Paradise Historic Tour: 10th Mountain Division Memorial

10th Mountain Division ski troops training at Paradise, Mount Rainier National Park, during the wint

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Location:

Paradise

Amenities

1 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

In Honor of Those Who Served in the 10th Mountain Division

Over the course of World War II, Mount Rainier National Park served as a winter training and testing ground for the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division and other military units. The 87th Mountain Infantry from which the 10th Mountain Division was formed, trained at Paradise, Mount Rainier National Park, in skiing and mountaineering during the winter of 1941-1942.

The 10th Mountain Division spearheaded the final battles in Italy during World War II by taking Riva Ridge and Mount Belvedere in the Apennines, first to break into the Po Valley, cutting highway 9 to Lake Garda, which blocked the escape route to the Brenner Pass in the Alps, leading to the end of World War II in Italy, May 2, 1945.

The 10th Mountain Division Memorial is located at the junction of the Waterfall Trail and Alta Vista Trail in Paradise. Paradise is open year-round but the memorial is covered by the snow in the winter.