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CAMP HALE In 1942, Pando, Colorado, was a two-room train depot situated in the picturesque Eagle Park valley. By January 1943, an army camp filled the valley and was receiving the first men of the 10th Mountain Division for instruction in mountain and winter warfare, mountaineering, skiing and rock climbing. In less than eight months, the camp grew to accommodate a full U.S. Army Division of 14,000 men.
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Company L executes an about-face on skis under the command of Lieutenant
William J. Bourke.
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On Maneuvers Ski troops trained in the Rockies at altitudes up to 14,000 feet, often under brutal weather conditions and for weeks at a time. As if nature were not enough of a challenge, the men carried rucksacks sometimes weighing as much as 90 lbs.
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Tents were home to 10th Mountain Division soldiers while on maneuvers. Thin fabric provided the only shelter from the elements.
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Rock Climbing
was an important element of Divisional training. While some soldiers were recruited for their rock-climbing and mountaineering skills, the majority received specialized training. Mountains and rock formations around Camp Hale provided the ideal classroom for the soldiers. The training proved essential as troops from the 86th Regiment would make a night climb to capture German-held Riva Ridge in the Apennine Mountains of northern Italy.
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The army mules at Camp Hale struggle in the deep snow and receive assistance from the soldiers.
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At the Jerome Hotel in Aspen, Colorado, the men unwind after a day of skiing. Even though the troops skied during training and camped in the cold and snow, when they had leave for the weekend, many of the soldiers could be found at nearby ski areas. After the war, several men of the 10th were instrumental in building the recreational ski industry we know today.
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