Commando Run

One of our favorite ski tours is the Commando Run. Most guide books have the following to say about the Commando, "The Commando Run from Vail Pass back to Vail Resort is regarded as one of the most challenging and best ski tours in Colorado. The Commando Run is named for the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division soldiers who used to train along this demanding route for high-altitude skiing combat and the commando raids during World War II. Popular today for its outstanding views and quality of snow." We highly recommend this tour for any avid back-country skier.

The Commando Run is a staple of our yearly training plan, and we have use it to train for such events as Elk Mountain Traverse, Coureur des Bois 90 km Ski Race, and simply to maintain endurance. Most winters we complete the tour 3-4 times. The tour typically takes us anywhere from 3-6 hours to complete depending on snow conditions, chosen equipment (anything from heavy metal AT to light weight racing x-c classic equipment), motivation, route decisions and company.

Thursday of last week, I had one of my best outings on the Commando (except for the fact that Kerry was unable to join us). Making the tour enjoyable were long time local/national endurance legends Dawes Wilson, Ellen Miller, Billy Mattison, Mike Kloser (the pace was fast and furious) and Andre Boesel. The trail was skied in, temperatures moderate, zero wind, and a clear sky with a bright moon for visibility. We started at 5:30pm, Dawes kept the pace fast, and we completed the tour by 9:00pm.