Photo by Izzy Cheney '24
Sitting on the porch of Moosilauke Ravine Lodge a few days ago, I felt the first breeze of crisp Fall air roll over the trees. A few patches of red leaves had begun to pop up in Hanover, and the excitement of Fall term was beginning to unfold. Since our Summer Solstice Newsletter, we've wrapped up Sophomore Trips, embarked on trips all around New Hampshire, and prepared to welcome the Class of 2026 to campus through First-Year Trips.
Through pizza dinners at the O-Farm, a night at Lodge Prom, and miles and miles of The Fifty, Sophomore Summer brought its characteristic magic for many. Trail Crew worked away on Mts. Smarts and Cube, building rock staircases, while Appalachian Trail thru-hikers stopped by Robo for rest and lunch. Alums and students alike gathered at the Lodge for Decarbonization Weekend, a 102-year celebration of Dartmouth's time at Moosilauke and a group imagination of what a sustainable future for the Lodge and DOC looks like. We also welcomed a new sub-club, Flora & Fauna, for nature exploration, appreciation, education, and connection, and we can't wait to see their beginning in the Fall!
We hope you enjoy these stories and scenes from Summer 2022.
-- DOC Officers Summer 2022
Scarlette Flores '24, President
Eliza Holmes '24, VP
Ginger Link '24, VP
Amla Rashingkar '24, Treasurer
Evelyn Hatem '24, Secretary
Table of Contents
President’s Letter Scarlette Flores ‘24 | POCO Kevin Lin ‘24 |
4th of July Hike Blurb Evelyn Hatem ‘24 | John Rand Kay Partridge ‘23 |
DMBC Carter Sullivan ‘24 | Rest and Recreation Scarlette Flores ‘24 |
The Fifty Anna Byrd ‘23 | |
Dear DOC Alumni/ae,
Sophomore Summer is a very special time for the second years at Dartmouth to get the time to bond with their class and explore all the beauties that New Hampshire has to offer. This was a particularly special Sophomore Summer because it was one of our first fully operational terms since COVID restrictions were implemented. It was lovely having the opportunity to participate in various DOC traditions, such as Lodge Prom, and continue to foster a greater appreciation for outdoor stewardship.
Faced with a smaller ‘24s presence in the DOC and undergoing structural changes in the DOC (we welcomed a new Outdoor Programs Office Director!), I highly valued giving the sophomores a great summer experience. I wanted to focus on getting more ‘24s involved with the DOC and helping our class cohesion. It was exciting to see so many people get outside during the gorgeous summer weather. From paddling trips on the Connecticut River to hiking the Fifty, students found ways to make 22X memorable. Additionally, this term’s Directorate made efforts to increase participation in local trips. Partnering with the Diversity, Inclusivity, Justice and Equity Division of the DOC, we hosted a Rest and Recreation themed inclusivity week. We helped people feel more comfortable in the outdoors with shorter, accessible activities such as foraging, bike rides around campus, and picnics on the green.
As the summer reaches its end, I am beyond proud of everyone that helped make this summer in the DOC fantastic! As you continue to read, I hope you can feel the love, appreciation, empowerment, dedication, and absolute joy that emanates from every piece. Although a smaller group for the summer, I’m glad I found a loving and supportive community committed to creating safe, welcoming, and inclusive spaces in the outdoors. I look forward to welcoming the first years on campus; I know they’ll be in great hands.
Yours in the out-of-doors,
Scarlette Flores
DOC President 22X
Fourth of July on Moosilauke
Over 30 members of Cabin & Trail hiked Mt. Moosilauke on the Fourth of July, arriving at the summit just before sunset to watch fireworks from above. We were met at the top by members of Trail and Lodge Crews, as well as the two Alpine Stewards, with whom we watched the sunset, danced the First-Year Trips song medley, and ate sandwiches of Cabot cheese and hummus. The view of Franconia Ridge was stunning, and we all returned to the Lodge by midnight for star-gazing. We were so happy to continue this tradition and kick off summer term with beautiful views and quality time on Moosilauke!
Evelyn Hatem '24
Photo by Alex Wells '22
On the Trails with Mountain Biking Club
What a summer it was for the DMBC! We ran many trips, ranging from intro to expert, and they were an absolute blast. Most intro trips took place at the Oak Hill skills course, although one trip opted to hit the Norwich pumptrack and follow it up with Dan & Whit’s ice cream instead (this was on a ninety degree afternoon!). For more experienced riders, we ran two bike park trips — one to Killington and one to Highland – both of which got rave reviews. When we weren’t on our bikes, we also found time to work on the Oak Hill trails: we held six trailwork days this term, with one being a joint event with Cabin & Trail. Each trailwork session began with hard, manual labor, and ended with good vibes and Domino’s Pizza at the trailhead. For some more exciting news, we had three new leaders (Scarlette Flores, Jeff Walbridge, and Zanna Stutz) ascend this summer! They passed their co-lead, bike maintenance, and trailwork requirements, and we’re stoked to have them as leaders. We look forward to continuing our momentum this Fall, and if you want frequent updates, be sure to check us out on Instagram (@dmbc_official).
Happy Trails!
Carter Sullivan '24
Sophomore Summer in People Of Color Outdoors
This Summer was an exciting one for POCO! Firstly, we took a step back this term to reflect upon the impact that POCO as a club should make on both the Dartmouth and Outing Club experience. We recognized the important role that the sub-club played in breaking down barriers to the outdoors. However, our mission was not clearly identifiable because POCO had no written constitution, thus limiting the impact that the sub-club could have for aiding those interested in the outdoors. After consulting with our members on their own individual experiences with the club and working closely with Elliot Ng and Brad Geismar from the Outdoor Programs Office, we successfully ratified our first constitution in the club's history! This new constitution will be extremely important in spreading awareness of POCO's mission to create safe and inclusive space for races, ethnicities, and nationalities that are underrepresented by the wider DOC, and in encouraging members to define their own relationship with the outdoors.
Secondly, we ran a HUGE diversity of trips ranging from our quarterly La Noche Latina y Caribe to a beginner-friendly surfing trip on the Maine Coast with Surf Club! Additionally, this term we especially encouraged members to share their unique cultural cuisines at feeds, resulting in a literal melting pot of flavors from all over the world. From the diversity of trips to foods to people, this summer will surely be one to remember. As the term winds to a close, we plan to have one last huzzah together as a club hosted by our friends at the Rock!
Kevin Lin '24
Rest and Recreation in the Out-of-Doors
Many DOC members go outside to relax, decompress, have fun, and find rest. However, often the DOC, and being outdoors, can involve physical and mental strain. On top of this, the western culture around the concept of “wilderness” often codes nature as a place to prove strength and toughness by conquering mountains, fighting against whitewater currents, etc, instead of a place to find peace, have fun, and connect with the world around us. This summer, the Diversity, Inclusivity, Justice and Equity division of the DOC hosted an inclusivity event during week 7 named Rest and Recreation week. RnR week sought to reflect about how our current DOC practices can better encourage outdoor experiences to be restful for different people and groups, and strive to share old and new ways of engaging with our splendid and plentiful outdoor environments in all the clubs.
Photo from the foraging trip at Moose Mountain led by Craig Layne, the Biological Sciences Experiential Learning Facilitator
During RnR Week, many DOC leaders led a myriad of trips under the overarching theme of Rest and Recreation. We had foraging with Cabin and Trail, a bike ride around campus with the Dartmouth Mountain Biking Club, Paddleboard yoga down at Ledyard and many more! During the final Rest and Recreation dinner, trippees and leaders alike sat down to enjoy tasty food, and sum up our reflections. We discussed the trips, lessons learned, and overall future trips we hope to continue featuring during normal terms. Some important takeaways were topics about trip expectations, body image, and safety during trips. We hope to continue these discussions and encourage more DOC members to think about ways that rest and recreation can be incorporated into outdoor experiences.
Scarlette Flores '24 and Laurel Lee Pitts '24
John Rand Cabin Gets a Fresh Foundation
This summer, a group of five students ventured out to replace the unstable foundation under John Rand cabin, one of the cabins that the DOC owns and maintains which had been closed since the fall of 2018. We set out with the slightly daunting task of levelling out the cabin, removing the old concrete piers, digging deeper holes, re-pouring concrete, and putting in wooden posts and bracing for each pier.
We quickly learned to roll with any challenges thrown our way, from the only two feet of crawl space under parts of the cabin, to the weekly threat of thunderstorms, to standing in the holes to dig them down the full five and a half feet. Our work was still peppered with fun moments throughout: building small armies of clay people, inventing games with the balls made out of leftover concrete, and the random conversations that will inevitably happen when you spend this long with the same people. Being able to stand in front of the finished cabin after nine weeks, with new porch railings thrown in as an added bonus, definitely made all of the hard work worth it. All that remains is a final inspection and approval, and John Rand will be, once again, available for new memories!
Huge thanks to Eli Hecht ‘23, Matthew Kim ‘25, Brandon Caveney ‘25, and Niccolo Campolo ‘25 for not only being willing to put in the hard work, but making it a fun experience for us all!
Kay Partridge '23
A Long Walk in the Woods: The Summer Fifty
Sitting on the steps of Robinson Hall, watching as students cheered on the last of the teams to complete this summer’s Fifty will forever be one of my favorite memories. The day before, my co-directors and I joked as teams left Moosilauke Ravine Lodge that watching them leave was like watching your kid get on the bus for their first day of school. I felt like a mom as I asked each team whether they had two bottles of water, whether they’d remembered sunscreen and bug spray, whether they packed enough snacks. There’s a layer of excitement mixed with the knowledge that they have a long (very long) day ahead, and a bit of apprehension because you don’t know how the hike is going to go. It hadn’t been long since I was in their shoes—I hiked the Fifty last fall, and knew that a lot could happen over the next 54 miles.
I spent most of this year’s Fifty driving around to the various support stations, spread roughly ten miles apart along the hikers’ path. Support stations are one of my favorite parts of the Fifty because they really highlight Dartmouth’s community. The first one I visited was Christmas themed, and a few supporters mimed Santa and his reindeer with impressive accuracy as they fetched incoming hikers. The station had established a five star resort under a single tarp on the side of the road. The second hikers were spotted, the stations sprung into action, refilling water bottles, popping blisters, giving hikers their undivided attention. Supporters are the lifeline of the Fifty. They sign up for various reasons, whether it’s to cheer on friends who are hiking, to get support points to increase the odds that they can hike next time (Ed's note: Overwhelming demand necessitates a lottery and volunteers get additional points towards the drawing), or because their friend dragged them along. Regardless of their reason for being there, everyone was 100% committed to helping hikers finish.
I left that station a few hours later to take a shift in the basement of Robinson Hall watching the safety phone, which hikers can call if anything goes wrong. I drove some sweepers (supporters that hike to the next support station to make sure no hikers were left behind) back to campus with me. Even though it was almost 1am, they made sure to trade numbers before they left so that they could get dinner later that week. Call it the “Magic of The Fifty” - for some reason, it seems like there’s no better way to make friends than to stay up at unreasonable hours on a Friday night to help students complete an insane physical challenge.
Fast forward a few support stations and one very terrible Mount Moose later (I’ve yet to meet someone who’s hiked the Fifty and enjoyed their time at Moose), and I was back at Robo watching the last of the teams roll in. At that point, the other directors and I had been up for almost 40 hours straight, but I was wide awake screaming myself hoarse with everyone else as teams made their way back. Between getting to know hikers over the course of the term, seeing the support stations in action, and cheering both supporters and hikers on, directing the Fifty was in a lot of ways even more rewarding than hiking it. It’s earned a spot in my top-5 Dartmouth highlights, and it’s an experience I will forever be grateful for.
Anna Byrd ‘23
A New DOC Sub Club
This summer, the Dartmouth Outing Club welcomed its newest sub-club, Flora and Fauna! Flora and Fauna (or FnF) is a nature appreciation-based group that aims to further the mission of the DOC by leading trips that focus on plants, animals, and every other part of our natural environment. FnF does not specialize in a certain activity type like hiking or paddling: any trip type is fair game as long as the primary goal is learning about and admiring nature. We are excited to help students develop a deeper understanding of the land we live and recreate on, and to give people an opportunity to share their passion for nature with others! FnF prioritizes offering trips that focus on meaningful connections with nature and each other, rather than focusing on difficulty or distance, so we are excited to lead many trips around the Upper Valley. (Ed's note: Older alums will remember Doug Wade, former College naturalist - this club's activities will be funded by an endowment in his name - very much in his spirit!) This fall, Flora and Fauna will start leading trips such as: local bird-watching walks, plant identification workshops, foraging lessons, nature meditation, conservation events, nature book clubs, and so much more! Stay tuned to see what FnF is up to next term!
Solstice and Equinox Newsletter
Fall 2022