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The annual Klondike Derby is guaranteed to bring smiles, skills and Scouts together for a day of simulated arctic adventure in Bemis Woods every January. But this year, the competition brought something organizers — and participants — haven’t seen in a while: snow.

The Boy Scouts Portage Creek District’s skills challenge event had been itself challenged by unseasonably warm temperatures in recent years but Saturday, those problems were, if anything, fond memories as temperatures hovered in the single digits and the Scouts found themselves deep in snow for a fairly reasonable stand in for the tundra.

Not that anyone was complaining. The challenge course is intended to replicate adverse winter conditions, while Scouts toss hatchets, ID animal signs, start fires and perform mock medical rescues while pulling heavy gear sleds over ice and snow from camp to camp.

This year's Klondike Derby was something of a return to form with arctic temperatures and a generous snowpack in Bemis Woods to help the Scouts test their winter survival skills in some of the winteriest weather yet this season.
This year’s Klondike Derby was something of a return to form with arctic temperatures and a generous snowpack in Bemis Woods to help the Scouts test their winter survival skills in some of the winteriest weather yet this season.

“It’s been going OK,” said Diane Diaz, the assistant scout master from La Grange Highlands Troop 216 said, midway through the day. “It’s cold, but we have snow, which is nice. And the kids are having fun.”

This year’s event drew some 80 Scouts from the Portage Creek District, the district nestled around the La Grange area, according to Tim Strudeman, the Portage Creek senior district executive.

He said rain or shine, snow or no, the event offers some valuable opportunities for area Scouts to get outside and “test their grit in the cold and fellowship with their own troop as well as other Scouts from the community.”

But, he added, the snow does help the event.

“It is also the first time in 3 years that we have had a good snowpack to compete on,” he said.

Hunter Hernandez reacts with shock and surprise with the news that his fellow Scout, Julian Finneran has a sudden broken leg at the first aid challenge station. One of the Klondike Derby challenges is for Scouts to treat a potentially serious medical issue while on the trail. The boys are members of Troop 73.
Hunter Hernandez reacts with shock and surprise with the news that his fellow Scout, Julian Finneran has a sudden broken leg at the first aid challenge station. One of the Klondike Derby challenges is for Scouts to treat a potentially serious medical issue while on the trail. The boys are members of Troop 73.

The event is special because it can’t happen any time or anywhere and that combination means something special to the Scouts who participate.

“Putting on all your gear run around in the snow, what could be better,” said Strudeman.

Mike Mikulski, program chair of the Portage Creek District agreed, noting that the memories of the day are lasting.

“The Klondike Derby is a cherished tradition that instills valuable skills and memories that last a lifetime,” he said.

Indeed, most of the Scouts participating have done it before, unless they weren’t in Scouting or were too young, and many return year after year through their teenage years in the program. One of those Scouts was Julian Finneran who spent some time pretending to have a broken leg at the first aid challenge site while members of his troop, Troop 73 out of Westchester, built a stretcher. Finneran said his favorite challenge was the ax throwing, though he was having fun running through the whole course.

“It’s not too bad, though it’s a bit chilly,” he said.

Between the running from camp to camp and the physical demands of the challenges themselves, none of the Scouts on Saturday seemed too daunted by the seriously cold temperatures. However, Strudeman noted that warmth and cold prep is just as much as skill for the teams as any of the competitions they’ve trained for. He said personal safety is always an important skill the Scouts should be familiar with — and part of that is gear.

David LeClere retrieves a hatchet at the ax toss challenge in Bemis Woods Saturday. LeClere, from Troop 90 in La Grange Park, said this year marked his second year at the event.
David LeClere retrieves a hatchet at the ax toss challenge in Bemis Woods Saturday. LeClere, from Troop 90 in La Grange Park, said this year marked his second year at the event.

“HotHands handwarmer packets,” Strudeman said, is a key ingredient. Beyond that, pick the right clothing. “Seriously, cotton is rotten while wool is cool! And wearing layers is what Scouts are trained on when it comes to the cold and outdoors.”

Preparedness, long the Scout motto, applies to the event itself, too. While this year’s Klondike Derby was a welcome return to form with the snow and the cold, Strudeman said the district is ready to adapt to basically any kind of weather — including warmer days in the years ahead, if it comes to that.

“Thankfully, we have lots of snow this year but many of the stations can be redeveloped to be hosted in non-snow weather to make the event just as fun,” he said. “We have a catalog of close to 50 different station ideas and can adjust depending on the weather, what stations in which the Scouts will participate.”

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Jesse Wright is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.