Hello all- my wife and I have agreed that this coming year I will be attempting a calendar-year triple crown. I’ve never done a trip longer than three weeks, but I have always been an endurance athlete and feel my basic fitness is fine for the attempt. I know I will have to start now for conditioning my body to hiking rather than cycling, and doing some shakedown trips since I will be starting with all new gear. My biggest question is on the timing of when to start. Due to safety issues with winter trips on the other two trails, I am assuming that getting the AT done first would be the best choice. I live near the AT by Erwin, TN and have spent a good bit of time in Pisgah and the Smokies over the years, so I’m familiar with how winters can be around here at higher elevations. What is the earliest you would suggest starting a NOBO AT hike? The earlier the better for leaving time for the other trails, but too early and I’ll need snowshoes and kill a bunch of time and energy fighting deep snow.