So a friend and I have been sectioning SNP the past to season's and had about 28 miles to Front royal to get out of the park. We had planned to go Nov8-10. We were supposed to do the full 28 and finish. But cold weather was coming in and i suggested to break it into two sections. So we were Just going to do Pass mt shelter to Gravel springs hut, which is roughly 14 ish miles and then a mile and a half back to the car. Then thats when the weather changed again and we were expecting a overnight low of 19 deg. I tried to half talk my dude out of it, i was not really looking forward to it but i still was because its the AT and it would be a good story. We both have proper gear that can handle the situation so i said ok ill go be cold in the woods. This is where the story gets a bit crazy. We get there Friday running out of daylight and make a last min decision to flip the order and hike sobo because then it would only be a .2 to the shelter to set up. So as were strolling up im thinking there is not going to be anyone at this shelter you go to be crazy or dedicated to be out here. Thats when i see a small fire and a head lamp glowing in the distance. As we walk up ther is a tall slender African man like From Africa. He has some gnarly gear and seems kind of off puting as we approach him and say hello. We get a weird vibe and excuse our selves to hang go set up at the tent pad. He informs us that we should stay in the shelter plenty of room we look over and see two full packs. He says oh theres not two people out here just me. We say no its fine we like to tent and head up as we head up i say dude has two pack? did he kill someone and take their stuff or is he got someone in the woods waiting to kill us. Pretty extra but i mean this dudes clothing and gear were s h i t and he did not really look like he belonged out there so it was a little off putting. After setting up we head to the shelter to cook and eat and give this guy a chance and maybe see what his deal is plus he had fire. So at this point we start cooking and making convo. He tells us he has walked from springer is averaging 8 miles a day, he has two packs he carries one on the front one on the back. In these packs he has mostly college books, a lap top, two weeks of food. No sleeping pad NO SLEEPING BAG. Now thats the facts condenced version but dude is out her with a crap blanket you might have on the back of your couch at your house. He says he has been sleeping in the shelters and using his tent as a blanket and the crappy couch blanket. I asked him why not a sleeping bag and he said he had no room. I then told him he would not need room if he froze to death out here. Maybe get some pdf books and drop the weight. He also went on to talk about weird algorithmic neumerical equations and number sequences so im pretty sure he is possibly having a mental episode. I mean the guy was nice enough just a little off he was cold soaking and eating frozen food and said he was headed to maine. I dont think hes gonna make it . Could never get a start time from him he said he was from Georgia and Kentucky and Tenn. this changes sever times over the night. So we go to bed and my friend and are are basically *** this guy is prob gonna be a popcicle in the morning. That night my mercury stat read 9 deg. I woke up to a bear drudging around my tent around 3am. Next morning guy wakes us up at 6am tells us he is leaving and had made us a fire. we got up and it was a raging fire going and he was gone. Dude was weird but nice Im really kind of worried about him honestly. So if any one sees this guy tell him to either get some gear or get off trail before he gets seriously injured or dies out there i wrote about him in the shelter book. As for the rest of my hike we banged the 15 and got out of there so as to avoid sleeping out there another night. Now i have a sore throat lol. It was prob dumb to go but it was an adventure none the less but i will say i dont think sleeping in 9 deg is my fav thing to do i was warm but i had some much gear on and was balled up and i get super clostrophobic so lol not my cup of tea. Any way happy trails Ziggy