Kroka’s new Trailheads program is an entry-level expedition for teenagers seeking adventure and community. During this adventurous week we will travel by foot and by canoe, experiencing the wonders of nature in a supportive community of peers. We begin by hiking through the Piedmont of the White Mountains toward the freely-flowing waters of the upper Connecticut River. After two days on foot, we descend from the mountains to the river where canoes await. Here we experience the joys and challenges of expedition life, paddling by day and setting a wilderness camp by night to cook delicious meals over the fire. You will come away with the skills to thrive on your next Kroka adventure.

Note: Trailheads may be used as an admissions prerequisite for new students entering our two and three-week expeditions.

All you river rascals out there, it’s time to come together and head to the water! This will be a week of canoeing, kayaking, and swimming through currents, around bends, and into eddies. Skill building begins at our very own pond, after which we will embark on a four-day river expedition. Kroka’s unique paddling progression is rooted in developing skill and comfort in swimming through moving water as well as paddling both canoes and kayaks. In addition, we will simply soak in the joys of river life. Our afternoons will include camp set-up in the woods or on sandbars, roasting tasty bannocks over the fire, and time for play and discovery. Days end with craftwork, stories, songs and games.

Join us on an adventure in fishing, crafting, and exploring the hidden secrets of the streams, lakes, and rivers that surround us. We begin the week at Kroka Village where we will carve our own fishing poles, learn to tie flies, and rig our lines. In the afternoons we will try our luck from shore, testing our patience and our wit while exploring the magical forests that surround us. Then with barrels packed and lines reeled tight, we will head out on a three-day expedition by canoe through one of Vermont’s most famous fisheries. Each day we’ll paddle further downstream, learning about currents, eddies, and fish habitat. In the heat of the day we’ll stop to swim and to test the many rope swings and jumping rocks along the shore! We will camp in the forest and cook delicious dinners over the fire. We eat what we catch: eager fisherfolk should be excited to gut, clean, and cook their fish. If you’ve fallen hook line and sinker for the adventure of fishing, this expedition is not to be missed!

Steeped in history and culture, the blue-green waters of Lake Champlain offer perfect conditions for a long-distance sea kayak expedition. Stretching south-north from Vermont to Canada, the 125-mile-long lake has more than 500 miles of shoreline and 70 islands with protected coves for camping, high cliffs for jumping, and abundant fish to catch.  We begin the week at Kroka Village where we will practice kayaking in the pond, and work on the farm to harvest and prepare food for the journey ahead. Once the hatches are full, we load our sea kayaks and depart for Whitehall, NY - the southernmost point of the lake. Each day we make progress Northward in tune with currents and wind while stopping to swim, visit the Lake's many museums and historical sites, and take in the breathtaking views of the Green Mountains and Adirondacks. At night we make camp on the lakeshore or on its islands, cook dinner over the open fire, and take in the starry night skies. We will revel in the joys of expedition life, tell stories of old times, and if the winds are with us - and we can summon the willpower to do so - complete the end-to-end sea kayak expedition all the way to Canada!

Intoduction to White Water Level I

This is an unforgettable week of becoming one with the river! The journey will take us down the beautiful winding Connecticut River flowing swiftly through the foothills of the Green and White Mountains. Skill building begins at Kroka’s pond, after which we will embark on a 4-day expedition to camp at the base of a great rapid. Our unique paddling progression is rooted in understanding the power of moving water and developing skills in raft, canoe, kayak, and stand up paddle board, as well as comfort swimming in fast-moving water. In addition, we will simply soak in the joys of river life in the summer. Our afternoons will include camp set-up in the woods and on sandbars, fishing, roasting bread-on-a-stick, and time for rope swings and river play. Days end with spoon carving and stories around the campfire.

Vertical! is a sequel to Climbing Rocks and a perfect training expedition for our Climber’s Journey Up North.

Come Take to the Woods and become the wild children of the forest! Experience the pure fun and magic of living in and from the wilderness. The forest will fuel our projects, providing saplings for branch bows, dry wood for friction fire, pine for bowl carving, and wild plants for food. Camping on the banks of the Ashuelot River we will swim, fish, and learn stealth while observing the life of the woodland animals that abound. We will form new friendships with nature and each other. We will become a true community, relying on each other and celebrating the joys of summertime. Yes, let’s take to the woods: we are the wild ones, adventuring and learning the secrets of the earth.

Come and play at Kroka Village! Roast bread-on-a-stick over a fire, pick berries, wade in the brook, and float boats downstream! During this exciting week, young campers will join in the life of the farm and garden at Kroka while staying at our base camp in earthen dwellings (also known as “Hobbit Holes”). This is an introductory program aimed at cultivating imagination and wonder. The long summer days will be filled with canoeing, fort building, working on traditional crafts, splashing in the pond, singing and storytelling. Each day we will immerse ourselves in a simple life, spending plenty of time exploring the woods and visiting the animals on the farm. Children of Kroka Village is the perfect experience for young adventurers for whom this is their first time at sleep-away camp.

Experience the thrill of adventure and wilderness while creating a close circle of new friends. This program is designed as an introduction to Kroka and will cover the basics of our curriculum: navigation, backpacking, canoeing, camp craft, and rock climbing. After two days of "Kroka 101" training at our base camp, we will depart for our journey by foot and paddle, experiencing the beauty of the wilderness as we swim, craft, and spend evenings by the campfire. This program is designed as a bridge for students who are new to Kroka's expedition lifestyle, and participants will be able to enter any intermediate Kroka program with competence and confidence.

The White Mountains are famous for their dramatic rocky summits and steep valleys, and boast the highest peaks in the northeast. This exciting multi-sport adventure connects many hidden gems of the Whites and introduces students to all of Kroka’s core adventure sports. We begin at Kroka Village preparing food and equipment for our extended expedition. Setting off on foot, we follow the Appalachian Trail up and over Mount Moosilauke (elevation 4,802) and down to a network of old logging roads perfect for practicing map and compass navigation. Switching from backpacks to mountain bikes, we travel for three days along stunning singletrack bike trails to the headwaters of the Pemigewasset River. Here we find canoes awaiting ready for a paddle down the swiftly-flowing river that takes us to the foot of one of the most famous rock climbing crags in New England. Along the way we will be rewarded with breathtaking views, practice low impact camping, and study geography, geology and ecology of the Eastern Alpine.

Young explorers, come join us at Pumpkin Hill Village for a week of cooperative play in nature. We will begin each day by visiting the animals on Kroka’s farm. Our cows, sheep and chickens love the attention! Afterwards we set off for the forest where each day greets us with a new surprise: building fairy houses, exploring the Porcupine Cliffs, playing in the mud, or floating boats downstream. Our days are filled with games, songs, stories, and exploring the wonders and magic of nature. This is the perfect first step to begin a child's life-long connection to Kroka.

Come and play at Kroka Village! Roast bread-on-a-stick over a fire, pick berries, wade in the brook, and float boats downstream! During this exciting week, young campers will join in the life of the farm and garden at Kroka while staying at our base camp in earthen dwellings (also known as “Hobbit Holes”). This is an introductory program aimed at cultivating imagination and wonder. The long summer days will be filled with canoeing, fort building, working on traditional crafts, splashing in the pond, singing and storytelling. Each day we will immerse ourselves in a simple life, spending plenty of time exploring the woods and visiting the animals on the farm. Children of Kroka Village is the perfect experience for young adventurers for whom this is their first time at sleep-away camp.

An Introduction to Earth Skills

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a time when all the necessities of life were made by hand from the raw materials of the earth? During this exciting week of adventure and discovery, we will settle into traditional dwellings made from poles and sod. Venturing deep into the forest we will set up a wilderness outpost and learn a variety of primitive crafts. Days will be filled with playing forest games, lighting fires, learning to cook wholesome feasts, and working with our hands as well as swimming and climbing trees. Come celebrate the wonder of Earth Crafts and return home with your own creations.

This is a Capstone Expedition which includes some pre-program student meetings and preparation.

Don't miss this unique adventure that combines rock climbing and underground exploration! Our expedition begins with a hike to an impressive rock face hidden deep in the woods. After a day and a half of climbing, we will continue our hike, ending at a spectacular waterfall. Refreshed by plunging into crystal clear pools it is time for caving! We will search the woods for caverns that take us deep into the glittering underground world. As we gain experience, we will scurry through tunnels, wade through underground streams, and witness beautiful rock formations that showcase millions of years of geologic history. To wash off the cave mud, we will spend our afternoons swimming in a mountain river and at our wilderness camp learning to live in harmony with nature.  Each day concludes with campfire stories and songs.

Kroka’s classic “Introduction to Adventure” program has introduced countless children to the wonders of the wilderness since its inception in 1995. It is the perfect program for campers who are ready to participate in their very first expedition. The week begins at base camp doing useful work around Kroka’s village and the farm. We will go rock climbing, study plants and animals in the forest, and learn new wilderness skills. All of this is in preparation for a three-day mini canoeing expedition during which we settle into the backcountry rhythm of campfire meals, stories, and songs. Days will be filled with swimming, fishing, exploration and crafts.

Join us in discovering the adventure of backcountry bikepacking! After tuning up our bikes and practicing riding techniques on Kroka’s bike course, we will head into the forest for a week filled with spectacularly wild mountain bike adventures. The rich history of New Hampshire has left our forests full of wondrous dirt trails alongside abandoned root cellars, mines, and wilderness lakes. We will return to Kroka for campfire meals and cozy dwellings during the first half of the week. Our next adventure will be a two-day overnight expedition. Each day will include discovering and playing in wild swimming holes, games, and evening stories by the campfire. In addition to technical riding, students will learn how to take care of their bikes and participate in community service projects. This introductory program is excellent preparation for our Mountain Bike Expeditions!

Join world-class climbers and mountaineers David Silva Alvarez and Marga Cardoso in an exploration of classic Appalachian rock. West Virginia’s New River Gorge is the east coast’s largest, most diverse and highest quality climbing area with over 3000 established routes in durable sandstone. Traveling to Appalachia means enjoying traditional folk music, working on farms tucked into the folds of the mountains and experiencing the rich and tragic history of the region with the exploitation of its indigenous people and natural resources. Two weeks is just enough time to build a tight-knit community of friends and tire our muscles from long days of climbing, but it will be a fast-paced trip! Designed for returning Kroka climbing students, this program is the next step in skill-building for students who are passionate about the sport and ready to become climbing leaders in their future.

For novice - intermediate buccaneers
 
Come one and all for a two-week treasure-hunting adventure! We will form our crew and head to the coast of Maine where we will take to the sea in voyageur canoes modeled after those that have been navigating northern waters for thousands of years. On the first day, we will travel a short distance across a sheltered bay to our first wilderness island home. We will sail from camp to camp, practice fire building, and create wilderness crafts.  There will be islands to overtake and explore, coves to brave cold waters in, and tidal pools to investigate. We will forage for mussels, fish for mackerel, and harvest shells and special seaweed. Everyone will come away from this week having witnessed beautiful sunsets and made lasting new friendships. Sign up to uncover some of the mysteries of the sea!

For students with interest in self-propelled exploration off the beaten track. This mountain bike expedition will follow a maze of hidden trails to epic adventures known by few and discovered by Kroka guides over years of exploration. We will begin by a series of training rides and bike mechanics classes, tuning our bodies and our equipment. We will work on the farm preparing food for the expedition. When ready we will leave Kroka village by way of bike, riding trails down to the Connecticut River Valley and up through the Green Mountains. Along the way we will pick berries, jump in refreshing swimming holes, take showers in spectacular waterfalls, taste local ice cream and climb cliff faces set deep in the mountains. Sometimes we will camp in the wilderness and other times we will be hosted by friends of Kroka at the farms and homesteads scattered along the trail. Navigating with map and compass we will thread the way to our final destination; a mysterious cave on the other side of the mountains!

Do you love taking care of animals, helping others and digging in the dirt? Do you love exploring and playing in the natural world? Kroka’s farm program may be just the program for you! Farm Magic is filled with extraordinary adventures both on the farm and in the forest! Together we will uncover the mystery of how, from tiny seeds, we grow amazing things to eat. The magic of the living earth will present itself in front of our eyes as we sow seeds, water, weed, and harvest the gifts from our organic gardens. We will visit the animals, collect eggs, observe the bees at work, make yogurt or cheese, and cook delicious wood-fired pizzas! Afternoons will be filled with swimming, paddling, rock scrambling, games and searching for hidden treasures in the forest. There will be time for crafting, singing, telling stories and, of course, making new friends!

You cup it gently in your palm, the most powerful force on Earth, the source of life. This miniature sun spun to life with wood gathered from the forest has been enlivened from your gentle breath to become fire. During this adventure we will learn to make fire as was done in ancient ways with friction and flint and steel. As we travel the forest, we will learn to carry the fire with us, and to bring it to life in the wet and rain. Coals from the fire will burn the branches that become our spoons. As we deepen our relationship to this sacred element, we will learn to make, tend, use, celebrate, and care for it. We will come to know Fire as a sacred part of our lives. More than this, traveling through the wilderness will teach us to connect with the living Earth, be it gathering wild edibles or building an overnight shelter. We must all come prepared to carry an overnight backpack through the mountains, leaving modern conveniences behind, and proudly carry our inner flame of community.

Kroka’s classic “Introduction to Adventure” program has introduced countless children to the wonders of the wilderness since its inception in 1995. It is the perfect program for campers who are ready to participate in their very first expedition. The week begins at base camp doing useful work around Kroka’s village and the farm. We will go rock climbing, study plants and animals in the forest, and learn new wilderness skills. All of this is in preparation for a three-day mini canoeing expedition during which we settle into the backcountry rhythm of campfire meals, stories, and songs. Days will be filled with swimming, fishing, exploration and crafts.