On February 18, 2023 twenty soldiers from across the US Army National Guard departed for Austria with their rifles and skis in tow. I’d imagine this date wouldn’t mean much to most, but in regards to mountain warfare - it means everything.
At 7:30pm, 78 years ago to the day, 700 soldiers from the Army’s 10th Mountain Division were beginning their 2,000 foot climb of vertical rock in Northern Italy. Their mission was to seize and destroy a Nazi stronghold perched atop the summit of Riva Ridge. This region of Italy was previously uncontested as the Nazis knew of no soldier that could possibly navigate the terrain they stood atop.
Unbeknownst to them, a bunch of mad lads had already been preparing to do exactly that. For years the men of 10th Mountain trained in skiing, climbing, rope work, and mountain fitness in order to attack this very terrain. Their training paid off, successfully seizing Riva Ridge and much of the mountainous Gothic Line of Northern Italy in what would become one of the greatest demonstrations of mountain warfare to date.
Many from the unit returned home to start small businesses that some might still recognize, such as Vail Resorts, and Stowe Mountain. Today Mountain Warfare doesn’t quite get the love it once did, with most recent conflicts seeing far more sand than snow.
However, it prides me to say there is still a small group of soldiers that maintain a desire to control any and all terrain, however challenging it may be, and for the past two weeks I was lucky enough to watch them demonstrate just that.
Team USA sent two teams to the grueling Edelweiss Raid, with both successfully completing the 40km Skimo race to receive their Edelweiss - a feat in and of itself.
22 teams of mountain soldiers started the race, but only 18 finished. Team Alpha went for speed and came in strong at 10th overall, shaving hours off their 2019 time in the process.
With only a few weeks to train as a team, this group of 20 guardsmen made up of teachers, EMTs, businessmen, engineers, ski bums, restaurant managers, and students gave Europes finest a run for their money on their own turf. Our sights are already set on 2025, and training starts now.
This is SFC Tim “Mac” McLaughlin. Tim is a friend, and my first mentor in the art of Mountain Warfare. When I think of Tim, his infallible and sometimes unsettling grin is the first thing I think of. I’m not sure if it’s the latter as it’s usually the last thing I see before finding myself on a climbing route far above where I thought my capability ended, or maybe the avalanche.
When I came upon Tim on that day he had just been catapulted down the slope with 7 others. The first group we found were still dazed and partially buried - Tim and two others had unfortunately kept traveling over a cliff and into the trees a few meters further down the slope. As I descended to reach them I saw two severely injured soldiers - as you’d imagine having been carried over jagged rocks and tossed over a cliff at a rapid pace.
But I also saw the back of a soldier who was in the midst of building a tree anchor in anticipation of a high-angle CASEVAC. That soldier was SFC McLaughlin, and when he turned he shot me that massive grin - however this time he was short a few teeth and wore a mask of blood having sustained serious facial injuries. I’m not sure if it was shock, or just the man’s natural reaction to a fight, but in that moment it helped me clear my head and assist the Senior Instructors in completing an incredibly efficient evacuation.
I never planned on telling this story via a public forum, but as I sat in the briefing for the Edelweiss Raid last month I caught a glimpse of that grin. Again with a mixture of excitement and challenge.
As the brief wrapped up and we all shared nervous smiles, I turned to SFC McLaughlin, a Team Captain, and I asked him where he thinks we should focus our energy. Is it the uphill skiing? The downhill? The mountaineering? The rope rescue? The high-angle shooting?
He looked down at the elaborate rigging he’d just finished fixing to the CASEVAC sled at his feet. This sled would be traveling down the Tyrolean alps with a teammate strapped inside in just a few short weeks. Taking a moment to ponder the question before glancing up at me with that grin.
“All of it - we need to be good at all of it.”
Not sure I can summarize how great this year has been with a simple caption, so I’ll just bore you with one of my favorite parts: Switzerland. I can’t say enough about that trip, and the year that preceded it. The Swiss are incredible people and I recommend visiting whenever possible. My time with Paul, and the Mountain Warfare School is something I’ll always be grateful for. Looking forward to another year of new friendships, new mountains, and new limits. @jimmy_chin said something along the lines of this: There are two great risks that follow us throughout life; Risking too much, and risking too little. For me, risking too little is far worse than death... I urge you to try and find the median this year. There’s a brief and poorly written summary of the climb in the comments if you’re interested. 🕺🏻 Happy New Year 🕺🏻
Our 2 US teams made it through the gauntlet and all members earned the respected Edelweiss Raid Award in Austria last week with one team finishing in the top 10 and shaving close to 5 hours off the total time from 2019.
As a team race, we all fully sent it, claimed our GNAR points, and succeeded as a team. Time to train for 2025 and the chase for the golden edelweiss!
Thank you to Major Nate Fry and the @vtnationalguard for the funding to get this Colorado National Guard skimo mercenary to the race and help co-captain the teams success. It truly shows the spirit of the @86thteam mountain culture and will provide more opportunities for @conationalguard and @vtnationalguard to continue work as a team to strengthen the @usarmy military mountaineering abilities as a whole.
As always, thanks to @maxarch for the awesome picture. Straight from a Bob Ross episode.
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#military #army #flag #us #usa #teamusa #mountains #mountain #mountaininfantry #ski #skimo #skimountaineering #skin #mountaineer #mounatineering #mountaineers #nationalguard #guard #colorado #vermont #soldier #soldiers #mountainwarfare #skiing #snow #austria #edelweiss #raid #team #gnar
Lizum-Walchen training area is home to the Austrian military’s esteemed alpine unit, one that has a yearly training quota of 40,000 troops. If the Mountain Warfare School hit 1,000 trainees a year, we’d be breaking records. Not only are we the away team, but it can sometimes feel as though we’re in completely different leagues up here.
For example, the word Lizum means “alpine pasture at the head of the valley” in Tyrolese, and to me, that leaves a bit to be desired. You feel small here. That pasture is many football fields in length and width, and despite sitting at 6,500 ft at its base, that valley still has you completely surrounded by thousand foot walls of vertical rock and snow.
They call it a pasture at the head of a valley. I’d call it an alpine arena, maybe a colosseum, and within that arena of rock and snow currently resides the best the world has to offer in military mountaineers. Nations from all over the world have been trickling in since Saturday, some friendlier than others, but all extremely capable in the mountains.
Tomorrow they begin their race to the top of that valley. As they weave their way from peak to peak they’ll be held only to the standard of the mountain they’re on, and yewwie is that standard high.
After months of preparation stateside and a long week of training here in Austria, Team USA seems fully prepared to meet that standard, in the process likely raising the bar for US Military Mountaineering as a whole. I won’t reiterate each and every task as I’m sure you’re tired of hearing them already, but I have zero doubt in my mind that both teams will finish strong despite battling illness and injuries.
The World Championship of Military Mountaineering, the Edelweiss Raid, is only a few hours away. See you at sunrise.
If you thought a 35lb pack with an M4 strapped to the side would keep Bravo Team from some freshies, ya thought wrong.
After almost a week of nonstop training on the mountain we’re slowly dialing back and settling before race day. There are a few fighting off colds and one busted knee, but the vibes are high.
Two more days to train - more to follow.
Bravo Team creates a T-trench ski anchor during a crevasse rescue drill on the Kitzsteinhorn. With only three more training days before the race, perfecting these tasks is a primary focus.
Team USA is only 6 days from race day and feeling good. I’m hoping to formally introduce you to Alpha and Bravo team this week but for now, here’s Alpha working on Ski-CASEVAC and roped skiing yesterday.
These are both essential tasks during the #edelweissraid and must be completed (for time) in order to move forward. Is your unit capable of completing these tasks in the mountains?
*More to follow*
Can you assemble the litter, rig it for a ski decent, and package a casualty in under 5 minutes? #edelweissraid - Alpha Team members from @mountainbattalion and @usamws demonstrating that it ain’t no thang.
