CARIBOU, Maine — Local Scouts have been putting their outdoor skills to the test for over half a century in the Winterama Klondike Derby, and three troops came out last weekend for the 51st iteration of the event.
Troops previously competed in the Klondike Derby for the Wink Larsen trophy, however the trophy was not awarded this year or last year due to unfavorable weather conditions and low turnout.
Caribou Scoutmaster Vaughn Keaton says he plans to kick off the event earlier next year to prevent this issue.
“We’re going to aim for the first of February next year, so when the city plows out the area, so the banks will have time to harden, and it will be safe for the kids to set up shelters,” Keaton said. “Then they’ll be able to compete for the Wink Larsen trophy, which means they’ll sleep out Friday night, run the Klondike on Saturday, sleep out again, and then make breakfast Sunday morning before heading out.”
Keaton added that, because of the past weekend’s frigid temperatures and steady wind, only three troops attended Winterama this year: Troop 184 of Caribou, Troop 179 of Ashland, and Troop 177 of Washburn.
Camping aside, the Caribou Viking Patrol of Troop 184 won the majority of competitions during last Saturday’s derby, according to Keaton.
“The troops have to go to nine stations and are graded at each one,” Keaton said. “My station tested their preparedness and I ensured that they were dressed properly and had all the equipment that Scouts of America requires.”
Other stations test Scouts’ competence in cooking, bow saw cutting, cold weather first aid, compass reading, axe identification, leadership and teamwork, ice rescue, and fire building.
The Caribou Viking Patrol took received first-place honors in preparedness, axe identification, cold weather first aid, and bow saw cutting. The Ashland Troop 179 Goats received first place in ice rescue and cooking. Caribou’s Fox Patrol won first place in the compass section as well as leadership and teamwork, and the Bear Patrol (also out of Caribou Troop 184) won first place in fire building.
The axe identification portion of the derby ends with a contest to see if Scouts can light a match with an axe without breaking it. This year, four Scouts managed to successfully light the match.
“I was floored when I heard four boys lit the match,” Keaton said. “We’ve had plenty of derbies where nobody could light it at all.”
