From left, Jack McCoy, Sam Crosby, Michah Bish, Mark Edinboro and Joshua McCoy use rope and knot skills to assemble a tripod as Trail Life USA members of Troop 1418 at the Yukon Adventure at Camp Lutherlyn during the past weekend.

FRANKLIN TWP — Nearly 100 Trail Life USA members came together during the weekend to practice outdoor survival skills and teamwork during the Yukon Adventure at Camp Lutherlyn near Prospect.

“It's a chance for them to have some fun together, meet some kids from other troops and develop their skills,” said Dan McCoy, troop master for Cabot Troop 1418 which hosted the event.

The bitter cold did not stop the boys, age 10 to 18, from learning new skills while participating in a series of outdoor survival challenges. In addition to the students from Cabot, troops from Stoneboro, New Castle, Pittsburgh, Sigel and Export attended.

McCoy said each troop prepared a challenge station for the other troops. Eight challenge stations tested students with tasks from wilderness first aid, fire building, outdoor cooking, knot tying, transporting (simulated) radioactive isotopes and more.

“We have been developing these skills at our meetings, so this is a chance for the kids to show off what they've learned a little bit, and it gives them feedback from other troops, as well as being a good chance for the kids to develop and use some teamwork, as they are completing these challenges together,” McCoy said.

Teams earned points as they transported the necessary gear and raced from one challenge station to another on dog sleds they constructed.

The competition ended with a sled race.

Micah Bish, a member of Troop 1418 which meets at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Cabot, said his favorite event was the fire-making challenge.

Joshua McCoy said the skills learned in the challenges help foster outdoor survival techniques.

“You never know when you could be lost in the woods or in a situation you don't expect, where you might need to know how to do first aid or building a shelter,” he said.

“I've been out in the woods a lot longer than I expected sometimes, and needed to build a shelter or know these skills, so it is good to know.”

Trail Life USA was established in 2013 as a Christian outdoor adventure, character and leadership program for boys and young men and has troops in 48 states.

For information about the organization, visit www.traillifeusa.com.