Over the Hill?

A wilderness home-away-from-home for generations of students and alumni, Moosilauke Ravine Lodge is perhaps the most thoroughly loved building affiliated with Dartmouth. Since its construction in 1938, the log cabin complex seems to have taken on the warmth, energy and character that visitors have brought to it. Lately, though, the lodge is showing all 77 years of its age. After years of monitoring and attending to the declining conditions of the structure, last March the College’s board of trustees approved proceeding with plans to replace the lodge. Con- struction, which could begin as early as fall 2016, will emphasize accessibility, energy efficiency and improved facili- ties, but lodge lovers should not fear that the building’s folksy atmosphere will be sacrificed for functionality.

“We’re not trying to build a commercial-feeling lodge,” says Dan Nelson ’75, director of outdoor programs and a lodge advi- sory committee member. “Design and planning is very focused on maintaining the warm, rustic sense that gives it such a special connection to Dartmouth history.” The lodge will continue to be student-run, and treasured memorabilia will remain within its walls, he says. Preliminary sketches for the project, provided by Maclay Architects of Waitsfield, Vermont, depict rough wooden features and an interior log beam struc- ture reminiscent of the existing lodge.

For some, these stylistic nods are not enough. Craig Sakowitz ’93, who distributed buttons reading “Save Moosi- lauke” at reunions in June, wants the lodge to be preserved rather than reconstructed. Despite the success of nearby projects such as the Class of 1965 Bunkhouse and cabins erected to replace ag- ing structures, news of the lodge’s replacement has been jarring for those who remain attached to the historic building.

Although saying goodbye will be difficult, supporters of the project insist that it is not an affront to the past. “Building and rebuilding character into a place is part of the Dartmouth tradition,” says Cedar Farwell ’17, Outing Club president and advisory committee member, noting that the new structure will serve as a successor, not a substitute. “The new lodge has big shoes to fill, but with a little time and extra care from all of us, it will be worthy of holding a place in Dartmouth’s heart for generations to come.”