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Sgt. Mark Whitney, an instructor for the Cold Weather Operations Course with the Mountain Training Group, 10th Mountain Division (LI), ascends a mountain during the Avalanche Level One for Professional Rescuers course at Chalk Creek Trail, near Leadville, Colorado, Feb. 15, 2025. This intensive program equips soldiers with vital skills to identify avalanche signs and carry out rescues. The cross-training emphasizes the enduring partnership between the 10th Mountain Division and the National Ski Patrol, a relationship that dates back to World War II. During that era, NSP founder Charles Minot “Minnie” Dole played a pivotal role in helping form the 10th Mountain Division. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Samuel Bonney)
(Photo Credit: Sgt. Samuel Bonney)VIEW ORIGINAL2 / 8Show Caption +Hide Caption –
Soldiers from 10th Mountain Division and Colorado National Guard along with members of the National Ski Patrol pose for a photo after completing Avalanche Level One for Professional Rescuers course at Chalk Creek Trail, near Leadville, Colorado, Feb. 15, 2025. This intensive program provided the Soldiers with crucial skills for recognizing avalanche signs and rescuing victims. The cross-training accentuates the long-standing connection between the 10th Mountain Division and the National Ski Patrol, which dates back to World War II. During that time, NSP founder Charles Minot “Minnie” Dole played a key role in helping establish the 10th Mountain Division. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Samuel Bonney)
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Capt. Lauren Takayesu, a physical therapist with 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division H2F, tests the snow layers during the Avalanche Level One for Professional Rescuers course at Chalk Creek Trail, near Leadville, Colorado, Feb. 15, 2025. This intensive program provided the Soldiers with crucial skills for recognizing avalanche signs and rescuing victims. The cross-training accentuates the long-standing connection between the 10th Mountain Division and the National Ski Patrol, which dates back to World War II. During that time, NSP founder Charles Minot “Minnie” Dole played a key role in helping establish the 10th Mountain Division. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Samuel Bonney)
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Capt. Maxwell Burbidge, a fire direction officer with 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (LI), performs rope ascension using a mechanical belay device Feb. 14, 2025, at Camp Hale National Monument near Leadville, Colorado. Soldiers with the 10th Mountain Division conduct ski and alpine training in preparation of Mountain Legacy Feb. 18-24 at Camp Hale and Vail, Colorado. (Courtesy photo)
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Sgt. Michael Kerr (front), an instructor with the Mountain Training Group, and Sgt. Patryk Sloniewski with 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division (LI), prepares a snow wall during the Avalanche Level One for Professional Rescuers course at Chalk Creek Trail, near Leadville, Colorado, Feb. 15, 2025. This intensive program equipped them with essential skills for identifying signs of avalanches and locating avalanche victims. This cross training highlights the enduring relationship between the 10th Mountain Division and the National Ski Patrol dating back to World War II when NSP founder Charles Minot “Minnie” Dole helped establish the 10th Mountain Division. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Samuel Bonney)
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Sgt. Michael Kerr, an instructor with the Mountain Training Group, 10th Mountain Division (LI), uses a probing tool to locate a beacon during the Avalanche Level One for Professional Rescuers course at Chalk Creek Trail, near Leadville, Colorado, Feb. 15, 2025. This intensive program provided the Soldiers with crucial skills for recognizing avalanche signs and rescuing victims. The cross-training accentuates the long-standing connection between the 10th Mountain Division and the National Ski Patrol, which dates back to World War II. During that time, NSP founder Charles Minot “Minnie” Dole played a key role in helping establish the 10th Mountain Division. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Samuel Bonney)
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Soldiers from 10th Mountain Division (LI) and members from National Ski Patrol test locator beacons during the Avalanche Level One for Professional Rescuers course at Chalk Creek Trail, near Leadville, Colorado, Feb. 15, 2025. This intensive program provided the Soldiers with crucial skills for recognizing avalanche signs and rescuing victims. The cross-training accentuates the long-standing connection between the 10th Mountain Division and the National Ski Patrol, which dates back to World War II. During that time, NSP founder Charles Minot “Minnie” Dole played a key role in helping establish the 10th Mountain Division. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Samuel Bonney)
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Capt. Maxwell Burbidge (right), a fire direction officer with 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (LI), instructs Sgt. Patryk Sloniewski, a squad leader with 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 2/10 IBCT, on the fundamentals of rope ascension using a mechanical belay device at Camp Hale National Monument near Leadville, Colorado, on Feb. 14, 2025. Soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division (LI) are conducting ski and alpine training Feb. 18-24 at Camp Hale and Vail, Colorado, in support of Mountain Legacy. The annual event honors the division’s soldiers who trained at Camp Hale during World War II. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Riva Ridge, where on Feb. 18, 1945, soldiers ascended ice-covered slopes and fought for five days, liberating the Po River Valley and contributing to Italy’s liberation. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Eric-James Estrada)
(Photo Credit: Capt. Eric-James Estrada)VIEW ORIGINAL
VAIL, Colorado (Feb. 18, 2025) – Soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division (LI) pay tribute to the history and legacy of those who served during World War II.
During Legacy Days, the anniversary of the Battle of Riva Ridge, the 10th Mountain Division Soldiers show their respect and admiration through key events recognizing the intense training that took place 80 years ago ensuring victory.
“Alongside the Vail Legacy Days, our Soldiers are here both celebrating and being celebrated in the Hale to Vail Traverse, which is really honoring the history of the 10th Mountain Division but it’s also a honing of our skills,” said 1st Sgt. Daniel Fields, senior enlisted advisor with the Mountain Training Group, 10th Mountain Division (LI).
The Soldiers and members of the National Ski Patrol will participate in the Hale to Vail Traverse, originally a 26-mile cross-country ski trek that starts in Camp Hale, Colorado, and ends at Vail. However, to mitigate the risk of avalanches happening enroute, a different route was selected making it nine miles long with a 2,000-feet increase in elevation.
In addition to the traverse, they will also take part in the Ski Trooper Cup, a multi-faceted competition designed to test a range of skills including push-ups, slope climbing, rappelling, skiing between gates, pull-ups, and glacading.
However, before the events took place, these committed Soldiers went through their own coaching and training to best prepare them for the challenges ahead. In the week leading up to Legacy Days, they participated in rigorous cross-country skiing, rock climbing, and skiing down the steep slopes of Vail to better their techniques and speed.
All in the effort of advancing each Soldier’s abilities, they exerted themselves without complaint. Their commitment and perseverance wasn’t without reason, they found motivation through the experiences of their predecessors.
“I think it’s really special to do a tour our predecessors did and honor their legacy,” Spc. Rylan Parsons, a Soldier assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 10th Mountain Division (LI), stated. “It keeps everything in perspective about what they endured and accomplished back in World War II.”
In addition to the rigorous train-up and to ensure preparedness for any and all situations, the 10th Mountain Division (LI) Soldiers enrolled and completed a three-day course in Avalanche Level One for
Professional Rescuers. This course consisted of being out in the elements and gaining practical experience in the field, learning how to spot signs of a potential avalanche, how to prevent one, and how to rescue someone caught in one.
“I learned a lot about how we analyze mountain terrain and any changes within the environment that can serve as indicators for risk level,” stated 1st Lt. Sarah Wyly, an engineer officer with 41st Engineer Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (LI), “I got to use the levels I learned, so it’s nice to put that into a real-world tactical environment.”
The training and events these Soldiers have and will undertake are far from a one-time effort; they embody the legacy and expertise of those who came before them, passing this knowledge on to their fellow 10th Mountain Division (LI) Soldiers.
“We’re here to celebrate the legacy of the 10th Mountain Division and to have the opportunity to increase our knowledge and bring that back to Fort Drum and share everything we’ve learned and experienced with our fellow comrades,” stated Wyly.
As the week of training comes to a close and Legacy Days draws near, the Soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division (LI) prepare to showcase their hard work and dedication, ready to honor the legacy and heritage of the division.
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