Ninety-Pound Rucksack is a podcast about the US Army's legendary 10th Mountain Division, a gritty unit of World War II climbers and skiers who trained for more than two years in the Colorado Rockies (often wearing ninety-pound "rucksacks," or backpacks) to fight the Axis powers in extreme cold and mountainous terrain. Not only did the Division's insertion into the war help end Germany's occupation of Italy; post-war, its veterans founded and developed ski areas across America, started companies like NOLS and Nike and launched the fields of avalanche science and wilderness rescue. Equal parts real-time research, intimate conversation and revelatory journalism, Ninety-Pound Rucksack explores not only the stories that made the unit famous, but also the transformative power of the mountains to forge a collective identity among the mountain troops—and to ignite a passion for the outdoors that reshaped American society in the process.
Ninety-Pound Rucksack
Claim This Podcastby Christian Beckwith
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Podcast Overview
Ninety-Pound Rucksack is a podcast about the US Army's legendary 10th Mountain Division, a gritty unit of World War II climbers and skiers who trained for more than two years in the Colorado Rockies (often wearing ninety-pound "rucksacks," or backpacks) to fight the Axis powers in extreme cold and mountainous terrain. Not only did the Division's insertion into the war help end Germany's occupation of Italy; post-war, its veterans founded and developed ski areas across America, started companies like NOLS and Nike and launched the fields of avalanche science and wilderness rescue. Equal parts real-time research, intimate conversation and revelatory journalism, Ninety-Pound Rucksack explores not only the stories that made the unit famous, but also the transformative power of the mountains to forge a collective identity among the mountain troops—and to ignite a passion for the outdoors that reshaped American society in the process.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
8/29/2022
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Recent Episodes
July 2, 2026
Low-Mountain Warfare: Episode 15
This episode reconstructs the Army's forgotten low-mountain warfare program, revealing how mountain troops trained ordinary infantry for the Italian campaign and influenced postwar climbing.
November 3, 2025
Camp Hale, Part 4: Episode 14
<p>Featuring all-original research, this revelatory episode reveals how David Brower helped revolutionize American climbing from within the ranks of the 10th Mountain Division. </p> <p>The story also examines the extraordinary new recruits who made up the 86th Mountain Infantry Regiment and the parallel development of the 10th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop and the Mountain Training Group. </p> <p data-start="1466" data-end="1807"><strong data-start="1466" data-end="1489">Highlights include:</strong><br data-start="1489" data-end="1492" /> • David Brower's Rock Climbing chapter and its influence on military and civilian climbing<br data-start="1584" data-end="1587" /> • The influx of the remarkable new soldiers of the 86th Mountain Infantry Regiment<br data-start="1639" data-end="1642" /> • The evolution of the 10th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop and Mountain Training Group<br data-start="1726" data-end="1729" /> • How the Camp Hale experiment helped shape postwar American outdoor culture</p> <p data-start="1809" data-end="1896"><strong data-start="1809" data-end="1839">Resources & Bonus Content:</strong> <a class= "decorated-link" href="https://christianbeckwith.com/" target= "_new" rel="noopener" data-start="1840" data-end= "1894">christianbeckwith.com</a></p> <p data-start="1898" data-end="2150"><strong data-start="1898" data-end="1911">Sponsors:</strong></p> <ul> <li data-start="1898" data-end="2150"><a href= "https://www.cilogear.com">CiloGear</a>: Premium alpine backpacks – <a class="decorated-link" href="https://www.cilogear.com/" target="_new" rel="noopener" data-start="1951" data-end= "1991">cilogear.com</a> (Code: rucksack)</li> <li data-start="1898" data-end="2150"><a href= "https://www.dpsskis.com">DPS Skis</a>: Designing the world's most advanced skis - <a href= "https://www.dpsskis.com">dpsskis.com</a></li> <li data-start="1898" data-end="2150"><a href= "https://www.snakeriverbrewing.com">Snake River Brewing</a>: Wyoming's oldest and America's most award-winning small craft brewery – <a class="decorated-link" href= "https://www.snakeriverbrewing.com/" target="_new" rel="noopener" data-start="2090" data-end="2148">snakeriverbrewing.com</a></li> </ul> <p data-start="2152" data-end="2308"><a href= "https://www.patreon.com/c/NinetyPoundRucksack">Support Ninety-Pound Rucksack on Patreon</a> for early access, bonus interviews, and illustrated transcripts.</p> <p data-start="2310" data-end="2499"><strong data-start="2310" data-end="2351">Special thanks to our newest patrons:</strong> Jerry Laverty, Kenneth Brooks, Carter Hatton, Mark Wharton, Eric Corbett, Nairb Lenz, Sydney Palmer, Dan Burgette, Dave Rhodes, Andrew Wilhelm, Neil Gallensky, Paul Kuenn, Chad Horne and Justin Colquhoun.</p>
July 25, 2025
Camp Hale, Part 3: Episode 13
<p data-start="362" data-end="862">In Part 3 of our Camp Hale series, host Christian Beckwith explores America’s military mountaineering experiment during the pivotal winter of 1942–43. Following Second Lieutenant John McCown, the episode traces early training frustrations, the media frenzy that made the “mountain warriors” famous, and the disastrous <strong data-start="716" data-end="744">Homestake Peak Maneuvers</strong>—an exercise so plagued by frostbite, blizzards, and failures it drew comparisons to Napoleon’s retreat from Moscow.</p> <p data-start="864" data-end="1099">Interviews with <strong data-start="880" data-end="927">Lance Blyth, David Little, and Sepp Scanlin</strong> provide behind-the-scenes insights into the Army’s evolving mountain experiment and its cultural ripple effects that would later shape America’s outdoor recreation boom.</p> <p data-start="1101" data-end="1126"><strong data-start="1101" data-end="1124">Highlights include:</strong></p> <ul data-start="1127" data-end="1421"> <li data-start="1127" data-end="1213"> <p data-start="1129" data-end="1213">The recruitment push led by <strong data-start="1157" data-end="1172">Minnie Dole</strong>, <strong data-start="1174" data-end="1186">John Jay</strong>, and <strong data-start="1192" data-end="1211">Deborah Bankart</strong></p> </li> <li data-start="1214" data-end="1270"> <p data-start="1216" data-end="1270">The birth of the <strong data-start="1233" data-end="1268">86th Mountain Infantry Regiment</strong></p> </li> <li data-start="1271" data-end="1371"> <p data-start="1273" data-end="1371">Special missions, including the <strong data-start="1305" data-end="1337">Columbia Icefield Expedition</strong> and Studebaker’s <strong data-start="1355" data-end="1369">M29 Weasel</strong></p> </li> <li data-start="1372" data-end="1421"> <p data-start="1374" data-end="1421">Lessons from the <strong data-start="1391" data-end="1419">Homestake Peak Maneuvers</strong></p> </li> </ul> <p data-start="1423" data-end="1510"><strong data-start="1423" data-end="1453">Resources & Bonus Content:</strong> <a class="" href="https://christianbeckwith.com/" target="_new" rel="noopener" data-start="1454" data-end="1508">christianbeckwith.com</a></p> <p data-start="1569" data-end="1584"><strong data-start="1569" data-end="1582">Sponsors:</strong></p> <ul data-start="1585" data-end="1833"> <li data-start="1585" data-end="1692"> <p data-start="1587" data-end="1692"><strong data-start="1587" data-end="1600">CiloGear:</strong> Premium alpine backpacks – <a class="" href="https://www.cilogear.com/" target="_new" rel= "noopener" data-start="1628" data-end="1668">cilogear.com</a> (Code: <strong data-start="1676" data-end= "1688">rucksack</strong>).</p> </li> <li data-start="1693" data-end="1833"> <p data-start="1695" data-end="1833"><strong data-start="1695" data-end="1719">Snake River Brewing:</strong> Wyoming’s oldest and most award-winning craft brewery – <a class="" href= "https://snakeriverbrewing.com/" target="_new" rel="noopener" data-start="1776" data-end="1830">snakeriverbrewing.com</a>.</p> </li> </ul> <p data-start="1423" data-end="1510"><strong>Support the show on <a href= "https://www.patreon.com/c/NinetyPoundRucksack">Patreon</a></strong> for early access, bonus interviews, and illustrated transcripts.</p> <p data-start="1423" data-end="1510"><strong>Special thanks to our newest patrons:</strong> Dave Pagel, Li’l Boba, Bryan Dayton, Kyle Carr, Greg Staz, Mike Suhrbier, John Murdoh, Brian Alman, Dom Visconsi, John Andrews and Sam Harriman!</p>
19 total episodes available with 1 transcripts
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- What is Ninety-Pound Rucksack?
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This podcast updates bi-weekly.
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