Completing the triple crown in hiking is an amazing achievement. Backpackers must traverse the Appalachian Trail (AT), The Continental Divide Trail (CDT), and The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in their lifetime. What Mary Moynihan (trail name: Speed Stick) is attempting is to complete all three in one calendar year.
She has just made it to Neel Gap, the first milestone on the NOBO attempt of the AT. She is keeping a blog at http://marriedtothetrail.com.
From her first on-the-trail update:
Ten years ago I hiked this trail. It nearly ruined me the first day. Hell, that first hour. As I slogged my way up the approach trail from Amicalola State Park, my back whimpered while my skin turned sticky in the late May heat. Now it’s January, ten years later. This time, the approach trail was easy, and although its not the official Appalachian Trail, I needed to revisit the footpath, and to start things off right. At 10:50am I left the park’s visitor center, an open mind in tow.
I look forward to reading how this ambitious goal turns out. Good Luck!