Anyone been to FT. Drum?

[JunkyII]

because thats where im going........10th Mountain baby wOOOOOOOO









so cold

[Spikes]

Pretty cool, my uncle was in 10th Mtn for a while, he's in Louisiana now. I live about an hour south of Watertown (Ft Drum).

[SunBat]

That's cool. Haven't been there exactly but I have been up through the Adirondacks. Most incredibly beautiful scenery I have ever seen when we went up there in the fall.

[Treize69]

Get a lot of long underwear and snow tires for your car. Trust me.

[Gaidin]

Spent 3 years there, and deployed to Afghan from there.

Be ready for PT in -20 temps.  I had some good times there, had some crappy times there too.  They went through a reorg there after I left, so my unit is no longer active.  Lots of field time, they had a nice mount training facility.

Good skiing not to far from Watertown too.  Good base to be stationed at if you don't mind the cold.

I think the cutoff for PT outdoors was -25 when I was there.  Average temp in the mornings is around -20 in dead of winter.

[JunkyII]

Spent 3 years there, and deployed to Afghan from there.

Be ready for PT in -20 temps.  I had some good times there, had some crappy times there too.  They went through a reorg there after I left, so my unit is no longer active.  Lots of field time, they had a nice mount training facility.

Good skiing not to far from Watertown too.  Good base to be stationed at if you don't mind the cold.

I think the cutoff for PT outdoors was -25 when I was there.  Average temp in the mornings is around -20 in dead of winter.

Someone told me they dont train much in the winter.......I know this is probably false

[Gaidin]

Well, you only have 3-4 months of non winter, so they train a good bit in winter

I spent an average of 2 weeks a month in the field, or rotational deployments.  Not every month was 2 weeks gone.  Might be gone 3 weeks this month, home a month, gone for 6 weeks, etc.. etc..


Things have changed alot since I left though.  They did a complete reorg, they main train differently now too.

[JunkyII]

Well, you only have 3-4 months of non winter, so they train a good bit in winter

I spent an average of 2 weeks a month in the field, or rotational deployments.  Not every month was 2 weeks gone.  Might be gone 3 weeks this month, home a month, gone for 6 weeks, etc.. etc..


Things have changed alot since I left though.  They did a complete reorg, they main train differently now too.

I know alot of units do it this way...
3 battalions 1 in the field always for a month at a time so a 3 month rotation that can get changed due to change of command things of that nature

[druski85]

I was born in Watertown (awesome, eh?) and have spent a lot of time up there in my days.  When those Canadian high pressure systems float in, it can easily drop well, well below 0 as many have mentioned.  If you like snow, you are in business since the snowiest place on the east cost (Pulaski, NY) is just a wee bit south of Ft. Drum.  Unfortunately there aren't any good hills to go along with that snow.  Also, if you can get off the base and into the country a bit it is without a doubt the best star visibility that I have ever encountered. 

Enjoy the real, REAL upstate NY.

[Spikes]

http://www.goremountain.com/ Great ski place.

Treize and I are both in the Rome/Utica area...the snow can get pretty bad even down here so 4WD and/or snow tires are a must especially up there!

[druski85]

http://www.goremountain.com/ Great ski place.

Treize and I are both in the Rome/Utica area...the snow can get pretty bad even down here so 4WD and/or snow tires are a must especially up there!

Yea, as I said I was born in Watertown, then grew up near Rochester.  Went to school in Albany, so I've skied Gore more than a handful of times (including one race up there -- AWESOME super G) .  I just wouldn't consider it all that close to Watertown.  Whiteface is about the same distance.  (both a bit over 3 hours) 

[Spikes]

Yea, as I said I was born in Watertown, then grew up near Rochester.  Went to school in Albany, so I've skied Gore more than a handful of times (including one race up there -- AWESOME super G) .  I just wouldn't consider it all that close to Watertown.  Whiteface is about the same distance.  (both a bit over 3 hours) 

Oh really? Dang...Woods Valley is closer than that then...it's right in the Rome area, about 2 minutes from where my dad lives. Isn't as big as Gore (by a longshot) but I get free season passes so it's all good...

[druski85]

Oh really? Dang...Woods Valley is closer than that then...it's right in the Rome area, about 2 minutes from where my dad lives. Isn't as big as Gore (by a longshot) but I get free season passes so it's all good...

Not to pull this one further off topic....   But yea even though the cardinal distance from Ft. Drum to Gore and Whiteface is not huge, there is no major road to get to either.  You either have to go north of the Adirondacks on the back roads of St. Lawrence county, (think Deliverance, but with more farms and Canadian accents) south of them on highways, (huge detour) or through them on really slow, winding roads.  Those are bad any time of year, and AWFUL during the winter.  

Is woods valley that one you can see from the Thruway right outside of Rome?  I made the Rochester - Albany drive so many times I can just about do it in my sleep at this point...

[Spikes]

Not to pull this one further off topic....    But yea even though the cardinal distance from Ft. Drum to Gore and Whiteface is not huge, there is no major road to get to either.  You either have to go north of the Adirondacks on the back roads of St. Lawrence county, (think Deliverance, but with more farms and Canadian accents) south of them on highways, (huge detour) or through them on really slow, winding roads.  Those are bad any time of year, and AWFUL during the winter. 

Is woods valley that one you can see from the Thruway right outside of Rome?  I made the Rochester - Albany drive so many times I can just about do it in my sleep at this point...

I do know what place you are talking about, can't recall a name but it's not Woods Valley...Woods is actually in a Valley near Lake Delta. (Great view of the lake from top of hill)

[Swager]

Good hunting and fishing. Salmon fishing is in now.  Big salmon!!  Thousand Islands are right North of you.  So is Canada.  Great snowmobiling, they have rental places.  I live in Baldwinsville, which is NW of Syracuse.  Most part, the women are mean. 

Been to Ft Drum about 5 times.  The base is building up quite nicely.