Fred Harris ‘11 founded the Dartmouth Outing Club in the winter of 1909-1910, to take advantage of the winter through ski and snowshoe trips, with an end-of-winter ski Field Day. In 1911, this Field Day expanded into Winter Carnival, including inviting female guests from other colleges.

In 1912, two DOC members became the first to ski Moosilauke when they climbed it via the Carriage Road. An old lumber shanty on Moose Mountain in Hanover was taken over as the club’s first cabin, and funds were raised in 1913 to build the first full-sized cabin nearby. In following years, Skyline Farm was given to the College in Littleton, which began fifteen years of creating a full chain of cabins. In 1914, Great Bear Cabin (I) was established near Mt. Moosilauke, and the Beaver Brook Trail was created in 1916.

In 1920, a National Geographic article by Fred Harris was published titled “Skiing over the New Hampshire Hills” and applications for the College increased from 825 to 2625 in that spring. By the mid 1920s, membership in the DOC reached 73% of students. Winter Carnival also grew to regional significance.

In 1920, Cabin and Trail was created, shortly followed by Ledyard Canoe Club, Bait and Bullet, and Boots and Saddles.

In 1926, the DOC and its trail became a founding link in the new Appalachian Trail. The DOC acquired the Moosilauke Summit House and operated it similarly to the Appalachian Mountain Club huts, feeding and housing mountain travelers.

In 1926, the DOC organized the Intercollegiate Winter Sports Union and became the leading group in the East for competitive winter sports. In 1927, the first Down Mountain ski race on Moosilauke was held on the Carriage Road.

In the late 20s, the Jobildunc Cabin was built in the valley of the Asquamchumauke east of the Moosilauke summit. The DOC House was also built on Occom Pond in 1929, to be a clubhouse and a center for skiing and skating.

In 1933, the first ever National Downhill ski race was held on Moosilauke’s Carriage Road. The Hells Highway Ski Trail was soon built between the South and North summits of Moosilauke, and the logging stable began to operate as a winter ski base. On Oak Hill, a ski tow was also built in 1935 for training and competition.

In 1935, the ski camp burned down; after years of slow fundraising and planning, the Ravine Camp was built in 1939 with a crew of ten men and two horses.

Winter Carnival grew throughout this time, with huge outdoor pageants, snow sculptures, and the Carnival Queen contest.

In 1936, the Mountaineering Club was founded, and quickly had many first ascents in the northern Cascades and British Columbia in particular. In 1937, Cabin and Trail became a division of the DOC instead of the central body.

In 1935, Freshman Trips were started to encourage new students to get interested in the DOC. 

In 1942, the Moosilauke Summit Camp burned, and was not rebuilt due to wartime. The Ravine Camp remained empty through most of the war as well. After the war, the club could not sustain all the large operations of earlier years. Still, a rope tow and new trails were built in the late 40s.

In 1943, Doug Wade was hired as the College Naturalist and inspired many environmental activists.

Woodsmen’s Weekend was founded in 1947 as an intercollegiate woodcraft competition, and one that remains to this day.

Ledyard Canoe Club’s Trip to the Sea continued strong, including two paddlers who braved an April flood to make the 210 mile trip in just 34 hours.

In 1947, Alder Brook Cabin was built in the Grant.

The Management Center Cabin in the Grant was built in 1951. In 1953, Titcomb Cabin was built on Gilman Island in the Connecticut River. In 1957, Nunnemacher Cabin was built in Lyme on the Dartmouth Skiway. In 1959, Peaks Cabin II was built in the Grant.

The Dartmouth Skiway was built in 1956-57, and the recreational ski team and ski school were started. A number of Ski Team skiers rose to national and international fame, including many Olympians. The ski operations at Moosilauke folded in 1953

In 1960, Hinman Cabin II was built in Lyme. Sam’s Cabin in the Grant was built in 1960. In 1961, Merrill Brook Cabin was built in Grant. In 1962, Gate Camp was built in the Grant. Billings Lodge in Randolph was donated to the club in 1966. Armington Cabin II in Piermont was built in 1967.

The Winter Sports Division of the DOC helped run races for the ski team, ski school, and other regional events throughout the 1960s.

In 1970, the Environmental Studies Division was created and took on projects both on campus and off. The Trap and Skeet club was also founded. The Bike Club was also founded after interest grew in road biking.

The Office of Outdoor Affairs was created in 1970 to oversee the DOC and was responsible for recreational programs in the College Grant and recreational management of the Ravine Lodge. In 1974, the Lodge got major improvements after substantial funding.

In 1975, Ritchie Smith Cabin was built in North Woodstock. In 1972, Hell Gate Hilton Cabin was built in the Grant. In 1979, the remaining tract of land on Moosilauke was purchased, now a 4600-acre parcel with the Lodge at the center.

By the end of the 1970s, the Freshman Trips program was the largest in the country, with 80% of incoming students participating.

Protection of the Appalachian Trail by federal legislation in 1968 led to surges in student interest in trail construction and erosion control along the cabin chain into the White Mountains. Along the trail, the Trail Walk tradition began, where students would hike the 50 miles from Hanover to Moosilauke in 24 hours.

The DOC celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1984, with members of the club simultaneously climbing all 48 4000-foot peaks in New Hampshire.

Viva Hardigg ‘84 was the first female President of the DOC.

In the 1980s, the Biathlon club was established, a sport combining riflery and cross-country skiing.

In 1983, John Rand Cabin was built in Warren. Stoddard Cabin II was built in the Grant in 1987.

In 1986, an acid rain research project was initiated around Moosilauke, involving the establishment of a meteorological station along the Blue Ridge.

The Women in the Wilderness (WiW) sub-club was created in 1992 to provide a space for women-focused outdoor experiences, across activities. In the 1990s, Dinertoure was created as a sub-club of Cabin and Trail, making it a sub-sub-club of the DOC; this group travels once a week to an Upper Valley diner for breakfast.

In 1990, Great Bear Cabin III was built in Glencliff by DOC members to replace Great Bear II which had burned in 1989. In 1996, Johnson Brook Cabin was built in the Grant.

The Wolfgang Schlitz Adventure Fund was established in 2003 to encourage members of the DOC to plan and execute outdoor adventures, and return to the club with new skills and experiences; this fund is awarded most terms to students.

Beginning in 2005, the Big Green Bus was created as part of the Environmental Stewardship Division of the DOC; this renovated school bus toured across the country for many years, running on vegetable oil waste, to promote sustainability and renewable energy.

In 2002, Pete Blodgett Cabin was built in the Grant. Baum Cabin in Hanover was donated to the club in 2008. In 2008, the Class of ‘66 Lodge (Harris Cabin) was built in Etna.

In 2009, we celebrated the DOC Centennial; there was a banquet, the Class of 1966 Lodge was officially dedicated, and all of the Appalachian Trail was hiked at once by past and present members of the club.

In 2010, the varsity ski teams left the Dartmouth Outing Club, though their offices and locker rooms still exist in Robinson Hall.

In 2013, the DOC stopped maintaining the section of the Appalachian Trail between Woodstock and Norwich Vermont, so club resources could be focused on the New Hampshire section and Moosilauke area.

In 2014, break trips became a more regular function of the DOC; now they are more accessible via gear rentals and high subsidization, and around 10-15 trips happen between each term with participants across sub-clubs.

In 2016, People of Color Outdoors (POCO) was founded to support all types of outdoor recreation for students of color. In 2017, Surf Club was created and now runs trips to the New Hampshire coast. In 2018, the Student Risk Management (SRMC) division was revitalized to increase student engagement with risk management across the club.

In 2013, Titcomb Cabin II was re-built on Gilman Island in Hanover. In 2017, the new Moosilauke Ravine Lodge was completed (along with new bunkhouses) and remains a spot for students to eat dinners, dance, and build community around trips.

The Chris Vale Expedition Fund was established in 2017 to encourage planning and execution of long, unique, and challenging trips, where awardees can inspire fellow students to explore, adventure and dream.

In 2019, all regular DOC trips became free for students!

In 2020, the Diversity, Inclusivity, Justice, and Equity division of the DOC was created to better foster welcoming and inclusive communities in the DOC; it now meets weekly to discuss a wide range of topics and plans termly events. In 2020, the Woodsmen’s Team changed its name to the Timber Team. In 2021, Women in the Wilderness changed its name to the Viva Hardigg Outdoors Club (VHOC), named after Viva Hardigg ‘84, and with a new focus on supporting outdoor recreation for anyone of a historically marginalized gender identity. In 2022, the Flora and Fauna (FnF) sub-club was created to develop appreciation for the natural world. In 2023, the Skate Club was founded to build a safe skateboarding community.

In 2023, Headcorders opened on Lyme Road as a space for DOC members. Here, student leaders and participants can repair and tune gear, use wood tools, paint, and do various other projects.

In the past few years, almost 2,500 individual students have participated in DOC events and trips each year, including over 300 individuals on break trips. Students go on a median of 4-6 trips per term, and with even more participation in all DOC events. Regular DOC happenings include day trips across a wide variety of outdoor activities, feeds (community meals), and social events. See you in the out-of-doors!