Colorado Pictures

Colorado 2005 Click on the thumbnails to see full size pictures

10th Mountain Division at Camp Hale

CAMP HALE (about 15 miles from Leadville)
In 1942, Pando, Colorado, was a two-room train depot situated in the picturesque Eagle Park valley. By January 1943, an army camp filled the valley and was receiving the first men of the 10th Mountain Division for instruction in mountain and winter warfare, mountaineering, skiing and rock climbing. In less than eight months, the camp grew to accommodate a full U.S. Army Division of 14,000 men. On Maneuvers Ski troops trained in the Rockies at altitudes up to 14,000 feet, often under brutal weather conditions and for weeks at a time. As if nature were not enough of a challenge, the men carried rucksacks sometimes weighing as much as 90 lbs. Tents were home to 10th Mountain Division soldiers while on maneuvers. Thin fabric provided the only shelter from the elements. Rock Climbing was an important element of Divisional training. While some soldiers were recruited for their rock-climbing and mountaineering skills, the majority received specialized training. Mountains and rock formations around Camp Hale provided the ideal classroom for the soldiers. The training proved essential as troops from the 86th Regiment would make a night climb to capture German-held Riva Ridge in the Apennine Mountains of northern Italy.

At the Jerome Hotel in Aspen, Colorado, the men unwind after a day of skiing. Even though the troops skied during training and camped in the cold and snow, when they had leave for the weekend, many of the soldiers could be found at nearby ski areas. After the war, several men of the 10th were instrumental in building the recreational ski industry we know today.

Nova Guides

Nova guides is now located at Camp Hale. We spent the day after Christmas there and the guys went out on snow mobiles,

and the girls went on a Cat ride on the groomed trail for 2 hours. We wanted to dog sled but you have to book 3 months in advance =) . We found out on the ride that Camp Hale was torn down by accident. There was another Camp Hale in N.C. and that was the one that should have been torn down =( I always wanted to know why they didn't leave more of it behind.

http://novaguides.com/lodge.htm

Hut Association

10th Mountain manages a system of 29 backcountry huts in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, connected by 350 miles of suggested routes. I have only seen a few of these so far and they are not what I would call Huts! You can stay in one for about 12$ a night as long as you don't mind sharing with other families who might be there. You can also reserve a whole hut.

10th Mountain Division Hut Association

Red Cliff ( about 5 miles past Camp Hale)

Population : 289 Elevation: 8674 feet Land area: 0.2 square miles

Gilman (about 5 miles from Red Cliff)

Gillman was founded in 1886 and is still not exactly a ghost town. The town is perched on the side of Battle Mountain and had as many as 2000 residents during its boom years. Most of the cabins were built on the side of the steep hill and steps were constructed up the cliff to gain access to the mines. Half of Gillman was destroyed by fire in 1899 including a hotel, the schoolhouse and most of the business section. However, as recently as 1950 production was valued at nearly 13 million dollars and was well above five million in 1953.

In 1984, Gilman was abandoned and closed to the public while being cleared of mining pollutants. Zinc and lead were mined here.

Minturn ( about 10 miles from Gilman)

Unlike their neighbors at Vail and Beaver Creek, Minturn’s oldest families settled at the confluence of Gore Creek and the Eagle River in the late 1800s. Some created homesteads and farmed the land, while others mined silver in the mountains high above town. With the arrival of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad in 1887, Minturn quickly developed into a booming crossroads for transportation and industry. By the turn of the century, a growing population of mining and railroad workers and their families raised the demands for business and services in town. In response, Minturn was incorporated on November 15, 1904.

Vail ( about 10 miles from minturne)

Vail is a good place to shop and eat. At night after the skiers and snowboarders are gone, we rode the gondola to the top

of Vail resort and sat in the big outdoor fire pit and watched ice skaters. There is a bar and a Starbuck's, and

they have other fun stuff to do up there like tubing or bike skiing.