LEADVILLE, Colorado (Feb. 18, 2024) – Soldiers with the 10th Mountain Division and members of the National Ski Patrol participated in the Hale to Vail Traverse, Feb. 17-21, near Leadville, Colorado.
Camp Hale, built in 1942, served as the training grounds for the 10th Mountain Division during World War II. Here, Soldiers learned how to snowshoe, ski, climb, and perform other alpine and mountaineering-related skills.
The Hale to Vail Traverse, a 22-mile trek from Camp Hale to Vail Village, links the division’s legacy with the National Ski Patrol and the training done at Camp Hale.
The first event of the Hale to Vail Traverse began with 10th Mountain Division soldiers attending avalanche training hosted by the National Ski Patrol. The training, held at Chalk Creek, at an elevation of 11,800 feet, covered a variety of alpine and mountaineering skills including measuring slopes, using transceivers, and conducting scenario-based exercises that involved finding people buried by avalanches.
Cindy Gagnon, an instructor with the National Ski Patrol, spoke about the importance of avalanche training and survivability in an alpine environment.
“In order to stay safe, I like to say that we need to manage risk as much as we can,” Gagnon said. “If something happens, we need to mitigate risk and know how to rescue our partners in the case of an avalanche.”
Capt. Maxwell Burbidge, fire support officer for 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, also emphasized the need to train and sharpen our skills in austere, mountainous conditions.
“We as the 10th Mountain Division seek to operate in an alpine environment,” Burbidge said. “That means traversing in a lot of avalanche-prone areas, so it’s paramount for us to operate in this type of environment safely.”
Next, division soldiers (who participated in their own time and personal capacity), National Ski Patrol members, and civilians embarked on the Ninety-Pound Rucksack Challenge. The event commemorates the division's night-time assault on Riva Ridge in northern Italy, a pivotal moment during World War II that contributed to the Allies' victory in Europe. Organized on the anniversary of this significant event, the uphill ski challenge honors the division's legacy and its enduring impact on military history and outdoor recreation.
Pete Seibert Jr., son of Pete Seibert Sr., a 10th Mountain Division veteran and founder of the Vail Ski Resort, spoke about how important the Challenge was to him.
“This is really about a lot of different things. It’s about my father’s legacy, and all the people he served in the division with,” Seibert said. “They gave us freedom and a way of life.”
In the final training event of the Hale to Vail Traverse, which took place at Camp Hale, soldiers practiced setting up a snow pit, preparing a Cold Weather Meal Ready to Eat (MRE), and rappelling on a mountain. This training not only sharpened their alpine and mountaineering skills, but also prepared them for the 22-mile cross country ski ahead of them.
Staff Sgt. Cameron Daniels, whose great-grandfather served in the 10th Mountain Division and trained at Camp Hale during World War II, spoke about the importance of training and the legacy of the division.
“I’d like to think that my great-grandfather would be extremely proud,” Daniels said. “We’re here doing the same training they did back in World War II, and I’m lucky enough to be in an era of the 10th Mountain Division where I can do the same things he did.”
Finally, in the early morning of Feb. 21, soldiers with the division and National Ski Patrol members embarked on the grueling 22-mile Hale to Vail Traverse.
Beginning at Camp Hale, the participants ascended over 5,000 feet throughout the day and finally reached Vail Village 15 hours later.
Pfc. Rylan Parsons, 10th Mountain Division soldier, spoke about her experience and challenges with the event.
“The toughest part for me was Bowman’s Shortcut, because the finish line was in sight and then we started climbing again,” Parsons said. “That, for me, was the biggest mental push.”
After a week of avalanche training, mountaineering in austere conditions, and finally the Hale to Vail Traverse, 10th Mountain Division soldiers showed what it truly means to Climb to Glory.
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