World War II – History of Skiing & Snowsports

April 24, 2022May 4, 2022

Deadlier on Skis: The Winter War and the Future of Ski Warfare

Finnish ski patrol in Northern Finland, January 12, 1940.
Public Domain, Image Credit: http://media.iwm.org.uk/iwm/mediaLib//31/media-31414/large.jpg

For most, the first picture that comes to mind when imagining skiing is gliding down the smooth slopes of a resort, only to be followed by …

January 3, 2022January 3, 2022

The 86th Infantry Regiment: Their Past and Formation into a Ski Regiment, 1918-1945

Image: https://snowsportsmuseum.pastperfectonline.com/photo/50E3D2EC-8053-4B82-94A6-237843905424
Source: Colorado Snowsports Museum

The World Wars were times of great tension around the world. Many men enlisted in the United States Army, and many new regiments were created to fulfill the international demand for soldiers. One of …

May 20, 2021May 30, 2021

Operation Gunnerside: Hitler, Heavy Water, and Hand Grenades

Image “Vemork”; Creator: Lars_Pistasj, copyright holder; License: CC BY-NC-SA 2.0; Link:https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc sa/2.0/legalcode?fbclid=lwA R0Ekf8HrbWTwtF_ngLDJdH7ndsKpek8wT1MfsNO8PBE0lq1Fsl1oqTdo; Material available under public license: https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/4894e429-eb7c-453d-b3ba-d310049f8b95

https://vimeo.com/548710494

On April 9, 1940, Nazi Germany invaded Norway for the first time. One of the first locations they set out …

May 10, 2021May 18, 2021

When Snow Slides: Skiing, World War II, and Avalanche Control (Part I) – Jesse Weiner

Washington State Dept of Transportation. Blasting for Avalanche Control. 11 May 2010. Flickr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/4604220326/.

In World War II, the 10^th Mountain Division was the first American military division to specialize in mountainous arctic conditions. While their work was revolutionary …