As It Happens: Pacific Crest Trail
Frustrated by the monotony of city life, and eager for a new adventure, two friends decide to trek across the Pacific Crest Trail - a 2500-mile stretch of rugged terrain that runs along the border of the west coast from Mexico to Canada. Together, they're determined to test the limits of their endurance, soak in the majestic natural environment to which most are oblivious, and capture every step of their journey along the way. As It Happens: Pacific Coast Trail is the oftentimes grueling, but always inspiring document of their efforts.
Andy Laub and Ian Mangiardi both enjoy comfortable, established lives with their families and loved ones. But they are drawn to exploring the lessons offered by the natural world. During the course of their trek, they discover that nature can often be a cruel teacher. In addition to the foreboding hiss of venomous rattlesnakes and the presence of countless other scary creatures of the desert, they are faced with the seemingly never-ending challenges of severe weather conditions.
Setting off on their journey from Mexico, they find themselves blistered and beaten by scorching heat and dryness. Their complexions begin to adopt the appearance of the terrain as they soldier on through fits of hunger and dehydration. In spite of these hardships, they realize that the biggest challenge of all lies in wait for them further north where the Sierras are being hit with the largest snowstorm in history.
The viewer is made to feel intensely close to the action both in their times of peril and moments of glory. This is largely due to the impressively lyrical camerawork, which is complimented by hundreds of startling photographs, and two dozen original songs composed by Laub himself.
What does a journey such as this accomplish in the end? By the conclusion of As It Happens: Pacific Coast Trail, we can read its meaning on the weather-creased faces of our lead subjects, and hear it in the testimonies of each fellow traveler they encounter and befriend along the way. They have all experienced moments of transcendence, grace and profound appreciation while on the trail, and it's a feeling they hope to carry through into their daily lives.
awesome doc!! Thanyou for sharing your journey with me, how incredibly resilient you guys are and grueling that journey must have been, have never walked more than 100klms on any trek myself and for you guys to have walked/hiked 2600miles is aure inspiring.
Loved everything about this. Great documentary, very inspiring
I loved the moments were you didn't have to speak, where you had to rely on the beauty of nature, and the camaraderie between you and with other people who you met...that was the majesty of the movie and where the strength lies.
As a fan of AT thru hikers and a person who became aware of the PCT due Cheryl Strayed's book "Strayed", I appreciate this doc so very much. Awesome sights! Thank you so much for making this.
Beautiful! Namaste
hell of a walk......I am 73 now and again this summer I will try for 5000 kms on my trusty Giant mountain bike....it is about never quitting......did not quite make 5000 last year but I never gave up lol.......... thank you for the film
What an extraordinary adventure for you. My husband and I enjoyed everything about it. It has re-inspired us to further seek more adventures ourselves. Fantastic experience to watch you experience such things. We are aware it takes great courage and resolve to set out as you did and complete your desires. I could feel your life change. You can do anything. Bravo..Salut
thank you for giving us a glimpse of the trail. i hope that one day i can find the courage to do it too.
Thank you for taking us along on this journey. The photography was incredible. The effort even more so.
Very much enjoyed the film. Beyond an amazing accomplishment for anyone to do. Hats off to the courage and strength and determination it took. Very few can say they have both trails behind them. It says alot of the people they are and those who supported them in the adventure. When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
I thought it was a true inspiration and reminded me ncob as a kid. I think it was beautifully shot, narrated, composed, and edited. The pictures were engaging, the small stories from here to there that comprised the overall story kept me eager to watch your next accomplishment. I think you guys did a wonderful job. I'm looking at trails to hike as a result. You guys inspired me to seek my own adventure. Thank you. Perhaps you could hike the other two and earn the triple crown?
I tend to dig anything that is adventure. You seemed like you both felt the experience. not being a negative--but the music is a bit much. I would much have preferred it in small bits, and quieter so as to hear your story. But overall cool .
An impressive feat, some great visuals, but very generic in many other ways, never pulled me in emotionally, and the overuse of certain film effects became distracting.
There are a lot of these nature trek-challenge docs out there and many of them do a much better job of the storytelling. A similar one with young guys off on an amazing journey, but so much better told is "180° South". Great story and just beautifully done on every level.
Great adventure. Some only dream while others complain. Nice job on the editing. Too bad people judge and ran you off the beach. PC and not a clue about the metal it takes to trek a thru hike.
Beyond impressive...thank you for taking us along on your journey...as most of us will never see such grandeur ...loved the photography taken with an artistic flair...stay blessed guys..
I thought it was an excellent documentary. The music didn't bother me, they made fun of a fish...really? That is a complaint about the film? They ate the fish for food. They walked 2500 miles and you complain about what they ate?
I thought the journey was great - I am sure there was a lot of content that was not included. Glad you guys made it.
Very interesting documentary. Enjoyed very minute!
Dario, that's why your a dushbag and not an Amerikan. Freak.
This whole project is nothing shy of sad, uncourageous, idiocy. The sheer disrespect of the natural world despite the hikers continued immersion in such a beautiful landscape is appalling. Typical American narcissism at the cost of everyone else.
We see life through our own unique filter. I really enjoyed this.
Very good film making that made their journey, in some ways my own.
Thanks to those who made it.
Beautiful scenery. Somewhat contrived ,way too much love of eating animals whenever they got to a town ( watch Cowspiracy boys) and DONE when they made fun of killing a fish. Such beautiful nature and such disrespect !Sad.
Sorry. The music is very distracting and you can't hear anything else. Couldn't watch more than 15 minutes
Amazing photography, well worth the watch 9/10.
This is such 'Into The Wild' crap..
Exceptional in every sense of the word!