Video

Video by Sgt. Samuel Bonney

10th Mountain Division Leads Elite Forces across the Hale to Vail Traverse

27th Public Affairs Detachment

Feb. 19, 2025 | 2:03

Soldiers with the 10th Mountain Division, Colorado National Guard, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), and members of the National Ski Patrol take on the grueling Hale to Vail Traverse in Vail, Colorado, on Feb. 19, 2025. Originally, the Hale to Vail Traverse is a 26-mile cross-country ski trek that starts in Camp Hale, Colorado, and ends at Vail. However, to mitigate the risk of avalanches happening enroute, a different route was selected making it nine miles long with a 2,000-feet increase in elevation. This nine mile cross-country ski trek pays tribute to the division’s World War II legacy, when Soldiers trained in the rugged Rockies to prepare for alpine warfare. More than just a test of endurance, the event strengthens unit cohesion while honing the specialized tactics, techniques, and skills required to operate in extreme mountain conditions. (U.S. Army video by Sgt. Samuel Bonney