Date: 2018-05-21
From: Gravel Springs Hut

To: Compton Gap Trail / Chester Gap
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: overcast clouds

We're up early at Gravel Springs Hut for an oatmeal breakfast. My son slept like a log, but I slept like a rotisserie chicken trying to find a position I could breathe through my hay fever. Not to mention a couple of inconsiderate thruhikers crashed the shelter an hour after dark and proceeded to chat over a long dinner at the picnic table directly in front. You'd think after 900 miles they'd know shelter etiquette - lay down and be quiet after dark. So if you're reading this, don't be that guy! But it's a new day and looks to be beautiful. Our goal is to exit the north end of Shenandoah at Compton Gap Trail where our car is parked, about ten miles away. That's two back-to-back 10 mile days for my nine-year-old boy, but he's eager to get going so tonight we can have a restaurant dinner and tomorrow we can visit Luray Caverns instead of hiking out. The morning starts with two climbs over South and North Marshall mountains, both with views. We continue to cross Skyline Drive every mile or two. We hike through Hogwallow Flat and my son is amused by the name (along with Hogback and Pignut mountains). It's then all downhill, as they say, to Jenkins Gap, which is good as the temperature and humidity are rising and wearing us down. At Jenkins Gap the overlook is too far up the road so we grab some curb in the trailhead parking lot for lunch. Nearby are three older women who turn out to be the same group who passed us yesterday and shared our picnic table at the Elkwallow Wayside. Dawn, Sharon, and Karen are from Georgia and have been dayhiking the whole length of the AT in Shenandoah for ten days, using Skyland and now Front Royal as bases. They are fretting over lunch about being a few miles short but needing to leave for home tomorrow morning. Their car is here at Jenkins Gap and the ride that dropped them further south is long gone so this is their endpoint for the day. Their friend had planned the hike but suffered an injury and couldn't accompany them, so they have no map and no idea how to finish it. My son and I go back to eating and think it through. Then we have an inspiration and offer that if they want to finish the trail to our car we will shuttle them back here after. They are delighted and gratefully accept, so for the afternoon we have some more hiking partners. Our last climb is over Compton mountain and it goes smoothly. But as we cross Skyline Drive for the last time at Compton Gap my son is losing steam. I carry his pack for awhile as we follow the AT through a quiet forest on a wide gravel and dirt horse trail. The ladies try to cheer him on. The trail starts to head downhill and we turn off at the last concrete post for Chester Gap on the Compton Gap Trail. My son struggles for the last half mile but once the trailhead is in sight puts on his pack and jogs down to finish in style. The ladies and we cram into the car and head down to Front Royal and up Skyline Drive. The ranger accepts my son's Fourth Grader Pass to enter and gives him a laminated card to sign. We wind up Skyline to Jenkins Gap and drop off our guests. Since it's just 3:30 we take the opportunity to visit Dickey Ridge visitor center and see the wildlife museum and park documentary. We take in all the overlooks on the way back down to Front Royal. In town we have dinner at Mom's Country Diner before heading down to Luray for the night (be sure to try Uncle Buck's for breakfast there).I'm really proud of my son for finding his strength and perseverance and completing 24 miles of the AT in little more than 48 hours, a challenge even for many older hikers. It's not called for frequently in day-to-day life, but he has the endurance and will to succeed at whatever he chooses to pursue.