One Step, and Then Another | Finishing the Pacific Crest Trail
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Published 2020-11-19
In 2019, I set out to thru hike the entire Pacific Crest Trail. I'm not super athletic or fit, and I grew up in Indiana with a distinct lack of mountains to roam in. But I was sure of this dream. I hiked for 6 months and made it 2,336 miles! Getting to Canada was surreal and so beautiful.
But I came home with unfinished business - I skipped about 350 miles of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the middle. I attempted it in June, but fell into an icy stream and it was enough to convince me I was (literally) in over my head.
I even tried to return with my friends after making it to Canada, and we closed our flip flop gap with 200 more miles of Norcal. But snow and temps in the low teens convinced me and my buddy Cheer that we'd rather come back to finish the High Sierra in nicer weather.
So this video tells the story of our return - our drive to see the dream through, despite the crazy snow last year, the changing plans, the extra challenges of staying safe in a pandemic, and essentially tackling the hardest part of the PCT without acclimating š
(Quick note: we carefully considered the implications of hiking during Covid-19. We were able to complete this section without hitchhiking, minimized our number of resupply stops, and wore face coverings when we couldn't social distance šš»)
My PCT Highlight Video: Ā Ā Ā ā¢Ā 179Ā DaysĀ onĀ theĀ PacificĀ CrestĀ TrailĀ |...Ā Ā
The Gear Video: Ā Ā Ā ā¢Ā EverythingĀ IĀ usedĀ onĀ myĀ 2019Ā PCTĀ hike...Ā Ā
My lighterpack (gear I started with): lighterpack.com/r/d8jcri
My blog: www.hikersteph.com/
Instagram: instagram.com/hikersteph
Music (Licensed through Musicbed)
"Ephemeral" Future of Forestry
"We Go Together" Heartbreak Kid
"Sound of the Earth" De Joie
"It's a Wonderful Life" John Lu
All Comments (20)
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Omg, Calzone, I'm bawling! What an awesome video! Thank you for sharing your hike with us ā¤ PiƱata
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Amazing video! Thanks for sharing the joy of being able to go back and finish the trail!
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I'm from Siberia! And these mountain lakes are very similar to ours!
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Those clouds at 3:20 are amazing!
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I dream to go on such a journey!š
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It was awesome to meet you.... if you ever want to hike in the Cabinet Mountains Let me know. --- Jesse
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Cool videos! Awesome journey. New follower here. All the best, Crowāļø
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Well done Stephanie. Well done. I am so very glad you were able to go back and finish. This video is also well done. I loved the music you chose. I have great respect for all youāve accomplished these past years. 2019-2020. Bravo friend.
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I just watched your finishing gear list vid!
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Congratulations on finishing what you began last year.
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Congratz! It must have been amazing to go to yosemite valley this year without all the crowds!
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Congrats..I hope to do PNT, PCT and GDT, in near future then onward to South America.
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Niceā¤ļø i head out 3/8/2021 super excited!
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Awesome video Stephanie. It all looks so different without the snow and so does your dancing without Ralf :-)
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Just checked my log and I went over Muir Pass on 07/11/2020 Hit Too Wall Um Knee Meadows in a dry (to me) thunder storm. I live just an hour from many trailheads of the PCT and three hours from the southern terminus I may do Oregon next year. Maybe Washington as well :o)
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good job nicely done
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What permits did you get to do this section? Iām going to do this section next year (2021). Thanks. BTW...great video!
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what camera did you use for the night photos?
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Why would you not hitchhike?
