It is said that the journey was not without challenges. This included driving in the dark on rocky terrain and checking GPS coordinates. At least one explorer got lost first. But the trip was worth it, they said, even if the monolith was not the work of strangers.
He was among the first to find it
David Surber may have been among the first to look at the monolith in person. The coordinates of the monolith circulated on Reddit, but none of the users could confirm that they were correct. Surber volunteered to find out.
“At the end of the day, it was made with an extraterrestrial or artistic term; it gave thousands of monolithic people the opportunity to gather behind something positive again,” CNN said in an email. “It was a good escape from all the negatives we experienced in 2020.”
He got there before sunrise
With some idea of where the monolith was located, McBride and a friend set off while it was dark in a rough place. They slept there and woke up at sunrise to be among the first to reach.
There was no trail, but McBride’s navigation was on site, so he and his friend found the monolith before sunrise. But some other explorers seemed to have had the same idea as McBride because handprints were cracked all over the metal surface.
“The thing was dirty from being touched by people,” he said. “I tried to wipe it, but it’s like my handprints froze and made of donut glaze or something.”
The monolith appears to be nailed to a metal frame that is probably drilled into Utah rock – something McBride has mixed feelings about. On the one hand, whoever installed the monolith there damaged public space (it is illegal, according to the Utah Department of Public Safety, whose employees found it on the helicopter overpass on Nov. 18).
On the other hand, it is a work of art that has fascinated the internet and inspired dozens of adventurers to follow in its footsteps.
This way of YouTube was more dangerous
Seitzinger, known on YouTube as Talon Sei, found the coordinates of the monolith on Reddit and headed for the desert. He said he was about two hours away from Moab.
His navigation led to the edge of steep canyons that blocked his path and at one point he almost gave up. But after he fixed his direction and returned to another journey, he also found the monolith.
“Countless shows and movies have been shot in this area, so unfortunately they are not extraterrestrials,” he told CNN. – They raised everyone’s hopes.
Their advice to future explorers
In his video, Seitzinger told his 480,000-plus YouTube subscribers not to follow in his footsteps and make his way because of the dangers he was experiencing. If they still feel bold, he said, he suggests bringing towing boards in case their car gets stuck.
The hike to the monolith wasn’t hard, but the exit was rocky, McBride said. He suggests that you only go with high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles, such as your Jeep.
But even though the hike is relatively short if you park near the monolith, it’s easy to get lost in the canyons where the terrain looks the same, Surber said. Be aware of your surroundings and keep your GPS out in case you turn around, he said.
Surber advised not to go at night like he and McBride when they first drive through the desert. There are frequent and steep falls in the rock, he said.
The three intrepid explorers advise fans of “2001: The Space Odyssey” to treat the monolith with care if they find it. Because it is illegal to install works of art in an unlicensed public space, the mystifying rectangle may soon be removed. The Office of Land Management will decide whether to conduct further investigations, and CNN has contacted the office and is awaiting comments.
