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| Camp Hale: B-Slope |
By Bill Fetcher
Most of us know about the Army's 10th Mountain Division, formed during WWII to train
soldiers in mountain warfare. And most of us know about Camp Hale, established in 1942
(along with Cooper Hill) as a base for training mountain troops. This included being able to ski.
Once the supply of recruits who could ski had dried up the Army had to train never-evers. This
was the apparent purpose of B-Slope, which takes its name from its location at the south end of
Camp Hale's B Street just past the Camp Hale Memorial Campground. After showing some
promise as skiers on B-Slope they'd be bused up to Cooper Hill (Ski Cooper) for further
training. (The name B-Slope is also used on the Camp Hale interpretive signs along U.S. 24 and
has a certain Army charm to it, given the military's obsession with initials, acronyms and
abbreviations.)
I've been told that during Camp Hale's final years of operation B-Slope was operated by Special
Services, which sees to the recreational needs of armed forces members and their families; selling
event tickets, operating movie theaters, bowling alleys, restaurants and the occasional ski area.
Meanwhile, Cooper Hill had been turned over to the City of Leadville. Camp Hale was
deactivated in 1965.
My first visit to B-Slope was last summer when I hiked the lift line. A row of toppled utility poles
and footings for five-inch steel towers cut off at the base indicate a rope-tow with an electric
motor drive at the top. The lift line is partly grown over so I had the guess at the length, about
1000 feet. (To rope-tow veterans, that translates to 1000 feet straight up.)
I made another visit in winter to get a photo that might capture how the hill, though a bit grown
over, must have appeared to those Army recruits as they were bused or marched to their day's
ski lessons.
Any further stories, additions and corrections concerning B-Slope, particularly from 10th
Mountain veterans, would be greatly appreciated.
Most of us know about the Army's 10th Mountain Division, formed during WWII to train
soldiers in mountain warfare. And most of us know about Camp Hale, established in 1942
(along with Cooper Hill) as a base for training mountain troops. This included being able to ski.
Once the supply of recruits who could ski had dried up the Army had to train never-evers. This
was the apparent purpose of B-Slope, which takes its name from its location at the south end of
Camp Hale's B Street just past the Camp Hale Memorial Campground. After showing some
promise as skiers on B-Slope they'd be bused up to Cooper Hill (Ski Cooper) for further
training. (The name B-Slope is also used on the Camp Hale interpretive signs along U.S. 24 and
has a certain Army charm to it, given the military's obsession with initials, acronyms and
abbreviations.)
I've been told that during Camp Hale's final years of operation B-Slope was operated by Special
Services, which sees to the recreational needs of armed forces members and their families; selling
event tickets, operating movie theaters, bowling alleys, restaurants and the occasional ski area.
Meanwhile, Cooper Hill had been turned over to the City of Leadville. Camp Hale was
deactivated in 1965.
My first visit to B-Slope was last summer when I hiked the lift line. A row of toppled utility poles
and footings for five-inch steel towers cut off at the base indicate a rope-tow with an electric
motor drive at the top. The lift line is partly grown over so I had the guess at the length, about
1000 feet. (To rope-tow veterans, that translates to 1000 feet straight up.)
I made another visit in winter to get a photo that might capture how the hill, though a bit grown
over, must have appeared to those Army recruits as they were bused or marched to their day's
ski lessons.
Any further stories, additions and corrections concerning B-Slope, particularly from 10th
Mountain veterans, would be greatly appreciated.
| Area Pictures: If you live by this area or have any pictures to share, please email us! |
| Have you ever skied at this area? If so, contact us with your memories! Memories: |
| Copyright © coloradoskihistory.com All Rights Reserved. Pictures and research thanks to Bill Fetcher |
"
| B-Slope, Camp Hale |
| Tower footing along lift line |
| B street from top of tow |
| Toppled utility pole |
| Base area pad for lift terminal |