The Real Reason American Pickers Never Visited Utah

When it comes to down-home goodness like apple pie, it's right there in the name for "American Pickers." Mike Wolfe and whoever he's traveling with drive across the country looking for the next great find. You never know what you might stumble across as you scrounge around scrap metal in someone's garage. It may just be garbage, or you may discover the old touring van for Aerosmith. It captures that good, old-fashioned American spirit of heading out into the unknown in the hopes of striking gold. 

With that being said, there are some states the "American Pickers" crew has yet to venture into yet. Some of them make sense, like Alaska and Hawaii, which are a bit out of the way. Others don't have as rational explanations as to why they've never been picked, like Utah. It's right smack-dab in the middle of the country, and you would think there would be plenty of antiques waiting for them to rummage through. While Wolfe has never elaborated on why they've glossed over the Beehive State, there's a reasonably logical explanation if you're familiar with local weather conditions.

Here's a fun fact if you're looking to get into the antique game: Older items hold up better when kept in humid environments as opposed to dry ones. A certain level of moisture helps keep the older components in good shape. In dry climates, wood starts to warp while certain materials, like lubricants and adhesives, become brittle and liable to breakage (via Love to Know). It's likely for this reason why the "American Pickers" crew has steered clear of states like Nevada and Utah.

Those states have naturally dry climates with little humidity. In fact, when you look at this Forbes chart, Utah has one of the lowest average humidity rates in the country, just behind Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico. Of course, the show has filmed in New Mexico in the past, but they must've realized there was something truly remarkable to find amid the desert.

The show's still going strong even after 20 seasons and the departure of long-time host Frank Fritz. It's always possible the crew could make its way to Utah in the near future. If there's money to be made, you can be confident the pickers won't be far behind.