On Oct. 7, 32 Dartmouth students completed the Dartmouth Outing Club Fifty, a roughly 54-mile overnight hike from Moosilauke Ravine Lodge to campus. This year, nine groups of four participated in the biannual hike, which also takes place during the summer term.
While four students ultimately dropped out, at least one student from every team completed the hike — “the first Fifty in a long time in which all of the teams finished,” according to co-director Bryan Akin ’26. Typically, more hikers drop out during the fall due to worse conditions from “weather and less sunlight,” Akin added.
Although the weather was cold and rainy, hiker Emma Bonz ’25 said the hike went “smoothly” for her team.
“My team didn’t have any major issues, which was super lucky, and we kept the vibes high the whole time,” she said. “It was a really great group of people, and it was so fun … seeing so many friends from all across campus there to cheer us on.”
Since hikers must stay awake for almost 30 hours, battle elevation gain and navigate nighttime descents, the DOC keeps hikers safe through eight “support stations.” The stations supply hikers with food, water and medical care — taping up blisters, wrapping knees and ankles and providing hand warmers for the cold.
Each station also has a “medically-certified” “safety dork” who ensures each hiker can continue to the next checkpoint, according to DOC president and station captain Madeline Wolfe ’25.
After all teams pass through a station, “sweepers” — composed of three station crew members, one of whom has a medical certification — hike behind the teams to the next station and ensure each group crosses the section safely, Wolfe said. Each team of hikers is also equipped with a satellite phone to call for an evacuation and a medical kit for basic first-aid.
The selection to hike and support The Fifty is a competitive process, co-director Josh Lee ’26 said. Hikers are chosen through a weighted lottery and given priority if they have directed or supported the hike in the past. The 96 supporters this fall were selected through an application process.
“We had about 250 people apply to support this year,” Lee said. “It’s great to see how many people really want to be involved with The Fifty. It’s unfortunate that we can’t take them all.”
The Fifty plays a substantial role in bringing people from all corners of Dartmouth’s campus together, Akin said.
“I think the great thing about The Fifty in general is that it brings a bunch of different social circles — that wouldn’t usually be involved in the DOC — to this main event,” he said. “The people that sign up to hike, the people that sign up to support and even the people that just come to the finish line — I think it’s one of the coolest events on campus that can bring this many people together.”
Hiker and former director Elliot Alberts ’25 agreed, adding that The Fifty is the “best representation of Dartmouth in a tradition.”
“People buy into it, they go all in, they wear flair, they sing silly songs and they are so supportive,” Alberts said. “It brings together the community in the best way. It really reminds me of why I love Dartmouth, and why I’m so excited to be here in the woods.”
Josh Lee ’26 is a former member of The Dartmouth’s photography team. He was not involved in the writing or production of this article.
