Camp Hale is where the 10th Mountain Division was created and trained to become an elite US ski force. Without them, WWII might have ended a whole lot differently. Not only did they beat battle-hardened German soldiers but they also pushed the fleeing German army into the alps until they were ready to surrender. Even though there is not a whole lot left of the camp to see, it’s impressive to imagine thousands of soldiers training here in some of the harshest conditions. In the hope that Camp Hale will become the nation’s first National Historic Landscape, Colorado lawmen are laying the groundwork for this preservation.
When Charles Minot “Minnie” Dole head of the National Ski Patrol system heard how ski-mounted Finnish troops repelled a larger Soviet army in 1939, he realized that the United States was unprepared for mountain or winter combat. So in 1941, he pressured the War department into forming an elite ski force trained in skiing, mountain climbing as well as cold weather survival. With the National Ski Patrol as the official recruiting agency, everyone was recruited as a volunteer. In order to create interest in the ski corps, the movie Sun Valley Serenade was released but it didn’t attract enough people. So Mountain Fighters (1943) and I Love a Soldier (1944) featuring the elite troops, were later released.
Obviously, they couldn’t accept anyone as part of this elite force. So in order to get accepted, applicants needed three letters of recommendation and they had to be either expert skiers or mountain climbers. As well as possess the skills to survive in the harsh mountain environment. As a result, many of the first to join were collegiate, Olympic caliber and foreign-born skiers. First, they trained at Mt. Rainier in Washington until their permanent facility was built here. Not to mention, conditions here were harsh. Since the elevation required acclimation and the shallow valley created polluted inversion layers from the primary source of energy, coal. Besides skiing, the trainees had no source of recreation. Nonetheless, at it’s prime, it had 15,000 soldiers and 5000 horses and pack mules.
In early 1945, fifteen months after they started training at Camp Hale, the 10th Mountain Division took part in the “D-Series”. Which were grueling maneuvers held during one of the harshest winters in memory. Afterward, the division went to train at Camp Swift in Texas. Then in January 1945, they arrived in Naples, Italy. As they were going to be deployed to the Apennines Mountains north of Florence where battle-hardened German forces had stopped all previous attacks. On February 18, 1945, five companies climbed the supposedly “un-climbable” Riva ridge and captured the Germans in a surprise attack.
Surprisingly, the 10th Mountain Division is the military unit that has the most impact on American life. After their accomplishments in WWII, many of its veterans were involved in business and sports. Notably, Vail, Aspen, and Arapahoe Basin were all started by 10th veterans. And just about every major ski resort had a 10th involved in some aspect of its operations. In addition, other veterans pioneered the manufacture of ski equipment and clothing. Best of all, the 10th Mountain Division created the Hut-to-hut systems and they were instrumental in developing skiing for the disabled.
In 1985, the 10th was reactivated as the 10th Mountain Division (light infantry) headquartered at Fort Drum in New York . Since then, they have been the Army’s most-deployed division. As they were deployed in Somalia, (1992-1994) Haiti, (1994-1995) Bosnia and Herzegovina, (1999-2000) Afghanistan, (2001-2014) and Iraq (2002-2012). When they are at home, they perform humanitarian relief efforts during natural disasters. By far, this is one of the army’s best divisions.
Back in the 1960s, the CIA used the camp to secretly train Tibetans freedom fighters. Since the site has similarities with the Himalayan plateau, it was the perfect training place. Obviously the CIA didn’t want people to know, so they circulated rumors that the camp was used for atomic testing. As such, it was a high security zone and patrolled by military police. In all, 259 Tibetans freedom fighters were trained at Camp Hale. Interestingly, the Tibetans nicknamed the place “Dhumra” meaning “the Garden”. When the freedom fighters were airdropped into eastern tibet, they were all wearing vials of poison in case they were captured. By 1964, the camp ceased its operations and in 1965, the camp was dismantled and the land was turned over to the US Forest service.
Since the site was used for military training and by the CIA, in 2003 the US Army Corps of Engineers had to launch a cleaning project to pick up the unexploded ordonance. However, this is still ongoing. If you see any, do not pick it up, report it instead.
Open everyday from sunrise to sunset.
Free
Plan to spend about an hour here. Be advised, there are no facilities here. So don’t forget to bring water.
Camp Hale
10th Mountain Division Memorial Hwy,
Leadville, CO 80461
From I-70 W, take exit 171 for US-6/US-24 toward Minturn/Leadville and turn right onto US-24E/US-6 E. About 16.5 miles later, you will see an entrance on your left.
By I-70 W, take exit 171 towards US-24 E and keep right to merge onto US-24 E. 16.5 miles later, you will see an entrance on your left.
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