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West Kootenay Nite Trek brings scouts and guides together

The 107th Baden Powell Guild along with the members of the 1st Beaver Valley Venturer Company, hosted the annual West Kootenay Nite Trek.

TRAIL – On May 3-4, the 107th Baden Powell Guild along with the members of the 1st Beaver Valley Venturer Company, hosted the annual West Kootenay Nite Trek.

This is a joint over night event for the Scouting and Guiding youth ranging in age from 9-18 held at Beaver Creek Kiwanis Park and was co sponsored by Columbia Basin Trust and the Trail Kiwanis.

Most of May 3 was spent with the organizing team setting up the challenge course that lead out of the main park and down into the forest behind the camp ground area.

Just after lunch, the units began to arrive and set up their camping areas around the picnic area field. Headquarters and all were located down here as we would all be awake most of the night and we didn’t want to disturb the regular campers.

At 4 p.m. the opening ceremonies took place with over 80 youth and 35-40 adults in attendance, representing 1st Nakusp Cubs Scouts, 1st Nelson Cubs and Scouts, Nelson Girl Guides, Pathfinders and a couple Rangers, 2nd Rossland Cubs and Scouts, 1 Rossland Guide, Trail Girl Guides, Beaver Valley Girl Guides, and 1st Beaver Valley Cubs, Scouts and Venturers.

The rest of the day and early evening was taken up with mass preparation meetings to organize the station people and our security people so every one was prepared to keep all these youth safe and on track all night long.

The security patrols, First Aid, station workers, and administration team had to know where each team was at any given time.

The Nite Trek began at 8:30 p.m. and the first of 22 teams, armed with head lamps, rain gear and set out with their instructions.

Each team had to accomplish seven challenge stations along the 2.5-hour hike,  which included things like the cargo net climb, atomic capsule placement, pipe and culvert obstacle challenge, a food station, blind maze, target shooting, sling shot shoot, etc.

In all each activity had them busy for 20 minutes prior to heading out in to the dark to find the next location. As they snuck through the campground area, they had to be very sneaky not to waken the campers.

If caught they would have to spend some precious time in “jail” and solve their release prior to continuing the course.

Luckily the weather held out and all were back to camp and in bed before the skies opened up for the early morning showers. The participants were fortunate enough to have the rain stop in time for breakfast, this was put on by the Trail Kiwanis members and all youth and overly tired leaders and staff, were treated to pancakes and sausages, and no cooking.

Following breakfast and a photo opportunity with the Kiwanis chefs, the crowd went straight into closing ceremonies.

With the threat of a thunder storm approaching, the winners of the challenge were announced and then had to say with a final “Camp is Closed”

All campers were then quickly cleaning up and packing vehicles as the clouds were circling and getting blacker and blacker. Organizers managed to get all the station equipment and camping equipment packed and loaded and the last vehicle out the gate just as the rain the thunder and lightening started. The weather man couldn’t have timed it any better.

To get out with Scouts: youth or adult, please call Heather Hamer for more information  250-367-7453