravelTranscript
00:00Luke, Tom, and Nate here with the Outdoor Boys YouTube channel and we've got Jake and
00:09Luke from How to Alaska and they are going to be joining us on an epic Alaskan adventure.
00:15We're going to be hunting fossils, we might do some gold mining, we're going to be camping.
00:22You guys ready?
00:25Yeah!
00:26Well check it out, we rented this UTV from Alaska Toy Rental in Palmer, but I've never
00:33used one of these UTVs before, so I'm really excited to give this a try.
00:37I'll be the one that's pushing harder than people.
00:40Are you ready?
00:41Yeah!
00:42Woo!
00:43Oh this is awesome!
00:44We can even do this!
00:45Woo!
00:46I feel like I'm in a tank!
00:47I love it!
00:49I love it!
00:51Oh look at that, a bobcat!
00:56Did you see that?
01:01A bobcat just ran across the road.
01:05I thought that was a white odot.
01:07That's a lynx.
01:08He went in the bushes.
01:09Oh that's cool.
01:10Wow.
01:11He went in the bushes.
01:13We're trying to make the noise like a wounded rabbit, see if they can get him to pop his
01:21head up.
01:22Scoot over buddy.
01:23Here comes something meatier.
01:24I saw it all the way down.
01:25Right.
01:26That's just working hard.
01:27Yeah, here we go.
01:28Guys, you want some blueberries?
01:29Yeah.
01:30Oh man, look at these.
01:31Check it out guys, we've got some crowberries here.
01:51Yeah.
01:52That's a stopping.
01:53Some lingonberries.
02:00It's really fun riding that thing and it is comfortable and at my age, I'm starting
02:05to appreciate comfort a bit more.
02:39Oh, look at that guys, you know what that is?
02:52Look at it.
02:53This is all bear crap.
02:54That's so yummy.
02:55Watch out, here we go.
02:56Everything's wet.
02:57You got covered in mud too Tom?
03:11Yeah.
03:12Oh man.
03:13This is why we're wearing our rain gear.
03:14We've got the heater there, let's turn that up.
03:20That'll be a windshield wiper, activate.
03:49It's doing pretty good.
04:04Boys are a little hungry, so Jake's pulling out a trail snack.
04:07This is pink salmon.
04:08This is red salmon.
04:09Kids get the pink salmon.
04:10Adults get the red salmon.
04:11Nice.
04:12That's good.
04:13The pink salmon's fine too, but it's not red salmon.
04:25The red salmon's way better.
04:29We had a nice snack break, let's go find some fossils.
04:33All right guys, you ready to look for fossils?
05:02Yeah!
05:09That's the big old moose print right there.
05:11This is the kind of rock you're going to find fossils in right here.
05:14Oh here.
05:15Oh yeah, here we go, here we go.
05:17See look, I mean nothing fancy, but you can see the seashells in it.
05:21Oh look at these guys' bones.
05:24Look at these little bones.
05:26They feel like bird bones.
05:30This stuff isn't really super exciting, but there's a bellum knight in there.
05:36Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
05:38This is all the seashells of fossil ferrous shale.
05:41Oh, look at that.
05:44Oh yeah, look at that, right there, there, and right here.
05:52Oh yeah, that's a big one.
05:54Whoa, that's a huge one.
05:58That one's huge.
06:01That looks like a fossilized limpet.
06:04That does look like a fossilized limpet.
06:06I found one that isn't broken at all.
06:08Oh yeah, that one's in great shape.
06:10Oh look behind you.
06:12Look at all the bellum knights in here.
06:15Oh, isn't that cool?
06:17That is cool, look at all that.
06:20Oh, look at that.
06:24Is that a brown thing?
06:26Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's a fossil.
06:28Is that the bone?
06:30I don't know.
06:32Let's see.
06:40Yeah, look at that, that's cool.
06:43There we go, look at that.
06:46Oh, did it come off?
06:48Oh, nice.
06:50Is that Jake standing on it?
06:53This is one of the most gorgeous places I've ever hunted for fossils.
06:57Look at this, isn't this great?
07:01Let's keep it open.
07:03Let's keep it open.
07:05I have to hide this from all people.
07:23Woo!
07:25Check it out.
07:27That's the way we came.
07:29Up through that valley.
07:31And that's the way we're going.
07:37Woo!
07:39That was a nice one.
07:41I even got one.
07:43Woo!
07:45Ah, I'm having a good time.
07:47Go!
07:49Go!
07:51Go!
07:53Woo!
07:55Oh!
07:57The water came bursting out.
07:59Woo!
08:01Woo!
08:03Woo!
08:05Woo!
08:07Woo!
08:09I'm stuck in my crate.
08:13Wow, this thing goes through water just so well.
08:16He's kind of floating.
08:18It looks like it's floating.
08:28Oh!
08:32Woo!
08:34Woo!
08:36Wow, that splashed all the way up in here, didn't it?
08:40Luckily, the engine intake is in the back
08:42and it's covered over a bunch of stuff.
08:45So you can go into some pretty deep water
08:47and as long as you don't linger,
08:49it's not too bad.
08:51Where's the big one?
09:03This is so much fun!
09:05Hold on, we're going back!
09:07We're driving on an airstrip.
09:09It's used by the miners
09:11and the homesteaders back here to get supplies.
09:15Check it out!
09:17We have some gold mines up ahead.
09:19These guys are working excavators
09:21and slush boxes.
09:27The big rocks get sorted out
09:29and then the dirt gets sprayed with water.
09:31All the gold and heavy dirt
09:33gets separated
09:35and then he takes and pans
09:37the leftovers and gets the gold out.
09:39I'll be there in two hours.
09:41Oh, there it is.
09:43Maybe a gram and a half.
09:45That's pretty!
09:47Five grams.
09:49I would have been digging out of this truck.
09:51Oh my goodness, those are just gorgeous.
09:53Oh, that's cool!
09:55Alright guys, hop in!
09:57Oh, that's cool.
10:23This is a deep one.
10:25Wow, look how deep that is.
10:29Oh no!
10:30Oh!
10:31Oh my gosh!
10:33Woo hoo hoo!
10:34Water came bursting out!
10:37We'll clean them up real good.
10:40Alright guys, you ready to find some more fossils?
10:42Yeah!
10:43Yeah!
10:44Alright!
10:45Yeah, look at that.
10:46Got some raspberry bushes there.
10:49Whoa!
10:52Woo!
10:52Oh yeah, I can see it.
10:54Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
10:55There's some fossils on that one.
10:57We're gonna find it is the big rocks roll to the bottom.
11:01Yeah.
11:01But they hang up in the trees.
11:02I want you to stay with me.
11:04A little bit more of a challenging hunt.
11:08Oh yeah!
11:11Oh yeah, there's a nice imprint.
11:13There it went.
11:23Oh, that's cool.
11:25Woo!
11:30Yes!
11:32Yes!
11:33Just make a little ledge to put your feet.
11:35It's the last day of August
11:36and the leaves are already turning yellow.
11:39Fall comes quick around here.
11:41Reach for me, my son.
11:43You're almost there.
11:44You gotta do it.
11:45Oh, you did it.
11:47You're safe.
11:48Just take jumps and then it's easier to stop yourself.
11:51Just go and hop like a bunny.
11:52Yes, Tommy's gonna do it.
11:53Hop like a bunny.
11:56Hop, hop.
12:00Tom's down.
12:02Okay, show us.
12:03Careful, don't get going too fast.
12:06Stop, Nate, stop.
12:11Nice.
12:15Oh, check it out.
12:16You find one?
12:17Oh yeah, yeah, you get a good...
12:18Oh, it gives you an idea of what we're looking for.
12:20It's kind of a ram's horn style shell.
12:23And they get big.
12:25Here we go.
12:27This is what we're looking for.
12:29Hopefully I can get it without busting it.
12:35Oh, a piece of an ammonite or something.
12:36Yeah, yeah, yeah.
12:37Just judging by it.
12:39Oh, too greedy.
12:42Oh.
12:43Whoa!
12:45You can see all the guts of it.
12:47Oh, awesome.
12:49Look at the calcite in there.
12:51Yeah.
12:52Look at the crystals.
12:53Look at the calcium crystals.
12:55And it's...
12:58Jake found it.
12:59It's his.
13:01No, Jake.
13:03Cool fossil.
13:04Look at that.
13:05That is way cool.
13:06Here's another one.
13:07Oh yeah, I can see that's the inside.
13:09It's just a little quarter of it.
13:11Look at that.
13:13Beautiful.
13:14Absolutely beautiful.
13:15Oh, you can see all the chambers.
13:17Woo-hoo.
13:18That's a great one.
13:19And see the crystals growing inside the shell?
13:22Wow!
13:29Very cool.
13:34Yeah!
13:38Oh, I'm gonna roll.
13:41Ha, ha, ha, ha.
13:48Whoa!
13:49Oh, I'm bursting it.
13:51Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
13:55All right, Jake.
13:56I got you.
13:58Oh, right in the face.
14:02You did it.
14:03I gotta tell you what, guys.
14:05I like these UTVs, man.
14:08These things are awesome.
14:09All right, hold on to your butts.
14:10It's gonna get bumpy.
14:16Here we go again.
14:19All right, hold on tight, everybody.
14:33You wanna go explore it real quick?
14:35Guys, there's a creepy boss.
14:37All right, let's go inside
14:38and see if there's little school kid skeletons.
14:44Hey, if you see a nail, grab a nail.
14:46Whoa, look at the engine.
14:48Look at the mudslides that hit the side of the bus.
14:51See the dirt comes all the way up to the windows?
14:54I would love to know the backstory
14:55of how this thing ended up all the way back here.
14:58Oh, look, it's an army bus.
15:00It says U.S. Army Bus for official use only.
15:04All right, all aboard.
15:06All right, kids, the school of hard knocks
15:08is now in session.
15:10You're the best school bus driver ever.
15:14All right, kids, come on.
15:27You hear a scrape on that.
15:30I hope so.
15:38We're coming up on Jake's gold claim.
15:41That's a nice set up.
15:43Yeah, look at that.
15:46That was awesome.
15:48Oh yeah, I can see why you'd wanna make this a gold claim.
15:52You got bedrock right down here.
15:55Gold sits on top of bedrock.
16:00Rice.
16:01That wind is just awful.
16:02I love eating rice.
16:06Yeah, can I see?
16:07Yeah, now we're talking.
16:12I feel like I wanna put a pair of knives.
16:16I feel like I wanna put a pair of knives.
16:34I need you to squish this bag up,
16:37mix up all that dough in the bag.
16:42All right, guys, I'm gonna show you
16:43one of my favorite things.
16:44rendered bacon fat. Requires little or no refrigeration and it is the ultimate
16:49oil, grease for Dutch ovens, frying pans, that sort of thing.
17:14Look at that. Anyone want some naan? There you go, kind of a hearty naan. It's nice and
17:38warm. That is a perfect marshmallow loop. From one loop to another, well done. It's
17:59still good. Guys, do you know how late it is? It's 9.30, it's your bedtime. Uh oh, my
18:18spanking hand is getting itchy. You warm? Good. What an awesome, awesome day. We have
18:27had such a ball getting out here, but it is late, I'm exhausted, and I will see you
18:33guys in the morning.
18:37Oh, it's cold. Well this morning, breakfast burritos sound pretty good to me. I think
19:05we better get cracking on that. They don't have any more of those nowadays. We're not
19:24bringing cheese home with us. Ooh, a little salsa. Really good. Would you guys like to
19:48shoot the .22? All right, let's set up a little target range, huh? Here, just put it right here,
19:57Tom. See this stick? This right here is the line, okay? Okay. That's the tip of the bullet. Now,
20:05there's a bullet in there, and then you squeeze the trigger. You go, okay. You're ready to fire,
20:16Tom. I like this. We're getting ready to do some gold mining here on Jake's gold claim,
20:27but one of the biggest obstacles to mining gold is getting the wetsuit on. Jake's just a little
20:34bit fluffy like me. It's like a Chippendale dancer who's about to pull a muscle. All right,
20:43Jake's busting out the dredge.
21:13The bedrock's really shallow, which is good because the gold hangs up on the bedrock. Ooh,
21:28that sucky. That's a lot of work. That is a lot of work, but it's fun and it's rewarding. Yeah,
21:49I did that for like two seconds and my hands are frozen. See all that gravel in there? There's
21:53lots of gold in that, and we're going to use the pan to get the gold out. Can you find some?
21:58Yep, I found it. Oh, look at that. Look at all that gold that I found. Oh, yeah, look at that.
22:04There's a bunch right there. You have a little vial or something? Yeah, I do. A little piece
22:14of gold right there. You got to be pretty gentle with it. A couple tablespoons of material in my
22:29pan. Oh, my. That's impressive. Well, there you go. About an hour, hour and a half of dredging
22:41and about $100 worth of gold. So not too shabby. The boys have had an absolute ball playing on the
22:48shale slide over here. They've almost broke their neck like 10 times, but they're having fun. Hey,
22:54Nathan, what'd you find over there? A knife. Take a look at this. Man. Yeah, that's actually in
23:04really good shape, Nathan. Right there. You found it right there? Somewhere in this area.
23:11Look at that. That's lucky. Well, the boys and I have had an absolute ball hanging out with Jake
23:17and Luke. And if you guys want to see more great outdoor adventures that are family friendly,
23:22check out their channel. I'll put a link in the description below. But we've got to get
23:26headed home and we've got a great trail ahead of us. I'm really excited for the ride back.
23:34Have you had a good time? Yeah. All right, guys, get loaded up in the UTV. We're getting out of
23:39here. Would you guys like to do this again sometime? Yeah. The boys have decided that
23:49we should name the UTV Appa after the flying buffalo on Avatar. This is Appa,
23:54my flying bison. Appa, yip yip. Yip yip, Appa. Appa, yip yip.
24:04I enjoy it.
24:15You were fast and furious. Ride or die, remember?
24:23We didn't get rained on last night, but apparently up in the valley above us, it did get rained.
24:29The rivers are a little bit dirty and a little bit higher than when we
24:33crossed the first time. So it's a little bit of a clencher getting back home.
24:45Oh, you were wearing your rain pants. Yip yip, Appa.
24:55Oh, there's a lot of water.
24:59Oh,
25:11ah, the current pushed us a little bit.
25:19Oh,
25:25I'm glad we had the window shut on that one.
25:49Oh,
26:19oh,
26:41all right, Tommy, we're going to give you a turn, okay?
26:44Yep. Welcome aboard. I'm going to do some driving.
27:06Are you ready?
27:07Yeah.
27:26Oh, here we are at the car.
27:32Guys, did you have fun? Yeah.
27:34Yeah. If you guys enjoyed this video as much as we enjoyed filming it, don't forget to click
27:40subscribe to the Outdoor Boys YouTube channel. And don't forget to check out our six-week
27:46adventure here in Alaska. I'll put a link in the description to that video as well. And check out
27:51Jake's YouTube channel, How to Alaska, for more family-friendly outdoor adventures.
27:57Thanks for watching, guys. See you next Saturday. Yeah.
28:01Yeah. If you like this video, don't forget to check out the Outdoor Boys YouTube channel,
28:05where we have hundreds of videos just like this. And don't forget to click subscribe so you can
28:10see other great videos every Saturday morning. And hit that bell button, you'll get notifications.
28:16Thanks for watching.