Area Scouts Brave the Bitter Cold at Klondike and Iditarod 2023

Bitter cold temperatures, compounded by gusty winds, made the going even tougher as local area scouts participated in the Greater Hudson Valley Council’s Klondike and Iditarod 2023 on February 4 .

The annual winter Scouting event, held every February in Rockland County at Camp Bullowa in Stony Point, allows scouts to put their scouting skills to the test—from marksmanship to fire-building to map and compass. Each team of scouts, comprised of troops from around the lower Hudson Valley region, spend the weeks prior to Klondike developing education and skills stations for the event—and preparing for the signature Iditarod sledge race. Troops design their sledge (a sled-type vehicle for carrying loads or passengers over snow or ice), then venture into the woods to procure tree branches, twigs and other materials to use for its construction.

Troops build their sledges during regular troop meetings, then proudly transport them to Camp Bullowa on the morning of the Iditarod. The race consists of the scout teams pulling their loaded sledges along a course in the woods, putting their design and construction to the test.This year’s event was attended by over 300 scouts and adults who not only tested their skills and learned a thing or two, but enjoyed the fun and camaraderie that Scouting is known for. A much-welcomed hot lunch was served, and despite the bitter cold, smiles and sunshine were everywhere.