Honoring the 10th Mountain Division
In an event testing all 27 vertebrae, Steamboat Resort and the 10th Mountain Division Foundation staged their first-ever Rucksack Challenge this February. An uphill ski mountaineering event honoring the 10th Mountain Division soldiers.
The event took place on the anniversary of the ascent of Italy’s Riva Ridge, with racers carrying a rucksack slogging up the slopes under the stars. Inspired by the historic 1945 nighttime mission, to break the Gothic line in Italy, and win WWII.
The 28 racers chose between two divisions: one carrying a 90-lb. weighted pack, symbolizing the load soldiers carried in battle; and another for those climbing without weight. The winner of the back-breaking 90-lb. division was Ben Huston, followed by Kit Callahan. In the sans-weight category, Chris Kricher won it for the men, and Adrienne Pereira winning the women’s division.
“I am honored to have my hometown and resort support an event that honors those who helped shape our community’s contribution to the outdoor recreation industry,” says the Northwest Colorado Cultural Heritage Program’s Nancy Kramer.
