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 catch, 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!

This is an unforgettable week of becoming one with the river! The journey will take us down the beautiful winding stretch of the Connecticut River flowing swiftly through Piedmont – the foot hills 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.

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. We will learn the names of trees as we search for the perfect branches that will become our bows and arrows. Days will be filled with playing forest games, swimming, lighting fires, learning to cook wholesome feasts, and experiencing a day of rock climbing. Venturing deep into the forest we will set up a wilderness outpost and learn a variety of primitive crafts. Come celebrate the wonder of craft - producing useful things from the gifts of the forest - and return home with your own creations.

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.

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 on 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.

Engage your senses in this adventurous week of growing, foraging, and cooking delicious food. Become a master forager, a farm-to-table chef, and a connoisseur of wild tastes. We begin our journey on the Kroka farm, where we will cultivate vegetables and nurture animals that will provide us with the gift of food. Trading our pitchforks for knives, we will learn and master technical cooking skills from local celebrity chef Theresa Darling. We will test our recipes in Kroka’s state-of-the-art sustainable kitchen – then take it up a notch by cooking over the open fire in the backcountry. With bags packed full of fresh ingredients, we will hike out to a wilderness campsite and build a stone hearth for cooking. Here we blend the culinary skills of the kitchen with the wild wisdom of the woods. As we prepare our recipes we will form a close-knit community of friends and share stories and songs. Our week will culminate with a student-prepared feast to share with the Kroka community!

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!

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!