A bright and very cold recent Saturday found the Scouts from BSA Troop 200 in full winter gear, hauling packed sleds across the snowy trails of Castine’s Witherle Woods Preserve. They were there to compete with more than 150 other scouts from across the region in the 54th Klondike Derby, hosted by Maine Maritime Academy.

The Klondike Derby is a traditional scouting event dating back to 1949, modeled after the late 19th century Gold Rush to the Klondike River in Yukon Territory. Then, early gold prospectors used dog sleds to haul their food and gear through wintry mountainous terrain to prospect for gold.

In the Klondike Derby, Scouts test their winter outdoor survival and teamwork skills — and their endurance, as they pull the sleds, not huskies.

For this year’s Derby, aptly named Winter Seas and Ice Trails, MMA students set up and supervised five timed challenge stations on a course through the woods: MASH First Aid, Provision Protection, Winter Seas, Winter Refuge, and Snowstorm Squad.

Several scout knowledge checkpoints were included along the way. Each Patrol, or Scout group, was given a map to navigate the course over a three-hour period, pulling their sleds together as a team to get to each station and complete its challenge, earning points toward a total score. Their sleds were packed with winter survival essentials, such as orienteering compasses, first aid kit, extra water, staves for shelter building, extra clothes, sleeping bag, fire starting materials, rope and a tarp, all needed to complete the challenges.  

The Patrols from Troop 200 had a lot of fun that day and learned some things about themselves along the way. There was laughter, frustration, excitement and, ultimately, happy exhaustion.

The Derby event lasted a few cold hours on Saturday, but Maine Maritime Academy hosted the Scouts on their campus for the weekend. Scouts had time before and after the Derby to swim in the pool, play basketball in the fieldhouse, enjoy delicious meals in the Mess Deck, cook lunch outside, and go on campus tours. They got to visit the Planetarium where celestial navigation is taught, and attend a Ham Radio Communications Demonstration.

From here on out, with every meeting and every outing they will continue to hone their teamwork, leadership and outdoor survival skills. Monthly Troop camping trips happen rain or shine throughout winter, spring, summer and fall. Next year they will again get to test themselves at the Klondike Derby to see how far they’ve come.

In the meantime, Troop 200 will be at American Flatbread in Rockport on Tuesday, February 25, from 4 to 8 p.m. for a pizza fundraiser and Silent Auction. A portion of every pizza sold (Eat In or Dine Out) and all Silent Auction proceeds will go towards Scout programming. 

Troop 200 would like to thank the following local businesses for their support through donations to the Silent Auction: Camden Snow Bowl, Maine Sport Outfitters, MidCoast Sports Exchange, Renys Camden, and Schooner Appledore.

Troop 200 is sponsored by The First Congregational Church of Camden. Troop youth are ages 11-17 and currently hail from the towns of Camden, Rockport, Hope, Appleton, Lincolnville, Rockland, and Searsmont. Those interested in learning more about the Troop’s activities can contact Scoutmaster Doug Grant at Doug.Grant@alpa.org

Ingrid Tepelmann is a Troop 200 Committee member