Dartmouth students begin their careers in a most unusual way -- wielding large frame packs on their backs.
Since the advent of the Dartmouth Outing Club in 1909, Dartmouth students have been encouraged to take full advantage of the outdoors in the largest student-run organization on campus, also the oldest college club of its kind.
Initiated by students determined to venture out into the wilderness during the cold winters in New Hampshire, the DOC has since expanded into a large club encompassing 11 smaller ones.
Bait and Bullet is the hunting and fishing branch of the DOC and plans trips for hunting, fly fishing and ice fishing. It also runs seminars on fly tying and hunter safety.
Boots and Saddles is closely associated with the College equestrian team, based at the Morton Farm. The activites range from horseback riding competitions to instruction and general recreation.
Cabin and Trail maintains over 125 miles of trails, including over 70 miles of the Appalachian Trail, along with nine cabins and 10 shelters.
DOC summer President Sally Dickinson '99 said C and T assists students in understanding trailwork and being comfortable with the work that goes into taking care of those trails.
They are presently working on their first-ever stone shelter at Happy Hill, a hiking stop on the Appalachian Trail in Vermont, she said.
C and T also sponsors the College's forestry team which competes in events based on old-style lumberjacking skills.
The Cycling Club provides a base for both mountain bikers and road racers alike. The club not only provides daily training rides but trips to the rugged mountain areas of New England, as well.
The Environmental Studies Division is focused on educating the campus about issues concerning environmental education and politics. They are presently working on the Green Guide -- the environmental guide for environmental living on campus.
The ESD is also active at the Organic Farm, which gives students the opportunity to work closely on a farm that sells its own products.
The Ledyard Canoe Club originated in 1920 and is also the oldest collegiate club of its kind. Named after John Ledyard, the club has turned its main focus from racing to recreational boating.
Although whitewater kayaking and canoeing are the biggest part of the program, the club accomodates all levels of paddlers and all kinds of boating, from slalom boats to marathon canoes.
The Canoe Club also has annual trips such as Sophomores from the Source every summer and Senior Trip to the Sea in the spring. This year, the club organized a month-long kayaking trip through Vietnam which began in June.
Ledyard has a membership fee of $35 which includes free rentals to all members. General DOC memberships cost $15 per year for students, or $35 for all four years.
The Dartmouth Mountaineering Club also boasts the distinction of being the oldest and most active collegiate mountaineering club in the country.
The club not only sponsors trips for rock and ice climbing in the New England area, but also holds climbing competitions in the Jonathan Belden Daniels Memorial indoor climbing gym, located in the basement of Maxwell residence hall. Classes for beginning and advanced students are offered every term.
Formed just last year, the DOC Service Committee provides community service both to the Upper Valley and to Dartmouth.
GO OUT or Group Organized OUTings organizes trips for campus groups, ranging from athletic to performing groups, to experience and enjoy the outdoors together.
Not only does Dartmouth have its own skiway, but it is closely monitored by the Ski Patrol, made up of students who are certified and responsible for winter patrols on the slopes.
The Snowboarding Club sponsors many trips and clinics at local and distant mountains for a wide range of snowboarding activities.
Women in the Wilderness, one of the newest branches of the DOC, was formed to encourage participation and leadership by women in all branches of the DOC and takes an active part in all divisions.
Although there many extremely involved people in the DOC, Dickinson stresses that the DOC is an opportunity for everyone to get outdoors and have fun together.
Freshman Trips
One of the first and most lasting associations a Dartmouth student makes is with his or her "trippees" -- people with whom you will reminisce even before the trip is over.
With over 90 percent participation by the incoming class, the first contact with the DOC is an unforgettable experience, Assistant Trips Director Gusser Moore '99 said.
"Trips are pre-orientation orientation, and they're too much fun," he said. "It takes you out of something you're comfortable with and puts everyone on the same plane."
Although trips were originally created to promote interest in the DOC, they are now also known as a way for students to become more familiar with each other in circumstances they never even imagined possible.
Over 1000 students in the Class of 2001 have signed up for a trip, Moore said.
Trips include hiking, climbing, kayaking, canoeing, organic farming, horseback riding, mountain biking and fishing.
The upperclassmen leading incoming freshmen through the wilderness must undergo a competitive application process, workshops and first aid training in order to become the authoritative figures leading the three-day trips.
A warm welcome from the Hanover Crew at the DOC house on Occom Pond starts the whirl of activities.
The crew initiates freshmen into Dartmouth traditions as they teach the braver souls the Salty Dog Rag, a time-honored square-dancing tradition, while others worry about the wild obstacles they must encounter without a chance to shower for four days.
Freshmen can complete one of their first graduation requirements with the 50 yard swim test at the gym pool after ice-breaking activities at the Big Empty Meeting Area, otherwise known as the Bema.
After one last night in civilization and many good-byes in the morning to new-found friends, trippees then set off to the wilderness for a memorable experience including campfires, sleeping in cabins or under the stars and enough cheese and cous-cous to last a lifetime.
Three days and two nights later, all the trips in one section convene at the College-run Moosilauke Ravine Lodge on Mount Moosilauke, 42 miles northeast of Hanover.
Anticipation for the Lodge is high, with rumors of strange fights and crazy old men running amuck, spread by trip leaders and those in the preceding section.
"At the end of trips, be prepared," Moore said. "Your final night at the lodge will be one to remember."
