Scouts take on winter weather during Klondike Derby

In late January, scouts from BSA Troop 652 participated in a Klondike Derby competition offered through Boy Scouts of America, Lake Erie Council.

Both troops, 652B and 652G, participated in the Klondike Derby at Beaumont Scout Reservation in Rock Creek, Ohio. Beaumont is a BSA, Lake Erie Council property in Ashtabula County. 

A scouting Klondike Derby is a fun-filled winter competition featuring scout skill challenges at a series of stations.

Each group, or patrol, of scouts becomes a dogsled team and proceeds to various stations to test their abilities. The sled is loaded with materials and equipment needed to solve the problems at each of the stations.

Prior to the derby, the scouts built the sleds they used during the events. Adult leaders helped guide the scouts with the design, engineering and building.

Since the weather is always an unknown factor, the sleds needed to be ready to travel on snow and uncovered ground. Materials used to build the sleds were donated or purchased by the troop.

Troop 652G, our BSA troop for girls, also participated in a Klondike Derby during which they built fires, cooked, tied knots and demonstrated first-aid skills.

The boys’ klondike weekend included 3-plus feet of snow, temperatures that reached the mid-teens and scouts that love to play outdoors. Troop 652B, the troop for boys, worked together to build a large igloo, with space for six to eight individuals, and competed in Klondike Derby activities.∞