Dartmouth may be in the middle of nowhere, but there is a whole a lot of glorious nowhere out there.
From great hiking through rolling hills to alpine mountain bike trails, New Hampshire and Vermont offer opportunities for the outdoor enthusiast in everyone.
Unbeknownst to many, some of the greatest outdoor adventures lie right under our noses in and around the Hanover area.
Gile Mountain fire tower
At 2,000 feet, Gile Mountain is hardly a Himalaya. But the mile-long hike to its summit will make you feel on top of the world.
Just a few miles from Hanover in Norwich, Vt., the fire tower on the mountain's summit gives an incredible 360-degree view of New Hampshire and Vermont. On a clear day one can see Baker Tower, Killington Peak and even Mount Washington.
The trail from the parking lot to the 90-step tower is an easy walk, seldom lasting more than 15 minutes.
Although the route seems straightforward, there are some side trails to be wary of. Thankfully, the main route is marked by conspicuous blue blazes.
Just below the fire tower is the now-retired cabin of the tower's caretaker. The cabin has become a favorite place for parties, a fact testified to by thousands of shattered beer bottles.
Just a few steps more, and a huge steel structure rises above the trees.
I felt a growing apprehension reading the customary warning sign and recalling lessons about metal fatigue. The creaking first few steps did not ease my mind.
The structure looked sturdy enough, however, and I continued climbing the 75 foot tower.
The view from the top is spectacular. Below, the verdant fields around Norwich shone in the afternoon sun. Above them stood the peaks of distant mountains, Ascutney standing proudly above them all.
To north, the cool peaks of the White Mountains dropped off in the distance, each valley a shade darker than the previous.
And below me, the deep woods presented themselves from an entirely novel angle.
The top of the tower is a modest box about the size of a pong table. The walls are adorned with the requisite graffiti, ranging from fraternity insignias to a simple name and date.
I innocuously added my autograph to the list of hundreds who have climbed the tower.
As I left, I regretted not bringing some books with me. The tower provides a refreshing alternative to the depths of the Baker stacks.
Gile Mountain is easily reached by car or bike. In Norwich, take a left onto Turnpike road. Seven miles later on your left a sharp left takes you to the parking lot. The road is dirt, although in good condition.
Philbrick-Cricenti Bog
Drive 20 minutes from Hanover, and you may be able to walk on water.
Just outside New London is a fascinating mile-long hike across a mat of plants floating on a 20-foot deep lake. The Philbrick-Cricenti Bog is a forest growing on a lake.
According to the brochure, deer, horses and other hoofed mammals sometimes puncture the mat and sink to their deaths. Better leave the dog at home.
Although a network of wooden planks keeps the hiker from puncturing the mat of vegetation, gaping black holes of water seem like ominous gateways to another world.
Walking through the bog is like walking through time. From the sturdy pine forest on the bog's edge to the narrow film of Arctic plants in the bog's center, one can witness an entire 10,000 year process in action.
In one spot, visitors can measure the water's depth with an giant stick in the mud. On a section called the "quaking mat," visitors' footsteps can cause neighboring trees 20 feet away to bob up and down.
If botany strikes your fancy, the Philbrick-Cricenti Bog is home to a wide variety of plants, including Arctic plants such as pitcher plant, cotton grass, leather leaf and sedge. The Philbrick-Cricenti bog is certainly not the best hiking in the area, but if you are looking for a casual, very interesting walk, the bog is perfect.
To get to the bog, take I-89 south and turn left off of Exit 12 in New London. The trailhead starts at a dirt pulloff two miles from the interstate.
Titcomb Cabin
For those who want to get away from it all without going far, nearby Titcomb Cabin is the out-of-the-way place of choice. The cabin is secluded, gorgeous and dry, and getting there is half the fun: you have to take a canoe.
One of the Ledyard Canoe Club's chief treasures, the log cabin is located on Gilman Island, a small and heavily-forested island situated one-half mile down the Connecticut River.
To reach the College-owned Gilman Island, rent a canoe from Ledyard and paddle south for about 30 minutes.
Anyone not wanting to spend the night may freely stop at the island's "canoe rest area," located on the island's southeast end, furnished with picnic tables, an outhouse and a barbecue.
But trust me: you will want to spend the night. For both inexperienced campers and those who love to rough it, Titcomb is a blast.
After paddling down the Connecticut, landing on Gilman gives you a great feeling of accomplishment, something akin to a conquest.
No, Gilman is no virgin island waiting to be conquered, but it feels that way. If you are lucky and you have the place to yourself, the still air and dark wilderness can transport you to an unexplored territory -- even though you are barely off campus at all.
Exploring the island is half the fun. The island has tree-covered, rolling and rocky ground well suited for casual hikes or woodland games of capture-the-flag.
As it gets late, retiring to the cabin is another treat. Dry, clean and large, it serves as a comfortable shelter from the elements. With a wood-burning stove, several windows and a fireplace, it has all the trappings of a pioneer home.
Most important is the ambiance. The natural scenery mixed with the rolling river and cozy cabin make a perfect place for a group of friends or romance. Take someone special with you.
As for all good dates, reservations are a must. Titcomb is a popular spot, and you may have to wait a few weeks for an opening.
Mountain Biking at Killington
Killington Resort is hardly an impressive wilderness destination, but it is an impressive place to mountain bike, in part, because you never need to pedal.
For $8, a chairlift will carry you and your bike 1,300 feet to Killington Peak, with access to more than 50 miles of tempting terrain (it will cost you $25 to ride up more than once).
Killington provides an eclectic mix of super-technical riding and long, cruising access roads, an ideal mixture of pain and pleasure on Vermont's second-highest peak.
The access roads are fast and fun, but littered with tons of gravel. If your bike lacks a suspension fork, the endless jarring can become painful.
Most of the wider trails follow Killington's ski-slopes and chairlifts. The absence of wide wooded trails is a notable weakness in the network.
The narrower trails are a joy, tight and technical. I spent more than an hour weaving through the misty woods on a thin route from top to bottom.
To biking purists, however, Killington is no nirvana.
In places, the trails are blatantly artificial, with some wild sections tamed with gravel and hay. And the back-country ambiance is spoiled by the ubiquitous ski trails, ski lifts, snow blowers and snow groomers.
But Killington provides a perfect atmosphere for those who feel guilty about causing trail damage. Resort owners have already clear-cut most of the mountain, and the graveyard of worn-out snow groomers exceeds any damage a casual biker could cause.
In short, Killington promises a thrilling and, at times, picture-perfect biking adventure. Rental bikes and guided tours are available at the base lodge. For more information call (802) 422-6232.
Fishin' in the Connecticut
When I fish, my favorite maxim is "mind is more important than matter." This is because I do a lot more thinking than catching fish.
The area around Dartmouth has plenty of places for Dartmouth students to rest with a hook in the water.
If your idea of catching fish involves the supermarket, you might want to start at an easy pool, filled with lots of weak-willed sunfish and crappies.
My more knowledgeable fishing companions picked the spot -- a series of pools on the Vermont side of the Connecticut River. We spent most of our time in one pool, fishing off a rusty railway trestle.
Within 10 seconds of throwing his first cast, one of my companions yelled, "I've got one!" I scrambled down to see our first catch, a shiny seven-inch sunfish.
In spite of my imperfect fishing skills, I too managed to land a fish. My only trophy was a pregnant sunfish, complete with neon-orange egg-sacks. As she squirmed in my hands I carefully removed the hook from her lips and eased her back into the water.
While our catch included only small fish, someone on the other side of the bridge bagged a big Walleye, a large edible fish common in the area.
I was perfectly happy with our small fry, however. Fishing put my mind at ease for two hours -- something many Dartmouth students could use.
Robinson Outdoor Rentals rents casting rods for $3 a day. Light tackle and bait can be bought at Dan and Whit's Hardware in Norwich, Vt.
Boston Lot Lake and Oak Hill Recreation Area
For great biking, running, walking or swimming, head to the area's closest wilderness playgrounds, Boston Lot and Oak Hill.
The trails around Boston Lot Lake are some of the best in the area. From wooded fire-roads suitable for fast mountain biking to small twisty trails perfect for an afternoon hike, the area offers non-stop thrills for all users.
A short hike worth the time is the lakeside loop, a narrow trail that follows the shore line of the lake. The hike is pleasant, and only the mosquitoes will bother you.
As an extra special reward, a fantastic rope swing juts into the lake near the end of the loop.
Another sight not to miss at Boston Lot is the ascent of 900-foot Indian Ridge. While students from Denver might balk at the altitude, the ridge does offer a pleasant view of the surrounding hills, with Baker Tower jutting above the trees in the distance.
Many other trails can be found around the lake. Large wooden maps around the major trail junctions will help you with the best activity available at Boston Lot -- exploring.
If Boston Lot Lake is beauty in trail design, Oak Hill is utility. The hill's 20 kilometers of networked, mapped and signed trails are owned and maintained by Outdoor Programs for summer use.
Oak Hill's trails are wider and less natural than Boston Lot Lake's, but they still manage to provoke the feeling of being a woodsman. Steeper trails also provide more pleasure or pain, depending on your direction of travel.
If water is your calling, head down the hill to Storrs Pond and take a dip in the lake. A $1 fee is charged to drive to the pond.
Two-wheeled travelers should be sure to hit the "screaming downhill" trail on the west side of the hill. The long, technically difficult slope will either leave you with a huge rush of adrenaline or a few cuts and bruises. Either way it is not to be missed.
Oak hill is just two miles north of campus off Route 10. Parking is available at the bottom of Oak Hill, just above Storrs Pond.
The copper mines
The copper mines stink.
They are a great place to visit, but the copper in the soil gives the area a strong metallic odor and a landscape that would better befit Mars.
As you approach the copper mines, deep green woods turn to bright orange soil beneath a blue sky.
To see the two mines, climb the huge piles of copper-rich dirt. The first mine is an enormous 300-foot deep, dry chasm with two ice-filled artificial caves at one end.
There are ropes set to descend into the chasm, but I would not recommend it.
The second pit, certainly the most visited, is located just above the first. Almost 1,000-feet long and filled with eerie metallic-blue water, these are, in certain circles, famous for swimming. The surrounding cliffs reach 70 feet above the water line.
While any kind of travel into the mines is trespassing on private property, diving at the abandoned copper mines has long been part of the quintessential Dartmouth experience.
However popular the cliff-diving, recent injuries have called the practice into question. In the summer of 1993, Jake Hooker '95 broke his back diving off the cliffs. This came two years after the tragic 1991 drowning death of a 19-year-old Hanover resident at the mines.
From the Gile Mountain parking lot, the mines are a pleasant 45-minute walk, or a quick bike ride. The road is also big enough for four-wheel drive vehicles, although conditions are rough in places.
To get to the mines, follow Turnpike road from the Gile Mountain parking lot until it turns into the Copper Mine's road. At the four-way intersection, take a right and go down past an old cemetery to the mines.
News Editor James M. Hunnicutt contributed to this story.
All photos from the story were taken by Senior Photographer Thomas A. Arnold.
