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A mountain leader is a military professional specialising in delivering training for, or leading, operations in high altitude and / or extremely low temperature environments.
| | This article needs additional citations for verification .(February 2022) |
A mountain leader is a military professional specialising in delivering training for, or leading, operations in high altitude and / or extremely low temperature environments.
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The conduct of warfare in high altitude or arctic environments in the British Armed Forces is the province of UK Commando Force, a formation of the Royal Marines with a number of attached army elements. The brigade conducts annual training in the northern regions of Norway and has been deployed for high altitude operations globally.
Associated with the tasking as the lead force for mountain and Arctic warfare is the existence of the trade specialisation mountain leader (ML). Each sub-unit within the brigade is complemented with at least one mountain leader who will have undergone training in the Mountain Leader Training Cadre, formerly known as the Mountain and Arctic Training Cadre.
Marines from the Netherlands Marine Corps and special forces from NLMARSOF jointly train with the British Royal Marines and follow the same training program as their British counterpart.
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Mountain leaders (USMC and US Army) have extensive practical experience in a variety of mountain environments in both winter and summer conditions. They have well-developed hazard evaluation and safe route finding skills over all types of mountainous terrain. Mountain leaders are best qualified to advise commanders on all aspects of mountain operations, particularly the preparation and leadership required to move units over technically difficult, hazardous, or exposed terrain. In most cases the mountain leader is the highest level of qualification and is the principle trainer for conducting mountain operations. Mountain warfare instructor experience at a mountain training center or as a member of a special operations forces (SOF) mountain team is critical to the mountain leader development. Below is a list of the additional knowledge and skills expected of mountain leaders. Depending on the specific area of operation (AO), mountain leaders may need additional over-the-snow mobility skills such as snowshoeing and skiing.
The Italian Army mountain leaders are trained at the Alpine Training Center (Centro Addestramento Alpino) [1] of Aosta, and serve as instructors in all the Alpini specialized mounted warfare Regiments [2] and in the Sport Activities Unit (Reparto Attività Sportive). [3] There are eight different levels of Mountain Leader in the Italian Army, [4] as follows:
The mountain leaders of the French Army are trained at the High Mountain Military School (École militaire de haute montagne) [5] of Chamonix and serve as instructors in all the Chasseurs alpins specialized mounted warfare Regiments and in the High Mountain Military Group (Groupe Militaire de Haute Montagne). [6] There are five different levels of Mountain Leader in the French Army, as follows:
Some other countries have similar specialists for operating in cold and high altitude environment.
Ski warfare is the use of ski-equipped troops in war.
Gaston Rébuffat was a French alpinist, mountain guide, and author. He is well known as a member of the first expedition to summit Annapurna 1 in 1950 and the first man to climb all six of the great north faces of the Alps. In 1984, he was made an officer in the French Legion of Honour for his service as a mountaineering instructor for the French military. At the age of 64, Gaston Rébuffat died of cancer in Paris, France. The rock-climbing technique, the "Gaston", was named after him. A photo of Rébuffat atop the Aiguille du Roc in the French Alps is on the Voyager Golden Records.
The Mountain Warfare Training Center (MWTC) is a United States Marine Corps installation located in Pickel Meadows in Mono County, California, at 6,800 feet (2,100 m) above sea level in the Toiyabe National Forest, 21 miles (34 km) northwest of Bridgeport, California. The training center exists to train units in complex compartmented terrain.
A mountain guide is a specially trained and experienced professional mountaineer who is certified by local authorities or mountain guide associations. They are considered to be high-level experts in mountaineering, and are hired to instruct or lead individuals or small groups who require this advanced expertise. This professional class of guides arose in the middle of the 19th century when alpine climbing became recognized as a sport.
The Union of International Mountain Leader Associations (UIMLA) was founded in November 2004. It was decided at the meeting that all mountain leader associations would be awarded the same carnet and badge giving an internationally recognised identity. It also paves the way for other countries from around the world to join UIMLA setting a world standard for mountain leaders. The principal aims of UIMLA are:
The Army Mountain Warfare School (AMWS) is a United States Army school located at the Camp Ethan Allen Training Site, Jericho, Vermont to train soldiers in mountain warfare, the specialized skills required for operating in mountainous terrain. It is home to the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. The school is located in Vermont's Green Mountains.
The United States Army Northern Warfare Training Center (NWTC) is the name of a United States Army Alaska (USARAK) special skills training unit and facility located in Black Rapids, Alaska, managed out of Fort Wainwright. It is the Active Army's only cold region training proponent.
André Eugène Marcel Pourchier was a French military officer whose last rank was Lieutenant-Colonel.
Enrico Silvestri was an Italian Alpini officer and skier.
Luigi Perenni, before 1934 Prenn, was an Italian military officer and skier.
Sisto Michele Scilligo was an Italian Alpini soldier and skier.
Stefano Sertorelli was an Italian soldier and skier.
The High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) is a defence service training and research establishment of the Indian Army. In 1948, the Indian Army established a ski school in Gulmarg that later became the High Altitude Warfare School, which specialises in snow–craft and winter warfare. It is located in an area which is prone to avalanches. Selected soldiers from the US, UK, Germany and other countries visit regularly for specialist training.
The Spanish Federation for Mountain and Climbing Sports located in the Floridablanca 84 in Barcelona, is the Spanish federation of mountain and climbing sports. It was founded under the name Federación Española de Alpinismo on July 1, 1922, and renamed to Federación de Montañismo later. As of 2023, the federation has 2,949 registered clubs and 248,252 federated members.
Francesco Vida was an Italian military officer and skier.
The 2005 South American Ski Mountaineering Championship was the first edition of a South American continental championship of competition ski mountaineering.
Claudio Nieto Jiménez is a Chilean ski mountaineer and triathlete.
The École militaire de haute montagne (ÉMHM) is a training establishment of the French Army, that trains French and allied service personnel in mountain warfare, skiing, mountain leadership, and arctic warfare.
The High Mountain Military Group is composed of ten men. It represents. It constitutes the leading team for mountaineering and long-distance expeditions of the French Army.