We've been across the top of those mountains! On the far right is the uphill slope that we walked for a mile the first night, then you see the dip and a bigger mountain top--that's where McAfee Knob is. Then keep going to the left and you can't see how we got here, but see that little bit of water in the lower left corner of the picture? That's Carvin's Cove that we've been walking around the whole time. It's unbelievable that we've actually walked across those mountain tops!
Here's how GORP describes where we've walked from the beginning to McAfee Knob:
From the parking lot, cross VA 311 and pick up the AT at a stone stairwell. This road is a main thoroughfare between Roanoke and Blacksburg. Use extreme caution. The AT begins an immediate, steep ascent, leaving the highway behind as it crosses up a wide old woods road. In early spring, the area is abloom with a variety of wildflowers including violets, dwarf iris, buttercups, and lady's-slipper. In April, the trees are dotted with the bright red blooms of the redbuds. Rhododendron, dogwood, and blueberry bushes also make the area green and colorful.
A series of switchbacks brings the trail to the crest of a narrow ridge. As the AT passes over the top of the ridge, there are steep drop-offs to the left and the right. To the north, Catawba Valley sprawls below, scattered with rustic farmhouses and open green pastures. To the right, mountains rise in the distance.
Continuing its climb through a forest of young Virginia pine and hickory, the trail gets narrower and rockier as it leaves the old woods road and follows the ridge. After 0.25 mi. of steep, uphill hiking, the AT dips slightly, reaching an AT bulletin board and registration post. A scan of some of the comments in the registry from hikers returning from the knob will increase your anticipation of the sights ahead. Beyond this checkpoint, the trail cuts to the right and begins a slight descent. Don't get used to the easy gait—you're in for some mighty steep uphill climbs ahead.
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