1957

We think of it as our mountain. Moosilauke. Just saying the name brings back memories of our youth and our student days at Dartmouth.

Bob Copeland remembers his freshman trip with Roger Brown, Brad Gorham, Gene Perle, Dick Sunderland and at least one other. They hiked from Hanover to one of the local cabins (in Vermont) the first day, then the next day on to Cloudland over toward Woodstock, where a bus took them to the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge. There were fire-place talks by President Dickey and Ross McKenny. Upperclassmen rousted him out in the middle of the night to sing Dartmouth songs (which none of his group knew). Bob went on to climb the mountain many times and to be active in the DOC and Cabin & Trail.

Al Rollins writes: "The shortest trail up Moosilauke from the Ravine Lodge is the Gorge Brook trail. The ski team uses it for training with typical time to the top of 30 minutes or less. The Jobildunc Ravine trail is a fairly long trail that starts at the Ravine Lodge and winds its way northward around Jobildunc Ravine on a ridge. It makes a fairly gentle climb to the summit."

Bob Mowbray had already planned a week-long hike on the Appalachian Trail from southern Pennsylvania to Harpers Ferry West Virginia, with some high school friends so he missed the freshman trip. He still remembers how amazed he was when he arrived in Hanover and found a large number of classmates who knew one another and knew the Dartmouth songs and cheers from the trip. In his junior year Bob and John Hobbie signed on as trip leaders. As a senior Bob kept his group up until midnight singing and cheering, then the group left the cabin at 3 a.m. to get an unforgettable view of the Connecticut River at sunrise.

Gary Gilson tells us that he "was not a Chubber as a freshman, or ever, until I went into the Marine Corps infantry when all choice was removed. However, I went on a magical solo freshman trek up Balch Hill one October afternoon and sat there in the middle of the woods, looking back over the athletic fields, Memorial Stadium, the College and the town and I swear I could see the color of the leaves changing."

Jack Spring didn't go on the freshman trip up Moosilauke, but "on the day George Southwick and I graduated from Tuck School in 1961 (having both been in the service after Dartmouth graduation), we went up the mountain together. It was a great day, and George as always was a great companion. I miss him and remember that day well and often."

Look at the pictures in this issue, remember the good times and the good fellowship now so long ago, and give some thought to doing the Moosilauke hike at the 50th (June 8-10, 2007).

Homecoming this year is the weekend of October 21-23. The green light on Baker Tower will welcome us. Plan to be there.

P.O. Box 3328, Pocasset, MA02559; (508) 564-6484; fphowland@aol.com