"This guy is asking for a death sentence," Tibbits said. "I simply don't have the faith he is going to have a safe and successful venture. If we have even a normal winter he is going to have trouble."

"Shawn Forry and Justin Lichter are doing a winter thru-hike on the PCT this year. As you read this they are nearing Lake Tahoe, making their way towards Mexico. They’ve walked so far that the metal on their snowshoes is wearing thin. Soon, they’ll switch to skis."

— Jack "Found" Haskel

"What Shawn Forry and Justin Lichter are doing is unheard of. Forry, 33 and Lichter, 34, are hiking the PCT from north to south, and they’re doing it during the coldest months of the year. They started at the Canadian border in late October and expect to make it to the Mexican border around March 1. No other hikers are known to have accomplished this before."

— Katherine Davis-Young

"Justin Lichter and Shawn Forry are 180 miles from the Mexican border and the completion of their remarkable winter thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. They started in October and have been snowshoeing, skiing and hiking ever since."

— Jack "Found" Haskel

Two gentlemen this year are attempting a thru-hike during the winter months. Some might say they are crazy but if they complete the hike it will be a monumental achievement. To date, their is no data that suggests that anybody has ever tried to thru-hike the PCT in the winter months.

— Adam Keeney

The high Sierra may be one of the most challenging portions of their journey due to the inaccessibility of the entire stretch, making it difficult to obtain provisions and for assistance in the case of an emergency. This may be the only winter attempt of this stretch of high Sierra.

"We've been thinking about this trip for five years," said Lichter, 34, of Truckee, during a recent interview.

"If it is a weak winter it increases our odds," added Forry, 33, of Midpines, Calif. "But it also takes a little away from it."

NPR NW News Network's Tom Banse did an article half way through the trip that was picked up by a few NPR outlets.   Below are links to that article

• Northwest Public Radio—  Adventurers Attempt Winter Thru-Hike Of Pacific Crest Trail
• NW News Network - Adventurers Attempt Winter Thru-Hike Of Pacific Crest Trail
• KUOW.org (Seattle)—  Adventurers Attempt Winter Thru-Hike Of Pacific Crest Trail

About 2 months into the hike, Justin and Shawn did an interview during a few "zero days" in Truckee.   This story ran in a few different outlets.   Click on the links below to read the interview.

• The Oregonian—  2 hikers attempting to be first to finish Pacific Crest Trail in winter
• Reno Gazette-Journal —  Fighting frostbite to make Pacific Crest Trail history
• Great Falls Tribune - Fighting frostbite to make Pacific Crest Trail history

"The Trail Designs stoves are so efficient we were able to use them on the entire winter traverse of the Pacific Crest Trail! In fact it was great to have the versatility of the stove in case we decided to start using it as a twiggy stove too."

"What started as just a lofty dream five years ago is now another notch on Lichter’s belt of ultra-hiking accomplishments. FITS® is proud to support inspiring athletes such as Justin and we commend him on this historic accomplishment."

“Often the trail tread will be buried under 15 feet of snow. Gear is a very important part of their travels – not only does it have to be lightweight for backpacking, but it also has to perform well.  Icebreaker is stoked that we were able to outfit Justin in merino baselayers.”

"… with over 55,000 miles of trail experience between them, Lichter and Forry were able to meet the conditions with safety and confidence. Detailed packing and preparation also played a major role in the safety of their trek, and Lichter and Forry are pros at packing the best ultralight gear. On the trail, Lichter and Forry carried various Granite Gear backpacks and stuff sacks.