Date: 2023-05-19
From: Rock Spring Hut

To: Gravel Springs Hut
Miles today: 28.4

I had a rough time trying to sleep. I didn't choose a very flat site to pitch. Sleeping slanted can be difficult, but I think I was a little wound up too. I had planned a long day for today, and wanted to wake up at 4:30 again, which I thought would still get me to my planned camp at a reasonable hour. However, the discomfort at an angle, alarm anticipation, and sounds from an airline, nearby Skyline Drive traffic, and a train all added to a night of next to no rest. I turned off my alarm and finally dozed off at 3:30.I ended up waking up at 5:30, and started hiking just before 7. It was a little foggy, but seemed to be clearing up a little. I stopped by the Skyland Dining Area, which is a short walk from the trail, around 8:15. I enjoyed an excellent breakfast buffet: oatmeal with fixings, two types of scrambled eggs, home fries, biscuits and gravy, sausage, and bacon. Fruit, granola and yogurt, cereal and milk, and an assortment of pastries. Plus whatever beverages you wanted. I also got free Wi-Fi and could charge my phone. I spent over an hour there, and would love to return. An all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet would be great every 100 miles or so. I saw K living it up there too.I left around 9:30. It was cold and foggy again. I skipped Stony Man Mountain, a mile off trail, because the long day, and because of the fog. By the time I got to the cliffs of Little Stony Man around 10, it had cleared up a little. Views on and off through wandering fog. It was my first time, of several times, seeing Little Stony Man in not so great weather.I passed by a few trails I had hiked in the past on previous day hikes and backpacking trips: Nicholson Hollow, Corbin Cabin, etc. By this time, it had cleared up. Around noon, I was excited to see the fantastic views again at the Pinnacle, the highest point on the AT in Shenandoah.I also saw the overlook at Mary's Rock at 12:45, once again. It's a great overlook with a fun little climb on some rocks, but when I got there, a good 20 people were already there. I just took a picture and left. I got my way down to Thornton Gap and made it to the Pass Mountain Hut junction around 2, where I had lunch.I had about 8 miles to go to Elkwallow Wayside before they closed at 5. (This year's AT guide incorrectly lists the hours as 9-7.) I left at 2:30. The terrain, like most of the AT through Shenandoah, wasn't that bad. There were a couple mild climbs. I jogged on some of the downhill, and was annoyed by the final climb past the Jeremy's Run junction up to Skyline Drive.I finally made it to the wayside around 4:55. Gasp! So close. To my great pleasure, their milkshake machine was working, so I got my first blackberry milkshake! I also got a chicken sandwich with fixings, including bacon jam, their homemade chips, and various snacks. I stayed there for about an hour, leaving again around 6.I just had about 6 miles left to hike to Gravel Springs Hut. I figured that would be easy to do by 8 and still set up my tent in twilight. And indeed, it would have been, but there was a wrench thrown into the mix.I arrived to Rattlesnake Point Overlook around 6:50. After a quick photo, I crossed the road to enter the trail. To my surprise and disappointment, there was orange tape attached to two trees, along with a sign that said that the trail was closed due to a search in progress. I had not heard of any search from any of the hikers. I checked ATCamp for trail closures, but found nothing. I also checked the SNP website and looked through their alerts and notifications, and found nothing recent on that page, and certainly nothing about a closure due to a search.I figured that the closure and search was over, and that the rangers hadn't gotten around to removing tape from this trailhead. I continued on for a stretch.Then, I reached the Hogback parking lot, where I had to go around orange tape again. As I approached the parking lot, I saw a group of rangers chatting. I knew I was in trouble. I walked over to one of them. She pointed to a car and asked if it was mine. I said it was not, and that I was thru hiking. She asked why I had walked through an area where there was a search in progress. I responded with the same logic as I had in the previous paragraph. She was not pleased. She asked for my permit and identification, which I gave to her. She asked me if I had seen signs posted of a missing person. After thinking about it, I had remembered seeing one or two. She asked if I had seen him, but all I remembered was a missing person sign, and didn't get a good look at the photo or any of the other details. She was not pleased. She told me that I should not pass through any more areas that are taped off, and walk along Skyline Drive instead. She asked me where I planned to camp. I responded with Gravel Springs Hut. She chatted with someone on a walkie-talkie, and told me that area was open. She told me to have a good night. I consider myself pretty darn lucky.After that, I figured it would be a darn good idea to learn more about this missing person. The name is Mateo Luis Cabo Zevallos, age 21, of Oakton, VA and student at George Mason University. He had been missing since early May near the Overall Run area, and a bunch of trails near that area were closed.By this time, it was about 8. The rest of the hike was easy. I made it to the hut around 9, set up my tent, had some snacks, and fell asleep.I have since learned after a few more days have passed that the search was suspended. Sadly, his remains were found about a mile and a half from where his car was parked. My deepest condolences to his family and friends.