Kroka Expeditions: Back on The Catamount Trail in 2011

Kroka Expeditions' High School Semester Program travels the length of the Catamount Trail. 

The semester begins at their Base Camp in Marlow, NH with students and teachers working together to prepare for the expedition. Students sew a tent that will be their home on the Trail, make mukluks, dehydrate meat and vegetables, learn and practice back country skiing techniques, and study navigation, nutrition, meteorology and other expedition related topics.

Then the 300-mile journey on the Catamount Trail begins! The group travels for several days, followed by intervals of rest and study. During these intervals, teachers and local experts join the group to share traditional skills, local history, culture, and natural sciences.

Upon reaching the Canadian border, the students spend a month wrapping up the winter portion of the expedition and preparing for the spring. Students study topics related to the Northeast Kingdom and the Connecticut River Watershed. They then build a 23-foot wood/canvas canoe to carry them down the river, weave pack baskets for their food and belongings, and craft the paddles that will propel them homeward along 300 miles of the Connecticut River.

Having traveled full-circle, the length of Vermont and back, students then spend the last weeks completing final coursework and putting together a theatrical presentation to share with families and the public.

The 2011 VT-NH Semester has begun their journey in Vermont, check out their blog and photos!