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    Every Single Step | A Pacific Crest Trail Documentary



    Every Single Step | A Pacific Crest Trail Documentary

    On May 9th, 2022, I began my 5 month long thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. It would end up being the greatest adventure of my life. This film, Every Single Step, is the raw and real story and documentary of a first time thru-hiker hiking from Mexico to Canada on the PCT and absolutely everything that comes with it. From run-ins with bears, summiting snowy passes, dealing with wildfires, making wild wanderer friends, seeing some of the most beautiful places on Earth, and surviving yet thriving in these truly wild spaces, I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I did creating it.

    ▶︎ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nathan__brooks/

    ▶︎ Spotify playlist of all my trail songs I used in the film: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/56hqYTfTHietJ596RpwqmI?si=d78a49a9788541e2

    ▶︎ Check out my TikTok Pacific Crest Trail series I made while out there: https://www.tiktok.com/@natehateshiking

    CHAPTERS:

    00:00:00 – Intro
    00:01:23 – NASCENCE in The Desert
    00:21:29 – MAGNIFICENCE in The Sierra
    00:44:15 – AMBIVALENCE in Northern California
    00:54:58 – ESSENCE in Oregon
    01:08:51 – QUINTESSENCE in Washington
    01:23:22 – CONFLUENCE at Journey’s End

    STATS:

    2,804 total miles hiked
    6.2 million steps taken
    952,000 feet of elevation change
    ~750,000 calories consumed
    187 GB of photo and video taken
    4 black bears
    0 mountain lions
    3 scorpions
    5 elk
    5 rattlesnakes
    19 marmots
    1 bald eagle
    1 pika
    Endless chipmunks, mice, deer, and lizards

    GEAR LIST:

    Big 4 Items (and accessories):
    Gossamer Gear Mariposa Backpack
    Gossamer Gear The One Trekking Pole Tent
    Gossamer Gear Polycro Ground Sheet
    Leki Khumbu Lite Trekking Poles
    Enlightened Equipment Enigma Down Quilt
    Nemo Switchback Ground Sleeping Pad

    Clothing:
    Altra Lone Peaks 6
    Injinji Crew Toe Socks
    Darn Tough 1/4 Cushion Light Socks
    Meriwool Boxer Briefs
    Montane Terra Pack Pants
    Rab Pulse Sun Hoody
    Columbia Fleece Jacket (Washington only)
    Enlightened Equipment Torrid Down Jacket
    Frogg Toggs Ultra Lite 2 Rain Gear
    Oklahoma State Cap
    Dirty Girl Gaiters
    Trail magic bandana
    Bug Head Net
    Glacier Glove Ascension Bay Sun Gloves (Desert only)

    Tech:
    Anker PowerCore 20,000mAh Portable Battery
    All needed charging cords
    Apple power adapter
    iPhone 11
    Garmin inReach Mini
    Nitecore NU-20 Headlamp
    Apple EarPods

    Misc. Items:
    Footmaxx Arch Support
    Rawlogy Cork Massage Ball
    Plastic spoon
    Duct tape
    Talenti Gelato container
    Classic SD Swiss Army Knife
    Sunglasses
    Contacts and Contact Solution
    Aquatabs
    Anti-diarrheal
    Smartwater plastic bottles
    Leukotape P
    Coghlan’s Backpacking Trowel
    Random toilet paper
    Trash bags for waterproofing
    Plastic bags for small items
    Toothpaste and cut-down toothbrush
    Sawyer Squeeze
    Homemade first aid kit
    Permethrin (Sierra only)
    BV500 Bear Canister (Sierra only)
    Ursack Major Bear-Resistant Bag (north of Sierra only)

    TRAIL DIET:
    Couscous
    Ramen
    Tortillas
    Peanut M&M’s
    S’mores Poptarts
    Instant mashed potatoes
    Instant refried beans
    Cheez-its
    Snickers bars
    Payday bars
    Cookie packages
    Clif bars
    Gatorade bars
    Liquid IV
    Doritos
    Tuna pouches
    Club crackers
    Mixed nuts

    #pacificcresttrail #pct #hiking #thruhike #backpacking #california #oregon #washington #mtwhitney #yosemite #sequoia #kingscanyon #nationalparks #nationalpark #lassenvolcanic #craterlake #mountrainier #northcascades #sierra #sierranevada #mountains #camping #thruhiking #hike #hiker #film

    Edited using DaVinci Resolve 18

    Thanks for watching!

    View 45 Comments

    45 Comments

    2. @douchebagdoggy on

      Great video/film! You make such an amazing feat appear tangible and within reach! Thank you for inspiring us! 💚

      But, why the 24 brews in 24 hours? You completed something so amazingly in line with healthy living by poisoning yourself at the very end. I got nauseous just thinking about it. 🤮 How many piss breaks did you take over that final day???

    4. @darbyremick2197 on

      Awesome job with the video. Thanks for sharing your journey! I thru hiked the AT back in 2021 and plan on doing the PCT in 2030. I got a lot of useful information from this! Happy Trial, They Mayor

    6. @timcolvin-mr9wo on

      I never comment on here but I have to say that this was an excellent, entertaining, media piece. You have incredible talent. The editing, soundtrack, and filming were beyond excellent. I felt an emotional connection throughout the entire movie; Thanks for sharing. I wish you the best throughout all your future dreams and endeavors.

    11. @whistlepig on

      I love how adventurous your generation is. When my friends and I graduated, we were expected to get a job right away.

      It would be years before I started taking big trips and section hiking the AT. Unfortunately, I’ll never be able to do a thru hike because I can’t find that amount of time to get away. So congratulations on your decision and making it happen!

    15. @WildNile on

      Loved watching every minute brotha! Way to go! Im starting NOBO in 35 days. Thanks for sharing your adventure. And a big congratulations.

    17. @MelanieMay_ on

      I’m crying watching the kindness of strangers and the community spirit and then you said “and maybe pet the dog and stuff” and now I just want to be part of this hiking community so bad. But I live in Ireland and I’ve never hiked. And I’m in my mid-forties. Is it too late to start?

    19. @geremyjohnston3471 on

      I’m 32 years old with a successful electrician business, and just started a beautiful family. I recently read a walk in the woods which led me to your incredible documentary. There’s a massive part of me that yearns for this type of adventure in my life. I’ve spent majority of my youth grinding and wish I got an opportunity like this. I’m at a chapter in my life where I have too many responsibilities to walk away from for a trip like this. I’m hoping that im fortunate enough in my career to retire young and do something like this one day while I’m still strong. It’s super inspired!

    20. @NickHikedThere on

      I just watched this while on the treadmill at the gym and went to comment about how good it was only to discover I had commented the exact same thing over a year ago lol. Anyway, still amazing and I’m glad you went back to the terminus!

    21. @raptorsan85 on

      We're currently on stand by to see who's being downsized at work. I'm secretly hoping it's me. I already applied for and been approved a March 28 permit. I'll be so disappointed if I have to stay in the Matrix.

    25. @vikmarquez on

      Question, did you get inspired by the movie The secret life of Walter Mitty? I get little hints of it throughout this amazing video. Great work.

    28. @BrookeMerkin on

      absoLUTely THE most wonderful visual and spiritual journey to behold and to take in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you thank you thank you for so kindly taking the time to create this masterpiece!!!!!

    29. @davydku on

      Hey Nathan!
      I have no idea why this video does not have 100K likes.. this is beyond beautiful. I enjoyed every single second of this video.
      This encouraged me to also do this one day. It has been on my mind for a long time and I loved that one sign in your video "If not now, when then?". I guess the perfect moment never comes.. Thank you!

    30. @celesteorrantia on

      Awesome film Nathan. Every section you hiked I wished I was hiking there too. A magnificent accomplishment and great job editing this film to not only be entertaining, but to show what it's really like to undertake this trek. Congratulations. I thoroughly enjoyed this film.

    37. @ryanbooth8421 on

      First and foremost, I’m in awe of your achievement. Secondly you captured the whole experience so amazingly. You will yearn for this experience time and time again. Of that I am sure.

      You won’t be able to share the experience with anyone apart from your fellow hikers because it will fall on deaf ears.

      Life stood still while you were away. Nothing changed apart from you.

      Well done sir. Congratulations. You’ve inspired me to go and attempt this.

    41. @theresiadevy on

      Hi Nathan, i just watched your video. It's awesome video. Btw, I'm Devy from Indonesia and been living in southern california for 10 yrs. I have experiences overnights hiking from my country but since I move to here it's hard to do that, living costs are chasing me. I was wondering , what do hikers do for living?
      And how much budget you spent for hike PCT ?? I would like to save some money to hike at PCT.
      And what camera for making this video??
      Thank you

    42. @markdaniels70 on

      I've watched so many of these vids for AT, CDT and PCT… and this is one of the best I've ever seen… The quality is absolutely amazing….. I've been dreaming of being a thru hiker for over 20 yrs…. and I'm hoping to be able to fulfill my dream soon starting with the AT…. Thank you so much for creating and posting this…

    43. @slangley3235 on

      I love that you took your family to Castle Pass…..that's my home turf! I have to tell you, your documentary is the absolute BEST. The commentary, your perspective, the scenery you chose to show and the things you focus on. I'm an avid backpacker myself (multiple JMT and also PCT) but still get chills and can not process the beauty of our beautiful wild west. Good job on this…..I've seen dozens of PCT docs (Handstand is my other favorite 😀) and you've really set the bar high. Happy Trails from Truckee! <3 Cricket

    44. @Entropy825 on

      Nathan, I've watched a dozen or so PCT documentaries, and yours is the best one I've seen. So real, so sincere. You did a fantastic job with it.

    45. @joshuamay2134 on

      The flowers are pretty, except the invasive thistle pictured 31:56. Horrible plant that seed had to a hitchhike on a hiker. Its seeds will speed all over those mountains that crowd out native species.

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