A Mountain Leader is a military professional specialising in delivering training for, or leading, operations in high altitude or extremely low temperature environments.

Mountain Leader (UK)

The conduct of warfare in high altitude or arctic environments in the British Armed Forces

British Armed Forces

The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the...

 is the province of 3 Commando Brigade

3 Commando Brigade

3 Commando Brigade is a commando formation of the British Armed Forces and the main manoeuvre formation of the Royal Marines. Its personnel are predominantly Royal Marines, supported by units of Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery, The Rifles, and the Fleet Air Arm, together with other Commando...

, a formation of the Royal Marines

Royal Marines

The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...

 with a number of attached army elements. The Brigade conducts annual training in the northern regions of Norway

Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

 and has been deployed for high altitude operations globally.

Associated with the tasking as the lead force for Mountain and Arctic Warfare is the existence of the trade specialisation Mountain Leader (ML). Each sub-unit within the Brigade is complemented with at least one Mountain Leader who will have undergone training in the Mountain Leader Training Cadre, formerly known as the Mountain & Arctic Training Cadre.

Mountain Leaders (US)

Mountain Leaders (USMC and US Army) have extensive practical experience in a variety of mountain environments in both winter and summer conditions. They have well-developed hazard evaluation and safe route finding skills over all types of mountainous terrain. Mountain Leaders are best qualified to advise commanders on all aspects of mountain operations, particularly the preparation and leadership required to move units over technically difficult, hazardous, or exposed terrain. In most cases the Mountain Leader is the highest level of qualification and is the principle trainer for conducting mountain operations. Mountain Warfare Instructor experience at a mountain training center or as a member of a special operations forces (SOF) mountain team is critical to the Mountain Leader development. Below is a list of the additional knowledge and skills expected of Mountain Leaders. Depending on the specific AO, Mountain Leaders may need additional over-the-snow mobility skills such as snowshoeing and all-terrain skiing.

• Recognizing and evaluating peculiar terrain, weather, and hazards.
• Preparing route, movement, bivouac, and risk management plans for all conditions and elevation levels.
• Using roped movement techniques on steep snow and ice.
• Performing multi-pitch climbing on mixed terrain (rock, snow, and ice).
• Performing glacier travel and crevice rescue.
• Establishing and operating technical high-angle, multi-pitch rescue and evacuation systems.
• Using winter shelters and survival techniques.
• Leading units over technically difficult, hazardous, or exposed terrain in both winter and summer conditions.

See also

• Mountain Leader Training Cadre
  Mountain Leader Training Cadre
  The Mountain Leader Training Cadre is a training element of the British Royal Marines which provides instruction in Mountain Warfare, Arctic warfare, cold weather survival and operations, and cliff assault...
  
   UK
• Mountain Warfare Training Center
  Mountain Warfare Training Center
  The Mountain Warfare Training Center is a United States Marine Corps installation located in Pickel Meadows on California State Route 108 in the Toiyabe National Forest, 21 miles northwest of Bridgeport, California...
  
   US
• Army Mountain Warfare School US
• Northern Warfare Training Center
  Northern Warfare Training Center
  The Northern Warfare Training Center is a United States Army Alaska installation located in Black Rapids, Alaska. It is the Army's only Cold Region Training Proponent....
  
   US