I may attempt a '17 PCT thru hike, and one of my greatest logistical concerns is a time constraint. I would probably need to finish by about September 1st at the latest. For that reason, I am especially concerned with getting a permit for a start date in early to mid April (dependent on next year's snowfall). How difficult is it to obtain a permit for one's desired start date, if applying as soon as the window opens on February 1st? Should I be worried about not obtaining my first choice and then having fewer options because some time has passed since the application window opened?