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Mountain Warfare Training Center

The Mountain Warfare Training Center (MWTC) is a United States Marine Corps installation located in Pickel Meadows on California State Route 108 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.

Mission

The Marine Corps' Mountain Warfare Training Center, as a major subordinate element of Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command, and with support from Marine Corps Installations West, conducts unit and individual training courses to prepare USMC, Joint, and Allied Forces for operations in mountainous, high altitude, and cold weather environments in support of the Regional Combatant Commanders. Additionally, MWTC provides support to Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC); Training and Education Command; Marine Corps Systems Command; and other USMC and Department of Defense (DOD) agencies engaged in the development of war-fighting doctrine and specialized equipment for use in mountain and cold weather operations.

History

The Mountain Warfare Training Center (MWTC) is one of the Corps' most remote and isolated posts. The center was established in 1951 as the Cold Weather Battalion with a mission of providing cold-weather training for replacement personnel bound for Korea. After the Korean War, in 1963, the school was renamed the "Mountain Warfare Training Center" due to its expanded role. During the 1980s, the Training Center's focus was on training and preparing Marines and operational units for deployments on NATO's Northern flank, particularly Norway. Recently, with the Global War on Terrorism, the MWTC provided pre-deployment training in support of Operation Enduring Freedom—the war in Afghanistan.

Operating areas

MWTC is located in Pickel Meadows of the Sierra Nevada mountains south of Lake Tahoe on 46,000 acres (190 km²) of mountainous terrain with elevations from 6,700 ft (2,000 m) – 11,000 ft. Other areas utilized by MWTC: Sweetwater Airstrip 6,835 ft (2,083 m), Mount Shasta 14,179 ft (4,322 m), the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada (U.S.) and Hawthorne Army Depot for live fire exercises. 38°21′24″N 119°30′59″W

Installation capabilities

Billeting facilities to support 1200+ training personnel
Chowhall to support permanent and training personnel
Naval Hospital Branch Clinic
Mountain Warfare Fire & Emergency Services
Base Security Forces / PMO
Classrooms and base theater
1007' VSTOL-capable Expeditionary Airfield (EAF)
Fleet of BV 206 restricted terrain vehicles Bandvagn 206
Stables and pack animals
Specialized technical mountaineering and ski equipment
Modern Range Operations Center
Multiple small arms ranges
Multiple rock climbing training areas
Multiple stream crossing sites
Ski Lift
Avalanche training site
Unit/Combat Operations Center
MCCS, Post Exchange, Single Marine Program, Fitness Center and Rock Training/Climbing wall
The Pickel Post, Base Newsletter
Family Housing for Permanent personnel

School of Mountain Warfare

Formal courses and training programs offered

Mountain Communications Course
Mountain / Cold Weather Pre-Environmental Training
Mountain Operations Staff Planning Course
Summer and Winter Mountain Leader Courses
Mountain / Cold Weather Scout Sniper Course
Assault Climber Course
Scout Skier Course
Mountain / Cold Weather Survival Course
Mountain / Cold Weather Medicine Course
OSV (Over the Snow Vehicle) / rough terrain driver training
Animal Packing Course
Special Operation Forces (SOF) Horsemanship Course
Mountain / Winter Engineer Course

Most courses require a first class Physical Fitness Test, typically conducted on Training Day 1.

Pre-Deployment Training Programs (PTP)

Mountain Exercise (MTX) (revamped summer/winter package customized per METL) (2010–present)
- Training for all USMC MAGTF elements/units for OEF
Mountain Warrior
- Training for USMC battalions headed to Afghanistan to participate in combat operations in support of OEF. Exercise Mountain Warrior was directed by the Commandant of the Marine Corps as an alternate training venue to Exercise Mojave Viper (EMV) (Mojave Viper) due to insufficient throughput capacity of EMV at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms. (2009–2010)
Mountain Viper
- Training for USMC Embedded Training Teams (ETTs) for OEF (2006–2009)

MWI (Mountain Warfare Instructor, a.k.a. Red Hats) Training

Basic MWI

MLC or IQC (Instructor Qualification Course) Graduate, Seasonal
BIC (Basic Instructor Course)
SAT (Systems Approach to Training) and ORM (Operational Risk Management) Online Courses
ORM (Operational Risk Management)
RSO (Range Safety Officer)
225 score on the United States Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test (PFT) unadjusted for age or altitude
Recommendation from Course Chief