AUSTRALIAN LIGHT HORSE EQUIPMENT

Climb to Conquer: The Untold Story of WWII's 10th Mountain Division Ski Troops

Few stories from the "greatest generation" are as unforgettable -- or as little known -- as that of the 10th Mountain Division. Today a versatile light infantry unit deployed around the world, the 10th began in 1941 as a crew of civilian athletes with a passion for mountains and snow. In this vivid history, adventure writer Peter Shelton follows the unique division from its conception on a Vermont ski hill, through its dramatic World War II coming-of-age, to the ultimate revolution it inspired in American outdoor life.
In the late-1930s United States, rock climbing and downhill skiing were relatively new sports. But World War II brought a need for men who could handle extreme mountainous conditions -- and the elite 10th Mountain Division was born. Everything about it was unprecedented: It was the sole U.S. Army division trained on snow and rock, the only division ever to grow out of a sport. It had an un-matched number of professional athletes, college scholars, and potential officer candidates, and as the last U.S. division to enter the war in Europe, it suffered the highest number of casualties per combat day. This is the 10th's surprising, suspenseful, and often touching story.
Drawing on years of interviews and research, Shelton re-creates the ski troops' lively, extensive, and sometimes experimental training and their journey from boot camp to the Italian Apennines. There, scaling a 1,500-foot "unclimbable" cliff face in the dead of night, they stunned their enemy and began the eventual rout of the German armies from northern Italy.
It was a self-selecting elite, a brotherhood in sport and spirit. And those who survived (including the Sierra Club's David Brower, Aspen Skiing Corporation founder Friedl Pfeifer, and Nike cofounder Bill Bowerman, who developed the waffle-sole running shoe) turned their love of mountains into the thriving outdoor industry that has transformed the way Americans see (and play in) the natural world.

This beautiful panoramic painting is on the second floor of the Bromley Ski Lodge. The painting is dated '85, but appears to represent a view of Bromley from the late sixties (my guess based on the ski equipment)

I learned to ski at Bromley in 1965, when I was 8 years old.

Credit: Jonathan Selkowitz (photograph)
Skier: Chris Purcell

The Thule® Roof Top Ski/Snowboard Carrier holds up to 6 pairs of skis or 4 boards and installs quickly and easily to the top of your vehicle. The locking hoods with oversized push buttons enable easy access while wearing gloves. Snowboards can be carried base to base for maximum capacity.

Capable of holding up to six pairs of skis or four snowboards, this rooftop carrier has locking hoods with oversized push buttons for easy access while wearing gloves and is designed to have snowboards carried base-to-base for maximized carrying capacity. The carrier accommodates alpine and Nordic skis, skis in ski bags, mono skis, and water skis. Made of extruded aluminum with clear anodized coating, it comes with hardware needed for mounting to Thule load bars, and is compatible with clamping systems (not included) for mounting to factory-installed rack systems. Locks and assembly instructions are included. The carrier comes with a limited lifetime warranty against defects.
About Thule
To say that Thule’s beginnings in the U.S. were humble would be an understatement. Founding member Ake Skeppner sold products at windsurf competitions on the New England shoreline, exhibited the product line at a number of different trade shows, and even canvassed local retailers in the greater New York area, all from his "office"--a now-famous station wagon. Initial success was found in the small but growing sport of windsurfing where a strong, reliable roof rack was an indispensable piece of equipment. This was quickly followed by success in the ski business where Thule's Swedish heritage certainly helped the product gain rapid acceptance.
By the mid-1980s, the company sold products directly to ski and windsurfing shops but sold through distributors to address the large and growing bike business. A risky decision was made to terminate these distributor relationships and sell direct to retailers through a network of independent sales representatives. Much of the company's market success today can be traced to that decision. Shortly after, Ake hired an engineer and set up a small assembly plant in Elmsford, New York in order to design and manufacture bike carriers that would offer the features demanded by the U.S. consumer and compete effectively with other racks on the market.
The company has since grown rapidly through product innovation, a commitment to quality, and the continuance of a strong entrepreneurial spirit as well as continuing to evolve their products to meet the needs of users.