Start: 0830 - Methow River
End: 1830 - foot of Tamarack Peak
Miles (today): 21
Miles (cumulative): 2654 (2404 PCT, 175 alternate, 75 off)

The weather is still holding!  I'm amazed and so very grateful.  It was a cold morning (they all are these days) but the sun was out (mostly) and there wasn't much of a cold wind to contend with.  There were a few brief moments of snow flurries, but they weren't worrisome.   I still struggled with my attire (a coat was too hot but sometimes not wearing it was too cold) but eventually decided to go without the coat and just hike faster.

There were a lot of day hikers out, which was great because they kept my spirits up - they were like spectators at the end of a race, cheering me on.  I stopped at Harts Pass for a break and ended up chatting for quite a while with several day hikers about to leave - they gave me some trail magic in the form of apples and homemade chocolate chip cookies.  It was great!  

About 2 miles after Harts Pass I ran into a wonderful gentleman, Mel, who ended up giving me a homemade brownie, perhaps the most delicious brownie I've ever eaten (yes, I know it was probably just a normal brownie and it's just the situation I'm in - hungry - that makes it taste amazing.  I'm ok with that.) It was his friend Carol's birthday and his group went for a hike up the mountain to celebrate; When I passed Carol a little later I wished her a happy birthday, which took her by surprise (I'm a random stranger, how did I know it was her birthday?) and made her smile.  :)

All the day hikers told me the weather should be ok for the next day or so, which made me hopeful. I hope they are right!  

Some thru-hikers who had finished the trail also passed me (some hikers choose not to go into Canada after they finish and instead hike the 30 miles back to Harts Pass).  They were happy and full of energy- it felt great to congratulate them on a finish and hearing their reminder that we are SO CLOSE made me smile.  

When Nick and I met at the planned campsite, he told me he received the other brownie from Mel  (during my conversation with Mel I mentioned that my husband was behind me, so Mel said he'd give the last brownie to him).  Nick also received trail magic from some day hikers in the form of bread and cheese (they happened to pass him while he was eating lunch).  It turned out to be a good trail magic day for both of us.  

The scenery just gets better and better - today we got to walk on the ridgelines for most of the day and I loved it!!!  

Tonight Nick made an awesome fire for us to enjoy and it is so nice to be typing this entry next to the fire with warm fingers!  It's going to be very cold tonight - I almost don't want to leave this fire - but at least I have a warm sleeping bag waiting for me in the tent.

The stars are amazing, too, which is another reason I don't want to leave this fire.  I'm really, REALLY going to miss the fantastic night sky when this trip is done - I'm blown away by how many stars you can see when away from city lights!

25 more miles to the border.  Just 25 more miles.  :)

Along the trail: