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Troop 220 Klondike Derby
By Michelle Ahern
Boy Scouts prepare their sleds for the race.
Photo Courtesy / Monte Stull
On December 11, 27 Boy Scouts and 20 leaders from Troop 220 headed out to the great white wonder of Alaska. Okay -- they never really left Jackson County -- but for Saturday, everyone let their imaginations take them to an Alaskan Dog Race, termed Klondike Derby. Each of the four teams built a sled that would carry what they would need to make it through the course. The boys would be the pulling power to move their sleds.
Different stations that were named for cities found in Alaska would have to be found by map and compass, and the skill of that station tried, timed, and scored before moving on. Teams were asked to prove their skills at lashings and knots, first aid, ice rescue, blind man stretcher course, compass course, and campsite set up which included tent set up, boiling water, and putting up a bear bag.
Now while all these stations had their own challenges, Mother Nature decided to help us role-play even more. Blustery winds of over 40 miles an hour and dropping temperatures made us really have the challenges. By the time the six-hour course was over, wind chills were already down to just above zero. As the last team made it in, snow began falling. Now dinner would be the most important challenge. The water was all frozen as well as the gas lines for the stoves. The wind was too strong and area too dry for campfires. As the sun left us, the temperatures dropped quickly. We got enough gas lines unfrozen to get the water thawed and stoves lit. Trying to cook with our gloves on, or off for brief times, was not the easiest things some of us had done. Hungry and getting cold, the boys’ spirits were sinking. But then everyone got their dinners done and had to hurry to eat. Before you could take a bite, ice was forming on your food and plate. With full bellies with warm but not hot food, everyone finished quickly washing and putting away everything for the night, and headed for the tents and into the sleeping bags. Not many parents would believe that 27 boys would go to bed at 7:30–but for this one night that really did happen.
The wind roared all night long and the snow kept falling. Wind chills temperatures were reported to be –15. As the sun broke out the next morning, the winds had died down and a little over an inch of snow blanketed everything. As we crawled out of double sleeping bags, wool blankets and back into our many layers of clothes, we packed up and headed for home.
The memories of this campout will not soon be forgotten. A special thanks to all the adults who helped plan out this campout for months before it happened. And a bigger thanks for all those who stood out for hours in the wind and cold helping at stations, and then for all the efforts made to make sure every scout was taken care of in the worst camping most of them had been in.
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Windemere at Route 150 Closing Moved Up One Day
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