From the Connecticut River to Lake Umbagog and from Camel's Hump to Moosilauke, the Dartmouth Outing Club gives the Dartmouth community the opportunity to enjoy the north woods of New England.
The Outing Club is comprised of 11 student-run organizations that range from the ever-popular Cabin and Trail and Ledyard Canoe Clubs to the Bait and Bullet and Boots and Saddles divisions. The Dartmouth Outing Club also runs freshman trips, in which over 90 percent of freshmen participate and, in 1911, was responsible for founding Winter Carnival weekend.
Based around the downhill and Nordic ski races, Winter Carnival is the biggest party of the winter.
Besides the races, carnival events traditionally include the human dog sled race, the polar bear swim in Occum Pond and, until it was banned in 2000, the keg jump at Psi Upsilon fraternity.
The Dartmouth Outing Club was founded in 1909 to "stimulate interest in out-of-door winter sports," and it has been thriving ever since.
It is the oldest college outing club in the United States and enjoys the highest membership of any club on campus.
Ledyard Canoe Club
Ledyard Canoe Club, located just upstream of the Dartmouth boat house behind the River Cluster, is a popular affiliate of the Outing Club. A hang-out in the summer, and a peaceful getaway in the spring and fall, the Ledyard docks are always a spot for fun and relaxation. Students and community members may rent kayaks and canoes on an hourly basis, and in the summer, early morning "pancake paddles" and evening "moonlight paddles" offer a change of pace.
Members of Ledyard engage in competitive kayaking and canoeing, and the club has recently sent trips to Nepal, Ecuador and Costa Rica.
For beginners, Ledyard runs classes for physical education credit in the fall, spring and summer, and also organizes the Ledyard formal and the DOC challenge, a canoeing-running biathlon.
Cabin and Trail
Probably the most accessible and visible club in the Outing Club, Cabin and Trail has a wide appeal. Members of Cabin and Trail lead short day hikes, weekend camping trips and more spontaneous excursions such as outings to the Cabot cheese factory, a nearby diner, or to a local corn maze. For those who have aspired since childhood to be a lumberjack, Cabin and Trail's Woodsmen Club, a team of competitive wood choppers, is a dream come true.
Not only does the club service the campus and Dartmouth students, but it is also open to the Upper Valley and its residents. Members maintain 75 miles of the Appalachian Trail, including the pass over Dartmouth-owned Mt. Moosilauke and 20 miles of trails around Dartmouth and extending into Vermont.
Additionally, Cabin and Trail takes care of 11 cabins around Dartmouth, numerous shelters and the Second College Grant of 1807, 27,000 acres of college-held land in northern New Hampshire.
The Fun Continues
The Mountaineering Club runs trips for beginners and advanced climbers to local cliffs as well as to the rock gym, located in the River Cluster.
For those more interested in staying horizontal, the Cycling Club offers a ride-list for pleasure bikers, as well as a nationally competitive road-cycling team.
Ski Patrol keeps the Dartmouth Skiway safe in the winter, and Ski Patrol members offer emergency medical support for the Outing Club throughout the year. Other clubs catering to winter fun are the Snowboarding Club and the Winter Sports Club, which offer students opportunities in snowshoeing, winter camping and skiing.
The Environmental Studies Club seeks to instill in students a greater understanding and appreciation of their natural world, and the Women in the Wilderness division promotes self-confidence and self-reliance through outdoor-skills acquisition.
For hunters and fishermen, the Outing Club offers excursions through Bait and Bullet, and for equine-lovers, Boots and Saddles operates out of the Dartmouth Riding Center in Etna, NH.
The Outing Club offers opportunities for students of varied interests to experience and appreciate the natural terrain of New England. Students are invited to stop by the Dartmouth Outing Club at its offices in Robinson Hall for more information.
