Days 184-185: Winthrop, WA is *amazing*!!! <3

Friday 10/19/12
Miles 0
Elevation same

Saturday 10/20/12
Miles 2,630-2,638 (8 miles)
Elevation 5,500'

Oh my gosh, the town of Winthrop is AMAZING.  It is quickly becoming my favorite trail town.  Even more than Idyllwild.  This town has shown all of us so much aloha it is overwhelming.  <3  We were trying to figure out how to get snowshoes.  I posted on the town online bulletin board and found 6 pairs of snowshoes within HOURS!  It was incredible how I just put out the bat signal and within hours, it was like the entire town came together to help us out.  It is a very beautiful thing.  Special thanks to the Winthrop Chamber of Commerce for loaning us most of the snowshoes.  They host a snowshoe softball tournament every year.  Lol!  That must be interesting.

CJ, my resupply person drove up with her husband Marty to deliver some warm weather gear to us.  THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!  We pretty much would not have been able to do this last section without her.  I got some snow pants, gloves, more baselayers, actual shoes, and warm socks.  Kyle got some gloves and some layers.  And more food.  It felt like we were gearing up for war.  Lol!
If you guys ever go to Winthrop, I highly recommend visiting.  Their brewery makes a killer coffee porter. YUM.  The Virginian Hotel is so awesome, and they really showed us amazing hospitality.  It is also one of the more affordable places in town to stay, and right next to the supermarket.

Needless to say, my experience in Winthrop was nothing short of amazing.  2013 hikers, if you are planning your resupply, go to Winthrop, not Stehekin.  Stehekin is EXPEN

SIVE, and there is nothing there other than the bakery.  Winthrop is a full service town, and has a bakery as well and it is delicious.  And they are sooooo hiker friendly.  Loved it!

Anyhow, after CJ, the most epic trail angel in the world, helped us out with gear, they drove all 6 of us up to Hart's Pass, which was 30 miles to the terminus of the trail, and 38 miles into Manning Park.  I don't particularly feel bad about skipping out on the 30 miles between Rainy Pass and Hart's Pass.  we're running short on time.  We have a small window right now where we're not gonna get snow dumped on us, so we gotta just mow.

So the 6 of us: me, Kyle, Doe Eyes, Scrub Rat, Cityfood, and Scallywag, headed out of Harts pass with snowshoes and trekking poles with snow baskets  lent to us by the amazing people of Winthrop.    We made 8 miles, it was beautiful.  Snowshoeing is quite exhausting, when compared to normal hiking.

kyle fixing his snowshoe and Scrub Rat behind him

winter wonderland?