Do the United States ski troops still exist today?

Answer 1

The 10th Mountain Division is the closest thing to ski troops that the U.S. has today. The Division is trained extensively in mountaineering, skiing and cold weather combat, but as a part of the 18th Airborne Corps they also train in tropical/jungle and conventional warfare to be prepared for any type of combat situation that may arise. Soldiers stationed in Alaska and other arctic or cold weather regions also receive cold weather survival and ski training.

WW2:

During WW2, the 10th Mountain Division did not deploy to Europe with their specialized mountain gear after mountain training in CO. Of the few combat patrols conducted in Winter in Italy on skis, the ski soldiers conducted the missions on captured German skis! The 1st Special Service Force, 99th Infantry Battalion Separate (Norwegian American). an unknown parachute infantry rifle company, and the OSS Norwegian Special Operations Group (NORSO) were trained in Mountain and Winter Warfare. The only other American units to conduct ski operations are as follows: the 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion (Separate) conducted "Ski Scouting and Combat Patrols" during the campaign in the French Meritime Alps, and the aforementioned OSS NORSO Group conducted missions on skis in Norway in early 1945. There were rumored to have been some ski patrols during the Battle of the Budlge but I am unaware of any published reports comfirming this.

Post War:

After WW2 there existed for a time (1947-48) the 38th Brigade Combat Team which was a dedicated Mountain Warfare Unit. Later in the 1950's graduates of the Northern Warfare Center wore a Rams Head device as a skill badge. There have been some specialised Northern and Arctic units since 1945. Some of these were units such as the 207th Infantry Group (Alaskan Scouts) and the short lived (1970-1972) Company "O" 75th Infantry "Arctic Ranger" Long Range Reconnaissance Company in Alaska. The Alaskan Scouts no longer exist and have been replaced by a Battle Field Surveillance Brigade though this unit retains the 207th numerical disignation. For a time there also was a Special Forces Detachment in the Alaska National Guard that was specialised in Arctic Warfare.

Beginning in 1981 General Edwards, Commanding General of the Vermont National Guard got authorization for a Mountain Training School for all active and reserve ground forces in the Department of Defense. The school was to be located in Vermont. He also was able to set up a new Infantry Battalion, the 3/172nd Mountain Infantry. This unit is the only postwar true dedicated Mountain Warfare Table of Organization and Equipment (TO&E) unit in the U.S. Army active or reserve components. Leadership positions were coded with additional skill identifier "Echo". Additionally of the five states that had elements of the Battalion (VT, NH, ME, NY, and later, RI) were allowed to wear the Rams Head Skill Device on their uniforms.

Many other units such as the 172nd Infantry Brigade in Alaska trained in Mountain and Northern Operations as well. Many units such as rotating brigades of the 82nd Airborne Division trained in Alaska or Canada on a yearly basis. The American Airborne Unit stationed in Italy trained with the Italian Alpini as well. Rangers receive two weeks of Mountain Warfare instruction at the Ranger school in GA. These units send selected leadership personnel to these schools each year.

The only other dedicated "Ski Troops" are located in the Army's Special Forces Groups are selected Operational Detachment "Alpha's". These "A" Teams are designated "Mountain" teams and train in Ski and Mountain Operations. The Army Special Forces even runs it's own "Mountain Leader" Schools a couple of times a year. 3/172nd Inf BN still exists but is part of the Vermont National Guard's 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain). The are now on a standardized modular TO&E as are all light infantry units in the U.S. Army (except the 75th Ranger Regiment). The 86th is a mountain infantry unit in name only now, just as is the 10th Mountain Division is. The 86th as well as the 10th does however send it's leadership personnel to Mountain and Northern Warfare Schools.

Update:

I almost forgot to mention the Air Force, Marines and Navy. The Marines have regularly conducted Northern Warfare training in Norway in addition to sending personnel to the Mountain Warfare School. The Marines have no didicated Mountain or Ski Troops outside of their excellent Mountain School. The Air Force trains selected personnel such as Combat Control Teams, Special Tactics Teams, Para Rescuemen and Air Force Special Operations Weathermen in Mountain and Northern Warfare at both Service and Civilian Mountaineering Schools. The U.S. Navy runs a course in Alaska for Navy SEALs and selected other special operations personnel to train them in skiing, Northern and mountain operations. The have a training cadre detachment based in Alaska. The SEALs also attend the Mountain Warfare Course in conducted by the U.S. Army. Selected SEAL Platoons have dedicated Mountain and Northern Warfare missions.

All information here was obtained from open sources found in published books available to the general public and from information available on the open internet.