A Directory of Videos, Articles, and Resources for my Pacific Crest Trail Through Hike
Below are links to all of the Pacific Crest Trail through hike post and videos that I have on this site as well as links to resources that I found helpful in planning for the PCT. This directory page is being set up in March/April of 2018 as I prepare for my May 2018 Pacific Crest Trail through hike start date. Once I am on the trail all of my updates will be made from my iPhone and may become sporadic. My most recent post will appear on the home page or the recent articles directory. You can also click “PCT-Pacific Crest Trail” on the articles “Articles by location” list. Updates to this page will likely be sporadic until I complete my hike and have a chance to sit at my desktop computer again. In the meantime, look for updates on my YouTube channel or here, and please forgive errors that I might make as I post from the trail using just my iPhone.
For any products that I think are worthwhile I have a seperate “PCT gear links” page.
Thanks for visiting!
Best wishes,
Dominic Urbano
Before hiking the trail. Conditioning… gear… and other preparation.
PCT hike introduction (Article and Video) 2018
My first video “Hello world… I’m going to hike the Pacific Crest Trail” sort of thing. A chance to test the camera (iphone) and audio while walking, and to practice editing/uploading just with the phone rather than my desktop computer.
Pre-Pacific Crest Trail Conditioning (Video)
A hike on Blanchard mountain ended up putting me into some unexpected snow conditions. In the video I talk about what I hope to gain from my basic PCT conditioning hikes. Fitness goals… gear trials… etc. I also speak about the difficulty that I am having with getting a sun hat that doesn’t annoy the heck out of me.
Hiking sun hat modification (Video)
My Columbia Bora Bora II hat was too floppy and a little too wide in the back. (See the end of my previous training hike video) I did a bit of surgery and made some improvements to make the hat work better for my PCT hike.
Deciding that solar is the best way to go (Article)
Choosing the best way to charge my batteries while on the PCT. I dreaded the thought of having to spend hours and hours near electrical outlets. So I bought a battery pack… and then tried solar. Solar wins!
Pacific Crest Trail 2018 Camera and Video Gear (Video)
Selecting what camera would best suit my needs for the PCT. Not an easy choice! Ultimately I chose to modify my iPhoneX with a Moment lens and an MV88 microphone. This video shows the gear and why I decided to go with this photo/video set up.
Making the final cut for my PCT gear (Article)
A week to go before I start the PCT my pack and hiking gear is spread out all over the floor of my bedroom as I ponder how to shave a few more ounces from my hiking kit and try to resist the temptation to add even more.
Getting started on the Pacific Crest Trail – Campo to Warner Springs (Video)
On the trail! I started my hike on May 4th at about 7:00AM. Lots of excitement as I get started… dampened a bit by getting sick at mile 15.
My water scoop was a big hit on the Pacific Crest Trail (Video)
Scooping water from shallow water sources is often necessary. Before I left for the PCT I made a water scoop out of a smart water bottle, the stopper cap that came with my Sawyer Squeeze, and a bit of metal coffee filter mesh. The set up worked great! I had some time to kill while waiting out the heat of the day at Aqua Caliente creek just north of Warner Springs so I made a little video of how the water scoop and Sawyer Squeeze work.
On the ridge south of Idyllwild I was caught in some crazy high wind conditions. Both fun… and potentially dangerous.(video)
Hiking the PCT section from Paradise Valley Cafe to the fire closure at mile 168 was one of the most scenic sections of trail. (many people skip this section due to the trail closure. I highly recommend hiking this section) As I began to top the ridge near miles 163-165 the wind was blowing so hard that I couldn’t stay on the trail!
Desert Miles 0 – 400 of the PCT (Video)
A collection of short video clips as I hike the first 400 miles through the dry/desert section of the Pacific Crest Trail.
Leaving the Pacific Crest Trail at Mile 444 (Video)
Why I decided that through hiking the Pacific Crest Trail was not for me. Although I was making good progress and was physically fine, the constant need to push forward meant that “miles” were the most dominant priority. I projected forward and didn’t see how this could change as I needed to average 20 miles a day in order to reach the Canadian border by early September. 20-25 miles each day was not a problem, but it did mean that stopping to enjoy some of this beautiful country was limited option. I decided to leave the PCT so that I could focus my hiking in a different way.