FIGHTERS ON SKIS: The US Army's 10th Mountain Division

The 10th Mountain Division, a legendary mountain-based infantry unit was activated in 1941 Washington D.C., after Finnish troops on skis strategically annihilated two Russian tank divisions in 1938. This spurred the assembly and training of a highly specialized group of seasoned mountain fighters.

The ski troops began training near Leadville, CO. and on the slopes of Mt. Rainie. At the start of war in 1945, the 10th Mountain Division were dispatched to Italy to engage German toops in the Nort Apennine Mountains. They scaled over 1500m of vertical during the battle, and the operation was ultimately a success.

Most importantly though, when the 10th Division came back home after war, many of these skiers helped jump start the ski industry in the US. They founded resorts, search and rescue groups, started ski patrols, ski schools and backcountry hut systems, and ultimately laid out a solid foundation of resources for future ski generations. An interesting and niche story -- check out this film by Icelantic Skis to learn more.