The Carman Beavers, Cubs, and Scouts recently tested their skills at the annual Klondike Derby.
This year marked the 53rd anniversary of the Klondike Derby, a long-standing event where Beavers, Cubs, and Scouts groups from across the province gather for a winter-themed day of challenges inspired by the Klondike Gold Rush.
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Carman Beavers, Cubs and Scouts competed in the annual Klondike Derby. This is an annual competition against other groups and has 10 challenges based on the Klondike Gold Rush including crossing ravines using a rope bridge, saving someone from water, first aid, compass navigation and fire building. The team was exhausted but was made it all the way through and celebrated with hot chocolate and snacks
The Klondike Gold Rush occurred in the 1890s, leading to a migration of approximately 100,000 people to the Klondike region of the Yukon, all hoping to strike it rich in gold. It is often considered one of the most frantic gold rushes in history, presenting numerous challenges for those involved.
This year’s Klondike Derby took place at Camp Amisk, just outside of Winnipeg, on March 1 and 2. Scouts (ages 11 to 14) competed on Saturday, while Cubs (ages eight to 10) participated on Sunday. Each scouting team, consisting of six to eight members, was tasked with pulling a Klondike-like sleigh along a 2.5-kilometer course through the woods of Camp Amisk.
Due to having only five members available, the Carman team competed on Sunday against the other Cubs. Because the rules required six or eight members to complete each task, some Carman members had to return and perform specific tasks a second time.
One of the team leaders, Eric Melvin, shared that the team performed admirably despite its small size. Among the challenges was a fire-making task, where members had to build a fire strong enough to burn through a rope. Another challenge involved crossing a rushing river on a rope bridge with their sleigh. They also had to utilize orienteering skills, using a compass and measuring distances, go snowshoeing, and complete first aid tasks. Additionally, they were responsible for cooking their own hot lunch over a fire using tin foil.
For the first aid challenge, the team had to assist an injured person who had a “broken arm and leg.” In the middle of the bush, they placed the arm in a sling, splinted the leg, and transported the person a certain distance using a stretcher they created from wooden stays and a blanket.
“It’s pretty hard pulling that sled with a small group of people,” said Melvin. “But they did it just fine.”
Each challenge had a time limit, and teams were rewarded with golden nuggets based on their efficiency. The fastest teams received five nuggets, while the slowest received one. At the end of the derby, the team with the highest number of golden nuggets ranked at the top.
Carman placed in the middle of the pack out of 20 total teams, all of which consisted of eight members or more.
“They did pretty good considering we were the smallest group,” said Melvin. “We were mostly young kids too, barely eight years old. It was quite impressive.”
He mentioned that the team began to tire out before lunch, but after cooking and eating their meal, they found renewed energy to finish the day. He also pointed out that the hot chocolate and snacks they received at the end likely served as additional motivation.
“[The Klondike Derby] teaches team building,” said Melvin. “It brings the youth together. We teach them all this throughout the year and they’re useful tools but then they get to see how they can actually apply them.”
He added that the competition is fundamentally about teamwork. Leaders, delegators, and followers emerge organically, with everyone falling into their roles within the team, which he found rewarding to observe.
The Carman Beavers, Cubs, and Scouts will next compete against other groups in the province at the Kub Kar and Scout Truck Rally, where teams will race vehicles they’ve built along a track. Following that, they will all gather for a province-wide camping trip in the summer.
