Cold Facts

Deep in the mountains of the Toyabe National Forest northwest of Bridgeport, Calif., is an unusual military survival training camp. Each year, about 10,000 Marines and Navy personnel are taught how to stay alive under rigorous conditions.

The Mountain Warfare Training Center is situated at 8,500-feet altitude in the eastern Sierra. Winter temperatures get down to minus 50 degrees, affording a realistic cold-weather survival situation. The camp, unique in that it is open to the public, is operated by a permanent staff of 270.