After thinking about this..my opinion on what happened, at least in the morning hours -
Sun is rising. I'm looking for a good view and a spot to get a picture (why I think he was driving around)
I settle on the trailhead lot view - Snapchat (6:24 - 6:57)
Friday! Feels good, just got paid, beautiful day.
Hey, I could get a great view up that road, and oh look, the gates open.
(First Camera 7:15)
From here, it looks paved and drivable, sweet. (and it technically starts out that way).
-Here is where I don't understand the choice made-
Less than halfway up, instead of turning around at the radio relay tower, he goes LEFT at the fork and begins to drive on what is clearly a footpath.
This line on the timeline:
7:28 - Matthew's car reaches end of the trail at the area of Rosas Overlook
Where is this second camera located - at the radio relay tower site?
The Snapchat tells me that morning his mood was good, I can -almost- eliminate a suicide/walk off scenario.
He could have encountered any number of random individuals (including hard drug users) at this place, who may have made an assumption about his BMW.
Id love to see that second camera footage.
Where are u bud..what happened up there?
I think that scenario makes a lot of sense.
In terms of the puzzling choices he made, he wouldn't be the first 21 year old who set out to do something fun or crazy, got into trouble, but instead of saying 'uh oh, better turn around', or 'better back down', kept going. It might be because turning around and backing down isn't fun or cool. That's what your parents would make you do, but now you're 21, you can do what you want. Whatever the reason, this tendency to recklessness is why car insurance costs so much more for young male drivers.
Plus, his state of mind was possibly messed up from lack of sleep and whatever he consumed or was in the process of consuming, plus whatever stress was already going on in his life. Young people can push themselves 'over the edge', so to speak, not recognizing that they need to take care of themselves.
Then, realizing he'd trashed his car was not likely a minor thing for him. It might have felt overwhelmingly tragic. It was likely the worst thing that had ever happened to him. Again, being 21, he didn't necessarily, at that moment, have the experience or perspective to admit he'd really messed up and just needed to eat humble pie and get some help.
Having someone with him to provide perspective and reassurance could have made all the difference. Instead, he may have fallen into despair and self-loathing, and set off intending to never be found. That's what his final text messages say, to me.