Original Item. Only One Available. This is an excellent original U.S. Army WWII ice axe manufactured by AMES and of the pattern strongly associated with the specialized mountaineering equipment issued to American mountain troops, including the 10th Mountain Division. It measures 37⅛” overall and retains its 12½” steel head, hardwood haft, steel wrist strap ring, leather arm/wrist strap, and spike fitted with a metal protective cup.

The steel head combines a pointed pick with an adze, allowing the axe to assist with climbing, cutting steps, testing snow and ice, and arresting a fall. Its long wooden haft provided additional leverage and could also serve as a balance or support staff when moving across steep terrain.

The ice axe measures approximately 37⅛” in overall length. The head measures approximately 12½”.

A steel ring remains mounted beneath the head and retains a leather wrist strap which has heavy loss of the top leather finish layer.

The base of the haft terminates in a steel spike fitted with a metal cup that appears to have a brass plated finish. The cup is clearly marked:

U.S.
AMES

The marking identifies the tool as U.S. military property manufactured by AMES. Comparable AMES ice axes are documented as equipment used by members of the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division during WWII.

The 10th Mountain Division developed from the Army’s early wartime mountain and ski troop program. Charles Minot “Minnie” Dole, founder of the National Ski Patrol, played an important role in encouraging the War Department to create a force trained for operations in snow covered and mountainous terrain.

The program initially drew heavily from experienced skiers, mountaineers, guides, forest rangers, lumbermen, and other outdoorsmen. Many early volunteers were recruited with assistance from the National Ski Patrol and trained in skiing, climbing, winter survival, and high altitude operations.

The Army’s first dedicated mountain infantry organization was established around the 87th Mountain Infantry Regiment. The 10th Light Division (Alpine) was constituted on July 10th, 1943 and activated five days later at Camp Hale, Colorado.

Camp Hale provided the division with a demanding high altitude training environment. Its personnel trained with skis, snowshoes, ropes, specialized cold weather clothing, climbing equipment, and vehicles adapted for snow travel.

The formation was redesignated the 10th Mountain Division on November 6th, 1944. It deployed to Italy during the winter of 1944 and 1945 and entered combat in the northern Apennines.

In February 1945, division personnel conducted a difficult night ascent of Riva Ridge and participated in attacks around Mount Belvedere. The division later advanced through the Apennines, crossed the Po River, and moved north toward Lake Garda and the Austrian frontier during the final weeks of the war in Italy.

Ice axes formed part of the specialized equipment required for the division’s mountaineering and winter training. They were useful for negotiating steep snow and ice, cutting footholds, maintaining balance, and providing support during climbing exercises.

The combination of the documented Ames manufacture, U.S. military marking, complete mountaineering configuration, surviving wrist strap and ring, and well-established association of this pattern with the 10th Mountain Division makes this a particularly strong example of specialized U.S. Army WWII mountain equipment.