WHO
All Boy Scout Troops and Venture Crews from the Flint River Council are invited.
Webelos are invited as long as they are camping with a sponsoring troop, and follow guidelines.
WHAT
The annual Klondike Campout.
Winter camping at its best.
Fun events.
Show off Scout winter skills.
The traditional Sled Race.
WHEN
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday; January 26 -28, 2018.
Check-In begins at 4:00 pm Friday at the River Experience Center (AKA the white house)
WHERE
Lawhorn Scout Base Flint River area Primitive Area, located on the Flint River behind the River Experience Center, same place as prior years.
HEADQUARTERS
River Experience Center Porch
WHY
Just for FUN!
The joy of winter camping, and a great time.
COST
$8.00 per person, which covers the patch, program, cracker barrels, awards, and operating costs.
Click Here for the Leader's Guide 2018 Klondike Leader's Guide
Registration
Please complete and use the attached registration form. You will receive your patches upon checking in. Troops are requested to pre-register by filling out the form ahead of time and mailing it to the Flint River Council office in Griffin or using the Doubleknot web registration form from the Flint River Council website. http://www.flintrivercouncil.org/. Generally, registration will be by troop, however individual registrations will be accepted.
**COMING BACK FOR 2018**
The Bob Sharp Snack Shack. Lunch tickets are available for purchase at the trading post. The cost will be $5.00. This includes either one hotdog, or one hamburger and chips and a drink.
Camping
There is ample camping space available, however, expect your neighbors to be close! Sites are first come first served; you can camp anywhere on reservation property except the central field which will be the event area and in the grass parking areas.
Campsite Access and Parking
Troops are limited to one trailer or pickup truck in the campsite. You may drop off gear, but please remove extra vehicles immediately. Passenger vehicles will not be allowed, temporary access to the campsites will be for gear drop off only, and you will be allowed only one vehicle at a time into the camp area. A scout is courteous, let others have the space. Park: Vehicles will park in the parking lot across from the front of the River Experience Center. The entrance is directly across from the River Experience Center driveway. DO NOT enter the field any other way… once someone drove over the water line and we had NO WATER all weekend. NO CAMPING IN THE PARKING LOT
Weather
This is a rain or shine event. So be prepared! It can also be bitterly cold, so please prepare your scouts.
Fires/Firewood
Ground fires are permitted only in the permanent fire pits. All other fires must be in a fire barrel that you bring. Also, bring your own firewood and charcoal. Winter camping is also a great time to pull out the Coleman and Dutch ovens. There are a few portable fire pits at camp that are available if needed.
Please contact Andrea Strawn @ Andrea.Strawn@scouting.org if you need one.
Water
Freeze proof water spigots are at the metal building behind the River Experience Center. Ask the staff to show you. Expect to carry water containers 200 yards. A wagon or cart comes in handy.
Portable Toilets
Port-a-potties will be on site. The women’s toilet is NOT for use by scouts. Based on past experience, it is important that Leaders impress on scouts what “a scout is CLEAN” means, and how it applies to port-a-potty etiquette.
Health and Safety
Troops will generally be responsible for the health and safety of their own scouts. Please have a full first aid kit, with triangle bandages and splinting material for each patrol. Staff will assure that events are planned and run in a safe manner. This is a youth run event. All staff members will be wearing their OA sash or OA T-shirt. They all have assigned jobs. Please comply with their requests.
Watch the weather forecast and be sure that your scouts are prepared… and things will be FUN!
Other
The River Experience Center will be closed during this event.
Camp Wide Game
Will test scout skills, creativity, and ingenuity. Further instructions will be given at camp.
Morning & Afternoon Events are none competitive fun events to be detailed at the cracker-barrel except the Sled Race (Sponsored by Coweta Chapter): "Great Race of Mercy” Sled Dog Race: This is a timed race, starting at 1pm with a new heat every ten minute for multiple sleds in each heat. ANY SLED DESIGN WILL BE ACCEPTABLE, as long as one scout is on board and no more than five are pulling. (No wheels or propulsion systems other than boy Scouts shall be allowed) BE PREPARED! Some troops have extra sleds, so don’t be afraid to borrow one. A penalty of one minute will be allotted to any troop breaking the serum.
The scouts will simulate the most famous event in the history of Alaskan mushing, the 1925 serum run to Nome, also known as the "Great Race of Mercy." A large diphtheria epidemic threatened Nome, and Nome's supply of antitoxin had expired and doctor Curtis Welch refused to use it. They then proceeded to send out telegrams looking for a fresh supply of antitoxin. The nearest antitoxin was found to be in Anchorage, nearly one thousand miles away. The only way to get the antitoxin to Nome was by sled dog, due to unusable planes and ships. The Norwegian Gunnar Kaasen and his lead dog Balto, arrived on Front Street in Nome on February 2 at 5:30 a.m., just five and a half days later. The two became media celebrities, and a statue of Balto was erected in Central Park in New York City in 1925, where it has become one of the most popular tourist attractions.
(The event will be on dirt, snow, ice, mud or grass depending on weather conditions. Any asphalt touched will be the mistake of the musher. The location will be announced at the cracker barrel. Each patrol/unit will be issued schedule rotation at colors.)
Awards
There will be first prize for each activity. First, Second and third place overall awards.
Contact
This event is sponsored by the Ini-To Lodge. Your email will be forwarded to the youth in charge, so send your questions to Lodge Adviser Louis Pesce louie.pesce@gmail.com
Ini-To 324, your sponsor
The Ini-To Lodge of the Order of the Arrow sponsors this event in order to promote camping and teach camping skills. Having fun is highly important and having fun on a cold weather campout depends a lot on learning to be safe and warm in cold weather. There will be opportunities to meet your lodge officers, get to know them and get to know more about what the OA lodge does. Lodge members; Lodge flaps and other items will also be available, and it’s a great time to pay your $15 annual dues if you haven’t done so already.
Trading Post
The Flint River Adventure Area Trading Post across from Scout Parent’s Park will be open during this event.