Laurel and I began our time at this reunion on Weds. 6/11 by spending the night in the Ravine Lodge at Mt. Moosilauke.
This lodge was built by members of the Dartmouth Outing Club, a club at Dartmouth focused on hiking, camping, canoeing, kayaking, etc. It has been around forever and maintains this rustic lodge as well as the portion of the Appalachian Trail that runs right through Dartmouth's campus (and more.)
We hiked up Mt. Moosilauke - a 7.6 mile round trip - on Thursday 6/12 with a small group of '78s (Lex Bond Bundschuh, Doug Wildes, and Paul Conklin; Dave Hov and Fred Siekert hiked later that morning.) This was my first time back to the Ravine Lodge and Mt. Moosilauke since September 1974 - my freshman year at Dartmouth. Like most freshman even to this day, my time at Dartmouth began with a hiking trip that ended at Mt. Moosilauke and the Ravine Lodge. It has not changed at all in 34 years.
It’s fun to think back to my freshman trip in the Fall of 1974. I saw several of the people on that trip this past weekend at Dartmouth. Of my closest friends in life, a majority came from my Dartmouth years. In fact, when I think of the friends I made during my four years at Dartmouth, followed by all the weddings, the raising our families, the pursuits of our lives, etc. and then realize that the bonds we formed in Hanover have not only lasted 34+ years but appear to be on their way to lasting a lifetime, I am truly amazed. Dartmouth does that somehow.
