in sub-rem temperatures, cooking all their meals on 
     
     camp fires and sleeping out in the snow. Ski-troops 
     
     have already given ample proot of their worth in the 
     
    
   
   
    
     different _un.its, the ski-troopers are given careful 
     
     training in _the_science of living outdoors in cold 
     
     weather. Sometimes they live for as long as a week 
     
    
   
   
    
     Born and rearedjn ancountry where the winters are 
     
     not made for _ sissies , Canada's hardy fighting men 
     
     take to ski-training like ducks to water. Drawn from 
     
    
   
   
    
        
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     Rear view of a ski-trooper ready for the trail. On his 
     
     back are snowshoes which he sometimes uses in place of 
     
     skis. He carries equipment for miles, uphill and down. 
     
    
   
   
    
     A typical commander of ski troops is shown on the job. 
     
     In one hand he holds his map and in the other a compass. 
     
     Exercises often cover many miles of snowy territory. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Here's the way ski-troopers set up equipment for the 
     
     night. Skis and poles form platform for packs, rifles 
     
     and other equipment, keeping them well above ground. 
     
    
   
   
    
        
     
        
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
        
     
    
   
   
    
          
     
    
   
   
    
     nights the skiers. ate and slept outdoors  
     
     mercury hovered around the 35-below-zero mark. The 
     
     exercise was the final stage of their training course. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Ski-troopers pause while their officers consult the 
     
     maps. Most of these photos were made during a recent 
     
     trek when a unit covered 65 miles. For six days and 
     
    
   
   
    
     First ai n the trail. Allof te ski-troopers are 
     
     trained in first aid and a. medical officer accompanies 
     
     units on the trail. Here a ski pole is used as splint. 
     
    
   
   
    
          
     
         
     
    
   
   
    
     f. 
     
    
   
   
    
             
     
    
   
   
    
     In a picture, it looks almost lik a Christmas card, but it's a lot 
     
     different after you've been out in this kind of weather for two or 
     
     three days. Most of the ski-troopers trained in special nnllrsae im- 
     
    
   
   
    
     C-  I "u,  1'0". Skil-troopersishown. in  photos wear only their 
     
     tlfillllilciiigzglifiwtls. Thetipplihotos show how perfectly the trooper blends with snow when 
     
    
   
   
    
     ‘upletely equipped. Outline in upper photo disappears when skier flops in snow 
     
    
   
   
    
     defence oi Russia, where they have surprised the Hun 
     
     and defeated him on many occasions. Moving along like 
     
     ghosts in their white clothing, they blend with the snow. 
     
    
   
   
    
     sent back to their original units as instructors. 'l‘he course l 
     
     about two weeks, starting off in a class room and ending up on the 
     
     snows. Mnnv troopers are alreadv expert skiers before UIPV ioin up, 
     
    
   
   
    
         
     
         
     
    
   
   
    
         
     
    
   
   
    
     Preparing _for a rough climb, this soldier is replacing 
     
     his skis with snowshoes. Over his boots he wears a 
     
     pair of special “moccasins” made from discarded cloth. 
     
    
   
   
    
     It's not very luxurious, but it sure tastes good after 
     
    
   
   
    
     a long spell on the trail! A ski-trooper is shown as 
     
     he cooks his meal in a fireplace carved from the snow, 
     
    
   
   
    
           
     
    
   
   
    
     8518