DOC Cabins let students get crunchy for a weekend
Ah, sophomore summer – what better time to head into the wilderness for a night or two with friends? Good thing we go to college in the middle of nowhere and have access not only to the Upper Valley wilderness, but also to numerous cabins to enjoy it.
Students are able to rent out twelve different cabins, the majority of which are owned by the Dartmouth Outing Club. The cabins, all of which are available for rent year-round, are primarily designed for student use, and DOC members are available to book them up to four weeks in advance. At only $5 for DOC members and $10 a night per person for non-members, why not venture off campus for the weekend?
The most popular cabin is the Class of ’66 lodge, previously known as the Harris cabin II. At roughly three times the capacity of all the other cabins, it is a popular option for conferences and social functions.
Any fraternity brother will tell you of their adventures, and sorority sisters will speak of their emotional retreats at the Class of ’66 lodge.
Tim Purcell ’15, who worked on trail crew over summer 2012, said the huge cabin was hard to clean, but they often found leftover beer.
The seven main DOC cabins are all less than 100 miles from campus and are situated at most a half-mile walk from parking. Every cabin has its own distinguishing features, ranging from lakes and canoeing, to hiking and skiing.
Purcell cites the Hinman cabin as his favorite, because “it’s on a lake with canoes, has gas lights and is pretty close to campus with a great view of Smarts Mountain.”
Gilman Island, about a half-mile paddle downstream from the Ledyard canoe club, is home to Titcomb cabin. The cabin, which was recently rebuilt and opened for rent in June 2012, is only accessible by boat and is rented out through Ledyard.
The Nunnenmacher cabin is another frequented option located 10 miles away on the Dartmouth Skiway. The cabin, sleeping twenty, is the DOC’s second largest and has a living room and kitchen.
Three of the twelve cabins are also located in the Second College Grant – a 27,000 acre area of land about 150 miles northwest of campus.
So regardless of whether you’re the crunchiest of them all or the thought of spending a night outdoors terrifies you, the DOC offers a cabin for everyone. Hey, one thing you know is that you’ll definitely have more protection from the elements than with that tarp you had on Trips.