Hale to Vail celebrates 10th Mountain Division’s World War II feats 80 years ago
Current 10th Mountain Division soldiers, veterans and National Ski Patrol honor famed Army group who broke the Nazi Gothic Line
Sgt. Samuel Bonney, U.S. Army/Courtesy photo
Eighty years ago, 700 soldiers started an uphill battle — literally — as they scaled the walls of Riva Ridge in Italy to perform a surprise attack on the German soldiers who had held a vantage point that no one thought could be conquered. This was done in the dark, in the wee hours of Feb. 18 to Feb. 19, and that stealthy and daring move changed the course of World War II.
To commemorate the amazing feat, current members of the 10th Mountain Division, Colorado National Guard, local veterans and members of the National Ski Patrol did the Hale to Vail Traverse on Wednesday, paying homage to Camp Hale, the training grounds for the famed winter warfare unit of the United States Army located between Red Cliff and Leadville.
The Hale to Vail Traverse was supposed to be 26 miles of trekking on skis in the backcountry and done overnight, from Feb. 18 to Feb. 19, but due to all the recent snow and the avalanche danger, the distance was shortened to 9 miles and went from Vail Pass to Vail Mountain, where the group skied down Riva Ridge to the base for a celebration held at 4:30 p.m. at Mountain Plaza.
“The current members of the 10th Mountain Division are from Fort Drum, New York. The soldiers have been in Colorado acclimating and doing some mountaineer training,” said Rachael Jeffcoat, the deputy public affairs officer for the 10th Mountain Division. “They also did an avalanche course in conjunction with the National Ski Patrol.”
The National Ski Patrol has ties to the 10th Mountain Division. In 1938, Minot “Minnie” Dole created the National Ski Patrol to create service and safety at ski areas. At the start of World War II, he realized that soldiers needed to be trained in high-alpine environments. Dole went to Congress to lobby for a division within the army that would train soldiers in high alpine rescue techniques, rope techniques, skiing techniques and more and Congress approved it. There is a trail named “Minnie’s” on Vail Mountain to honor Dole.
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About 20 patrollers from different ski areas in Colorado participated in the Hale to Vail Traverse alongside the soldiers of the 10th.
“We have those shared values of service and of safety and this being the anniversary of Riva Ridge, we just wanted to get back to our roots with the 10th, and the 10th wanted to get back to its roots with us to carve out what the future looks like together,” said Stephanie Cox, the CEO of the National Ski Patrol.
While the crowd was gathering at the base to welcome the soldiers, veterans and ski patrollers, the 10th Mountain Division band provided music and some barbershop quartet-style songs. A large poster welcomed attendees to leave a message for the 10th Mountain Division, past and present.
The band played “My Hero” by the Foo Fighters as the skiers came into view and skied in a serpentine formation into the yard at the base of Gondola One carrying the American flag and flags representing the 10th Mountain Division, Colorado and the National Ski Patrol.
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First Sgt. Dan Fields addressed the crowd and talked about how the members of the 10th Mountain Division went on to shape the outdoor industry to what we know it as today.
“What we’re doing here today is celebrating the legacy that they started, that we all are a part of. And really, what we want to do is honor that legacy and pick up the torch that they lit and continue to carry it forward for the next 80 years,” Fields said.
10th Mountain Division Maj. Stephen Dehner, who helped plan the Hale to Vail Traverse, continued to pay homage to the 10th.
“We are honoring our 10th mountain veterans, but we also want you to meet our current 10th Mountain Division soldiers. All of them have commemorative 80th-anniversary pins. So go up, say hi to them, ask them about their story, and they’ll be more than happy to tell you.”
With that message, the crowd went up to the soldiers, shook hands, took photos and thanked the current members of the 10th Mountain Division, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary of being reactivated as a United States Army active-duty division at Fort Drum.
“We may call Fort Drum home now, but we love coming out to Colorado. It’s home for us here,” Jeffcoat said.
More activities are planned as part of Vail Legacy Weekend including a Meet & Eat with 10th Mountain Division soldiers at Sarge’s restaurant at Mid-Vail from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the 10th Mountain Parade at 6:30 p.m. at the base of Gondola One on Saturday. On Sunday, watch for the Blackhawk helicopter landing near the top of Avanti Express chairlift between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and the Ski Troopers Cup at 2:30 p.m. For a full schedule, visit Vail.com and seek out Signature Events.
