Physically the mountains were the hardest. The thing about the school is that all choice is removed from your life. You know you’re not going to eat or sleep for the next 22 hours so you stop thinking about eating or sleeping. But walking up those damn mountains with 90 pounds on your back and a rifle or machine gun was treacherous. Always one false step away from a busted ankle and a trip home without a tab. By the grace of God I made it.
One of my platoon leaders was Ranger qualified. About the mountain phase he said: "The tears were squirtin'." and he was a tough, very physically fit guy.