Eighty years after the original soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division trained for war in the mountains of Colorado, a new generation returned to the high ground.
10th Mountain Division | The High Ground follows soldiers of the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) as they reconnect with the alpine roots of one of the Army’s most storied divisions.
For 29 Pixel Studios, the project took us from the frigid winter conditions of Fort Drum, New York, to historic Camp Hale and the spectacular Colorado Rockies—telling a story that connects World War II, modern Army training, and the birth of America’s ski and outdoor recreation industries.
An Army Division Born in the Mountains
The story of the 10th Mountain Division begins during World War II, when the U.S. Army recognized the need for soldiers specifically trained to fight in extreme alpine environments.
At Camp Hale, Colorado, soldiers learned to survive and operate in the mountains. They trained on skis and snowshoes, climbed rock and ice, and developed the skills necessary to move and fight in terrain that would stop conventional forces.
The division would eventually take those skills to combat in the mountains of Italy.
But The High Ground isn’t simply a film about what happened 80 years ago.
It’s about what that legacy means to the soldiers wearing the 10th Mountain Division patch today.
Returning to the High Ground
The documentary follows modern 10th Mountain Division soldiers as they embrace the physical and mental challenges of mountain warfare and reconnect with the division’s alpine heritage.
Our cameras followed soldiers skiing, snowshoeing, climbing, rappelling, glissading, and moving through demanding winter terrain during events including the D-Series, Legacy Days, and the Hale to Vail Traverse.
The journey from Camp Hale to Vail creates a particularly powerful connection between generations.
Throughout the documentary, modern footage is paired with historic World War II film, allowing today’s soldiers to quite literally follow in the tracks of the soldiers who came before them.
Climb to Glory.
For this division, it’s more than a motto.
From the Battlefield to the American Ski Industry
One of our favorite parts of this story reaches far beyond military history.
When members of the 10th Mountain Division returned home after World War II, many brought their passion for the mountains with them.
Veterans of the division became influential figures in the development of ski resorts, ski schools, mountain safety programs, outdoor organizations, and America’s growing outdoor recreation industry.
That makes the history of the 10th Mountain Division part of the history of skiing in America.
The mountains where these soldiers once prepared for war ultimately helped shape a culture of skiing and outdoor recreation enjoyed by millions today.
Creating The High Ground
The High Ground was produced by 29 Pixel Studios as part of our ongoing work supporting Army University Press / Army University Films.
Creating the documentary meant working in some spectacular—and challenging—environments. From winter training at Fort Drum to filming soldiers moving through the Colorado Rockies, this was the kind of production where the environment wasn’t simply a backdrop.
The mountains were part of the story.
The production brought together the 10th Mountain Division and Army University Films with an incredible collection of organizations that helped preserve and continue this history, including the Denver Public Library Special Collections and Archives, History Colorado, National Ski Patrol, Vail Resorts, National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), and the Colorado Army National Guard.
Their historical resources, expertise, and participation helped connect the division’s WWII origins with the soldiers carrying that legacy forward today.
More Than 50 Films for the U.S. Army
29 Pixel Studios began this work through a contract awarded in the summer of 2018. Since then, the underlying IDIQ has been held by multiple prime contractors, including nFocus, BMA, and Loch Harbour Group.
Over the years, our team has helped create more than 50 films for the U.S. Army covering military history, leadership, doctrine, training, and the experiences of soldiers past and present.
The High Ground stands out even among that body of work.
It’s military history, a modern Army story, an outdoor adventure, and a piece of American ski history—all wrapped into one feature-length documentary.
And we’re proud to have helped tell it.
Watch 10th Mountain Division | The High Ground
The film was originally distributed through official U.S. Army channels and remains publicly available through the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS), where it is designated PUBLIC DOMAIN.
We’re making the film available on YouTube so this story can be more easily found, watched, shared, and enjoyed by a wider audience.
Official DVIDS release:
https://www.dvidshub.net/video/1015667/10th-mountain-division-high-ground
Whether you’re interested in the 10th Mountain Division, World War II, Camp Hale, Colorado history, skiing, mountain warfare, military training, or simply a great story about people pushing themselves in extraordinary environments, we hope you’ll give The High Ground a watch.
CLIMB TO GLORY!
29 Pixel Studios is an independent creative production company. This website and the 29 Pixel Studios YouTube channel are not official U.S. Army properties.
The appearance of U.S. Department of War (DoW) visual information does not imply or constitute DoW endorsement.