A DAY'S FLOW
Most days we’ll wake in the morning and celebrate the
new day with a stretch and swim, followed by camp and
farm chores. Sitting down for our morning meal, we have
a moment of thanks and quiet. Then we move on to an exciting
day of work, paddling, climbing or travel. After a hearty
lunch, we take time to rest, read, reflect or write in
our journals before bursting out with an afternoon full
of energy. We help with chores and preparing of supper.
As the day comes to an end, we join hands, sing our blessing
and with gratitude, fill our tummies. Our nightly ceremony
around the fire brings sharing, songs and read aloud.
Finally we drift off to sleep filled with memories of
a good day.
LOCATION
 Kroka
Expeditions’ base camp is located on the Marlow - Alstead
border in southwestern New Hampshire. Kroka’s base camp
is close to the White and Green Mountain National Forests
and the Adirondacks of New York. It is a short drive to
the best white water paddling and climbing in the Northeast.
We are 2 hours from Boston and 4 hours from NYC. Program
areas include New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Maine,
New York, Northern Canada and Ecuador. While most families
drive students to camp, staff is available, for a fee,
to pick up students at Bradley or Manchester Airports,
as well as at the bus or train station in Bellows Falls,
VT. Advanced notice is necessary. There is also a shuttle
service available from all local airports. Please refer
to our Parent/Student Handbook
for details.
FACILITIES AND FOOD
Our base camp and farm are nestled in the High Country
between the watersheds of the Ashuelot and Cold Rivers.
We are blessed with 75 acres of forests, fields, cliffs,
streams and a pond all adjacent to a large wilderness
area. Here time has stopped its fast pace. Gathering water
from a spring, cooking on an open fire, and reading by
lantern light are some examples of the immersion students
will undergo while with us. Students live in traditional
shelters from around the world. Our energy comes from
the sun. Footpaths lead to many camps and lodges, with
outdoor kitchens, hidden in the forest. While on the trail,
students live in tents, in shelters they’ve created, or
sometimes under the stars. Kroka Expeditions provides
students with well-crafted and cared-for expedition equipment,
often made by our teachers and students. We serve delicious
trail recipes and use primarily locally grown food. Vegetables
from our garden, eggs from our chickens and wild-harvested
foods, when in season, supplement our diet. Students are
involved in the preparation and clean up of all meals
and are responsible for helping with all aspects of camp
and farm life, including care of the horse, sheep, and
chickens.
A NOTE ABOUT OUR AGE GROUPS
Most programs are offered to specific age groups (7–8; 9–11:
11–13; 14–18, and up). Some skill-intensive programs are offered
to a wider age range to allow younger advanced students to learn
in a challenging environment. On those programs, younger kids
look up to, and learn from, older students, while older students take
care and responsibility for younger ones. This creates a village atmosphere
of mutual care and respect. During skill classes, students
are grouped by their skill level, while in social activities, such as
hikes and group meetings, they may be split up by age. Our high
expectations and our teachers’ pedagogical experience combined
with the beautiful surroundings create a special community for
people of all ages.
MEDICAL CARE & SAFETY
Lead teachers are certified Wilderness First Responders.
Many natural and homeopathic methods are used to treat
common colds, headaches, bug bites and sore muscles associated
with wilderness sports. Each program has its own emergency
plan with access to medical facilities. Common sense and
intimate knowledge of the land, combined with careful
trip planning, are our main ways of preventing the need
for medical care.
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