By Jim Heavey
On the weekend of Jan. 31 to Feb. 1, 2026, the Black Wolf district of Scouting America held its annual Klondike Derby at the Ernest Thomson Seton Scout Reservation on the west end of Greenwich. The purpose of a Klondike Derby is to give Scouts an opportunity to test their outdoor Scouting, teamwork, and leadership skills while utilizing the patrol method. A patrol is the smallest unit inside of a Scout troop, usually consisting of five to eight scouts.
In the weeks in advance of the competition, Scouts work on honing their outdoor Scouting skills. At the derby, the patrols are given a list of equipment they are required to carry on their sleds from station to station. They receive points based on their performance at each station.
This year’s Klondike offered a combination of stations that the Scouts have seen in the past along with a few new ones, all of them highly challenging. When a patrol arrived at each station, they were given instructions by an adult leader, who then allowed them an opportunity to plan and execute their efforts. There was a fire-building competition, an event to build a shelter for the entire patrol, and a first aid scenario led by Explorer Post 911, sponsored by Greenwich Emergency Medical Services (GEMS). There were also a number of leadership reaction scenarios, where patrols had to figure out how to resolve a problem while in the frigid outdoors, using their leadership skills and the equipment on their sled. These included a timed river crossing and a tripod-building station. This year’s Klondike was even more challenging than usual, due to the high amount of recent snow and the bitter temperatures, but all the participants showed great Scout spirit and enthusiasm.
Part of the Greenwich Council’s Klondike Derby tradition is that every Scout contributes two cans of soup. During the day, leaders maintain a soup station where the Scouts can stop along the trail to warm up and have some soup. The unused cans of soup go to Greenwich Neighbor-toNeighbor.
Scouts arrived early Saturday morning, and longtime Scouters (adult Scouting volunteers) Robert Moore and Bob Neilson inspected their sleds. The Scouts then pulled the sleds from station to station through the deep snow, making sure they had the proper equipment for all the various competitions — and for the chilly weather! Later in the day, Moore and Neilson were joined by Eagle Scout and Troop 37 alumnus Constantine Wells, who helped keep up a steady flow of hot chocolate and soup to keep the Scouts warm and energized for all of the events.
Following the day-long competition, the patrols returned to their troop campsites to prepare dinner over an open fire or gas stove. They then returned to the main camp for a campfire held outdoors, led by the Order of the Arrow, Scouting’s honor society. As night fell, the Scouts returned to their campsites for an overnight stay, as temperatures fell into the single digits. The Scouts slept in tents and lean-tos, with a few lucky Scouts bunking in the Winter Cabin. The next morning, the Scouts made themselves a hearty, warm breakfast before they headed home.
This year’s competition was very close, and all eight patrols did very well. The top three received plaques at the closing ceremony. In first place was Troop 9’s Barracuda Patrol, sponsored by the Second Congregational Church of Greenwich. The Owl Patrol, also from Troop 9, took second place. Troop 38’s Pegasus Patrol, sponsored by St. Barnabas church, came in third.
Two of the senior patrol leaders received special recognition for their leadership and mentorship of younger Scouts. These two Scouts were Charlotte Armstong of Troop 38 and Patrick McCann of Troop 35. Troop 35 is sponsored by St. Paul Roman Catholic Church.
Additionally, the Scouts from GEMS Explorer Post 911 set a Klondike Derby record of four minutes and 47 seconds at the river crossing station.
Scouting America is open to all youth who have completed the fifth grade or reached the age 11 up until the age of 18, and they can join the program at any point. If you’re interested in joining Scouting, you should contact Greenwich Council of Scouting America at (203) 869-8424 or visit beascout.org.
Jim Heavey is the newly elected president of the Greenwich Council, Scouting America. He also serves as Chief of the Greenwich Police Dept.
