A stalwart group of seven hikers started very early from their homes to arrive at the McAfee Knob Trailhead on Virginia Route 311 just before 8AM. Some of the participants no doubt thought the hike leader was just being nervous when he set the 8AM time, but the parking lot was already almost at capacity upon arrival. There was just enough parking for our group, after we had dropped a shuttle car at the end of the hike.
The group made the inital climb to McAfee Knob at a good pace, and completed the 4 mile, 1725 foot ascent in less than two hours. At the summit, the group collected the photos that everyone takes before descending and hiking the ridge that separates McAfee Knob from Tinker Cliffs.
At several points along the ridge, the group hiked through or along side of large boulders that provided visual interest. Lunch occurred at a spot known locally as Snack Bar Rock, a spot that had a great view to the east, including Carvin Cove Reservoir.
After the hike resumed post-lunch, the hike leader had a wonderful experience when he was recognized by a young backpacker who was with a group of five Virginia Tech students. The backpacker was an Eagle Scout from the Scout troop the hike leader used to Scoutmaster, and the two had not seen each other in several years.
The hikers reached Tinker Cliffs exactly 5 hours into their hike, having completed 9.5 miles. The group seemed to agree that views here are actually superior to the McAfee views, though both were amazing.
After Tinker, it was almost all downhill via the A.T. and the Andy Layne Trail - sometimes very steeply! Near the end, the group hiked through a meadow and then over a couple of pedestrian bridges that cross a small river before reaching the shuttle vehicle.
Hikers included PATC members Anna Castle, Nancy Handley, Margaret Helber, and Sharon Celsor-Hughes, along with hike leader Jeff Monroe. We also enjoyed the company of three younger hikers that the hike leader knows through a friend: Jacqui Stewart and Hayden Ardrey, who had joined a PATC ascent of Jump Mountain earlier in the month, and Aaron Cole, on his first ever PATC hike - though he had hiked this entire section earlier this year with his father.
The entire 13.3 mile hike took just under 7 hours to complete. Those that had not hiked this section before were universal in their amazement!
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