The Mountaineers
At The Mountaineers, we know the power of nature to restore our souls and inspire our spirits.
In January 1953, Jim and Lou Whittaker arrived at Camp Hale, Colorado. Their job was to train an elite group of soldiers - the 10th Mountain Division - to execute wartime missions in unforgiving alpine conditions. Using the skills they learned with The Mountaineers, and honed as mountain guides on Mt. Rainier, Jim and Lou trained the soldiers in skiing, climbing, mountain maneuvers, and bivouacs.
In 2008, Gavin Woody, a West Point graduate and Army Ranger awarded the Combat Infantryman's Badge and Bronze Star, joined The Mountaineers as a Basic Climbing student. He was looking for a way to reconnect with nature after participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Together with his wife Sara, Gavin discovered The Mountaineers community, complete with "steep snow, rock, ice, and amazing views". Four years later, Gavin took the helm as President of The Mountaineers Board of Directors.
We're proud of the service of our Veteran members and their efforts to preserve our own Freedom of the Hills. Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you for including us in your legacy. Thank you Veterans.
