Klondike – an Outdoor Adventure

This past weekend was the 47th Annual Klondike Derby at Camp Amisk in La Salle Manitoba.

This is a wilderness and outdoor skills challenge facilitated by Scouts Canada which got its name from the Klondike Gold Rush where an estimated 10,000 prospectors relocated to the Yukon in search of gold. Units are able to enter teams of approximately 8 people who will compete in up to 10 different challenges and be awarded gold nuggets based on their knowledge, precision, teamwork and overall time.

The Manitoba event was started in 1972 at La Barriere Park by the 3rd Winnipeg Scout Group – and over the years has moved around to different locations, and incorporated different Scouting units. By 1975 there were 26 teams of Scouts (boys age 11-14) and 24 teams of Cubs (boys ages 8-10) – (Some Scouting units have allowed girls to join since 1976 – and in 1998 Scouts Canada became completely co-ed). In 1983 the event was opened up to allow Pathfinder (girls age 12-14) and Guide (girls age 9-11) Units from Girl Guides of Canada to register teams as well. By 1994 there were 40 Scout / Pathfinder teams and 55 Cub / Guide Teams.

When teams register they are given a list of items that they will need to bring with them to the event and a start time. This equipment list begins with a Klondike sled – and lists everything from rope of various sizes and snowshoes to first aid supplies, staves (long sticks/poles), compasses and a saw. When the team arrives at Klondike they check in with the Klondike Mayor, and they are given their passport – which is a map of the various “Klondike Towns” and the order in which they need to visit them. At each town they are given a challenge which they must complete on their own without assistance or guidance from their leaders.

All items required for the challenges are in the equipment list – and each team is responsible to pack their own supplies and carry transport them from town to town on their sled. Challenges may include first aid, snowshoeing, lashing, knots, woodcutting (with a hatchet or saw), outdoor cooking, shelter building or orientation (compass reading and map reading), and ALWAYS include a certain amount of teamwork and problem-solving skills.

I am a leader with the 82nd Pathfinder Unit, here in Winnipeg – and our Unit has been participating in this event for years! This was my 6th Klondike event – and as always – it was a wonderful adventure – and by far my favourite event of the year! This year when our team arrived we were greeted by a Father / Daughter team who have been helping to organize Klondike for almost the last 30 years! Once we were checked in – we handed in out “tin for the bin” (a donation to Winnipeg Harvest) and they were off!

They started with a rope bridge that needed to be crossed – and their sled needed to be pulled across a gully from the overhead bridge – and then moved on to their next challenge. At the next town the mayor had a bunch of tied knots attached to a board, and the girls needed to identify what each not was – and tell the mayor what the knot was used for. For extra points the girls could tie any of the knots that they knew. Our unit aced this – and we couldn’t have been prouder!

At the next station one of the leaders was taken away and given a list of injuries and the girls needed to address her first aid issues, and transport her back to safety. Again – the group worked together and addressed the first aid issues – applying a tourniquet to stop the bleeding, a sling for her arm, bracing her “broken” leg with the marshmallow roasting sticks and carrying her to safety in a stretcher made from a tarp and two staves.

After re-loading their sled they were off to find their next challenge. They needed to use their staves to build an A-frame, that was sturdy enough to carry a person. They hunkered down to the task, selecting the smallest girl from our unit to be the person transported, and each girl set to tying up one brace on the A-Frame. Again – their teamwork was top notch and they completed the task licked split. (I must say I was a little concerned at the start – as we had some challenges with the lashing the year previous – but the girls rose to the challenge – and got their full 5 nuggets for this event). They transported the girl from A to B – and so impressed the Winnipeg Free Press photographer that was there – he asked if he could follow us to our next challenge… which just so happened to be lunch.

At the lunch stop – the girls needed to set up a shelter that could fit the whole team, build a fire, make the lunch (which had to include a hot / cooked component) and clean up the area so that there was no trace that they had been there (well – other than the trampled snow). They were finished in less than the time allotted – but this is a required 60-minute station – so the girls had time for a break before the next challenge.

In the next station they were told that a telephone pole had fallen down, and they needed to move the fallen pole (which was a tree trunk) back up hill to its previous location and right it… without touching the pole with their hands. Using the supplies on their sled – they dug out tunnels under the pole where they passed rope underneath – and used the rope to lift the pole – and then stand it up. The organizers of this event were astounded with their teamwork and proficiency and we were off to the next event where the girls had to build a fire hot enough to pop corn.

The last event of the day was the Aerial Runway – which is kind of like a combination of a tire swing and a zip line – but 8 members of your team need to get across a gully on this contraption – and you need to get your sled across as well – without it tipping over. It was a long day – but beautiful and sunny – and I could not have been prouder of the way that our unit worked together to problem solve, and work together to figure out each of the challenges. Each girl in the unit had an opportunity to shine – and each girl was supported by the others when it was their turn to do something.

Events such as this I believe are an integral part of the Guiding and Scouting program – and teach their respective members about brainstorming, teamwork and life skills. This was the 47th Annual Klondike Derby – in its current form – and I hope that it continues long into the future.

#girlguidesofcanada #likeagirl #yougotthis #outdoorgirls #Klondike2018 #winterfun #teamwork