New 10th Mountain Division exhibit open in Leadville
‘Winter Warriors: The 10th Mountain Division in World War II’ tells the story of Leadville’s connection to the famed winter warfare unit
Vail Mountain/Courtesy photo
Memorial Day Weekend is approaching and to honor the United States Army’s first and only winter warfare division forged in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, visit the new exhibit at the Healy House Museum & Dexter Cabin entitled, “Winter Warriors: The 10th Mountain Division in World War II.” The exhibit opens on May 22 and will be at the Healy House Museum & Dexter Cabin in Leadville until September 2027.
The 10th Mountain Division trained at Camp Hale, which is between Minturn and Leadville along Colorado State Highway 24. There is a large, flat open area called Pando Valley that sits at 9,250 feet above sea level and measures about three miles long and one mile wide. Construction on Camp Hale began in April of 1942 and seven months later there was an instant city designed to help accommodate the 14,000 soldiers who were coming here for high-altitude military training.
“The idea behind Camp Hale and the 10th Mountain Division was very unique and had never been done before or since,” said Hannah Cary, director of History Colorado’s Healy House Museum & Dexter Cabin. “Many Coloradans know the broad strokes of this special story. The ‘Winter Warriors’ exhibit aims to go deeper — showing how these soldiers succeeded thanks to a group effort that extended further than the men who went abroad to fight. Camp Hale didn’t just spring up out of nowhere and disappear after the war. The men and women who built up this encampment created lasting legacies for Leadville and beyond.”
The U.S. military built Camp Hale just outside of Leadville, the highest altitude city in the United States, because of its secluded and harsh mountain terrain. During Camp Hale’s construction and operations, Leadville was a bustling hub for soldiers — and those supporting them — to live, buy groceries and seek entertainment. In this way, the tucked away town of Leadville played a crucial role in Colorado, U.S. and world history.
The Healy House Museum & Dexter Cabin and its guided tours have mainly focused on the history of Leadville between 1870 to 1920, tracing the rise and fall of the gold and silver mining era. The “Winter Warriors” exhibit extends the story further to understand how the construction of Camp Hale changed life in Leadville and the rest of Colorado. At Camp Hale, soldiers trained in mountain climbing, Alpine and nordic skiing, cold-weather survival, and various weapons and ordnance. Up to 15,000 soldiers lived at Camp Hale during its heyday.
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“Before World War II, the US Army had never experienced mountain warfare on this scale. This exhibition explores how the rugged Colorado Rockies trained and transformed these men into elite mountain soldiers,” said Sydney Mauck, History Colorado’s Anschutz Military Collections specialist. “‘Winter Warriors’ is a true community effort, reflecting this division’s lasting impact on our state. History Colorado proudly partners with the Denver Public Library and the 10th Mountain Division Foundation to preserve these legacies through the 10th Mountain Division Resource Center, established at the request of veterans in 1987. This exhibition gives us a chance to draw from this collection and share unique stories and artifacts with the public.”
After returning from deployment, veterans of the 10th Mountain Division founded or managed more than 60 ski resorts, including some in the same mountains where they trained.
The “Winter Warriors” exhibit will give a glimpse of what life was like as a 10th Mountain Division soldier, including an 87th Infantry Regiment Barracks sign, a ration can, a mess kit and a mountain stove. There will also be photographs documenting lesser-known moments at Camp Hale, such as how women played a role. The exhibit will also let you see some of the groundbreaking gear developed for and tested by the 10th Mountain Division, such as ski boots, goggles, a rucksack as well as climbing pitons, crampons and a piton hammer.
To kickoff this new exhibit, go to the opening reception at the Healy House Museum & Dexter Cabin on Friday from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. The event will include refreshments, brief remarks by retired U.S. Air Force Col. Scott Adams who is also Ski Cooper board of directors vice chair, and a living history display in the garden presented by 10th Mountain Division Foundation staff historian David Little.
On Saturday, explore the training grounds of the Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument with David Little. Meet at 12:30 p.m. and the tour begins at 1 p.m. The tour covers approximately 13-15 miles and lasts 2.5-3 hours, with a combination of carpooling to various locations within the camp and walking portions on dirt roads and easy trails. Guests are encouraged to bring sunscreen, plenty of water, and to dress for May in the mountains.
To learn more, go to historycolorado.org.
