How the Event Works: The Klondike Derby main event will run from 9:00 to 3:00 PM and the race running afterwards. The basic participation unit is the sled which consists of between 4 and 7 chechakos (Scouts) who visit the various boom-towns or encampment and complete games or demonstrate Scout skills in exchange for gold nuggets. Teams will receive recognition for a high nugget count and teams doing the best in each age group will receive additional prizes of immeasurable worth.
Adult Volunteer Requirements: Troops must provide enough sourdoughs (adults) to run a station for each sled that troop enters. Troops may also run a station of their own creation, if sufficiently different from all other stations. Troops may run more than their allotted number of stations and Scout adults from units not atten ding may volunteer as well.
Cooking: Participants and leaders will receive a soup and hotdog lunch. Scouts are encouraged to bring snacks or money to buy them; sleds don’t move themselves.
Schedule
—Parking for the Day: The park has asked us to park at the Soccer Fields parking area and leave spots at Boat Launch area for other park visitors—-
8:00 AM—Station Managers may pick up score sheets at registration table near Boat Launch
8:30 AM—Units may check-in, confirm numbers, receive reference score sheet, event map and any other event information
9:00 AM— Bridge will open and sleds may move to starting line.
9:15 AM—Sleds launched, stations will open.
11:45 AM—Stations stop accepting sleds until after lunch.
12:00 PM—Lunch served at Boat Launch area, leave sleds on hill.
12:45 PM—Stations reopen for afternoon.
2:30 PM-Stations stop accepting sleds for the day.
2:30 PM-General Store at Boat Launch Area open to do nugget weigh-in, Station Managers to return master score sheets to General Store
3:00 PM—Once all units have done a weigh-in, the sled race at the soccer field will begin shortly thereafter. After sled race, there will be a brief ceremony recognizing units if all weigh-ins have been completed.
Units will receive trophies and other recognitions at the District Roundtable once awards completed.
Specific Rules
Age Groups and Awards- Awards will be given to the highest finishers in each of the three age groups - thirteen and under, fourteen and over, and mixed. Also, groups that receive a minimum value of nuggets will receive recognition.
Group Size— Groups have a minimum size of three and a recommended maximum of six and should be by age group if possible.
Using the Handbook and Other References— Sleds are encouraged to bring the handbook or another reference like the Fieldbook. If a reference is used at a station, that sled may not receive the 6-point nugget for highly-skilled completion but may receive the 5-point nugget for proper completion.
Uniform— No Scout uniform is required for the day. Scouts must dress appropriately for the anticipated weather and must wear boots or hiking shoes. Clothing must contain no inappropriate language or graphics.
Sled Requirements– The sled may have wheels and an axle which do not protrude excessively or have sharp edges. Sleds may not contain inappropriate language or imagery. Sleds must be sturdy enough to carry a Scout and must be able to safely hold all required and any recommended gear the patrol brings.
Station Volunteers– Each unit is asked to run one station per sled from their unit. Station judges are registered ahead of time with the Event Coordinator, Terry Robinson (terry.r.robinson@gmail.com or 267-980-4014). If units do not register volunteers, there will not enough support to run stations. If a Troop simply doesn’t have the adult resources to run a station, please discuss this with the Event Coordinator ahead of time so other volunteers may be found.
Registration— The included registration form (last sheet) is due January 29th at the Council Office. If a registration form is sent late, please inform the Event Coordinator so events can be planned appropriately. Units may also register on-line at www.playwicki.org starting December 20th.
Other Questions—Please contact the Event Coordinator, Terry Robinson (terry.r.robinson@gmail.com or 267-980-4014).
Sled Information
The Klondike Derby Sled is the most important tool for a Patrol to complete the Klondike Derby. While not quite historically accurate, a properly constructed and packed one quickly becomes a Swiss Army Sled and will allow a patrol to accomplish many of the challenges presented. There are no specific size requirements but must follow the rules stated on the Event Rules page.
Required Materials—Units may not leave the launch area without these items
First Aid Kit
One quart of water per Scout and a safe way to drink it
A trash bag to collect garbage found on the trail
Pencil or pen
A snack (it’s tough to navigate a sled when the path is littered with energy-depleted Scouts)
Patrol Flag
Needed For Stations—These items are required for stations. Sleds may not participate at a station for which they don’t have the needed items, but will not be otherwise penalized for not having them.
Sturdy rope capable of securing sled to a tree
A tarp, does not need to be larger than what the entire sled and patrol can fit under
Enough rope to secure tarp to nearby trees
Stakes or other way to attach tarp to ground
A mirror or other reflective signaling device
Matches, tinder, and kindling
1 compass per participant (compasses may be available at the event station, but aren’t guaranteed)
Boy Scout Handbook or Boy Scout Field Guide (optional — see Specific Rules on previous page)
A printout, sheet or reference including Morse Code
Way of securing gear into sled that will hold even upside-down
Items to properly splint an arm and a leg
1 blindfold per sled member
Do not bring any liquid fuels, personal electronics, fireworks or other unsafe items
Squall Drill—Once during the day a Squall Warning will be called. During this drill, Scouts must stop what they’re doing at a station (if safe), and immediately secure their sled to a tree and set up a tarp such that it is spiked into the ground on the two uphill corners and secured the two downhill corners off the ground to sturdy trees. Once done, the entire patrol must fit under the tarp and signal to the local station judge to be inspected and scored.
Event Descriptions
Use the following list of events to guide your preparation for the Klondike Derby:
Atlatling – Accuracy and distance competition with primitive dart launchers.
Bear Bag – Scouts must load their gear into their sled and with a provided stout rope, suspend their sled completely off the ground.
Code Breaking – The Scouts have retrieved four encoded messages about the location of a buried cache.
First Aid Kit/Sled Inspection - During registration, sleds must be inspected for safety and the first aid kit checked for sufficient content.
First Aid Station #1: Splint and Run – Scouts must demonstrate how to properly splint a leg and transport the Scout via sled, then sling an arm and transport the Scout a short distant without the use of a sled.
First Aid Station #2: Common Cold Weather Injuries – Scouts must demonstrate how to properly treat common winter camping injuries such as hypothermia, fish hook injuries, and general camping injuries.
Gully Crossing – The Scouts must move their patrol from one side of a 10’ ditch to the other with a rope suspended about six feet above the ground.
Height and Distance Estimation - Patrol estimates the height of a tree or rock face, and a horizontal distance. No climbing is allowed.
Hill Ascent/Descent – Scouts must push sled through a course on a steep hill.
Ice Rescue – ½ of patrol is placed about 30 feet away from group on sleds/crawler/tarp and retrieved by remaining members of patrol with thrown ropes.
Kim’s Game – Scouts will be told to carefully view a campsite setup and recall details
Knot Copy – Each Scout will be presented with an uncommon knot (from a selection of eight) that’s already been tied which must be reproduced with provided rope.
Knot Knowledge and Safety – Each group must tie eight common Scout knots and match them with their appropriate use.
Lashed Ladder – With provided spars and rope, Scouts must lash an A-frame ladder to retrieve a flag.
Map Making – Scouts must make a map to be followed by members of their group to a specific location.
Map Reading Quiz – Patrol must answer simple questions about standard map features.
Navigating Thin Ice – Scouts must navigate a mock ice course with unknown hazards.
Orienteering Range – Scouts must determine the bearing to an object and then find an object based on bearing.
Panning for Gold – The patrol attempts to toss a volleyball/soccer ball over a series of ropes.
Rope Square – The patrol is blinded and must assemble a square with a 60 foot rope.
Safe Camping Ice Fishing – Scouts must lash together a fishing pole to retrieve mouse traps.
Shrinking Glaciers – Scouts must get entire team onto smallest item.
Smooshboard Race - Patrol must complete a simple course on flat ground with constrained feet.
Snow Shoe Relay – Team is given two pairs of fake snow shoes and members do a simple course.
Spider Hole – Team of Scouts must make it through a hole into a Giant Ice Spider’s lair to retrieve patches from the skeletons of Boy Scouts that failed to practice Leave No Trace camping.
String Burning – Scouts must build a small fire with brought materials to burn through a piece of string.
Track Identification – Each patrol member must identify tracks.
Winter Tree Identification – Scouts must identify trees in winter conditions.
