DOC First-Year Trips / Info for Parents

Info for Parents

Not only is your child leaving home for college, now we’re asking you to throw them into the wilderness! But we’ve found that this is one of the best ways to help new students learn about their new home and meet their new classmates. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call the DOC First-Year Trips office at (603) 646-3996 (starting in April) or call the Outdoor Programs Office at (603) 646-2428 any time of the year.

The DOC Trips Director works closely with the College’s administrative offices to ensure things run smoothly. Our trip leaders are all First Aid and CPR certified, and are required to attend two evening seminars, a full hard skills workshop, and further Trip-specific training the terms before Trips. They also go through a 24 hour intensive review session the day before their Trip starts. We have five different crews throughout New Hampshire supporting trips, and certified EMTs stationed in Hanover and at the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge with local community back-up. We have one phone line dedicated solely for medical emergencies and someone is covering it 24 hours during Trips.

Trips are designed to provide challenges for a wide range of abilities, without being overwhelming. Your child’s accurate and realistic statement of their abilities on the application will help us place them correctly.

Making Travel Arrangements

Some families prefer to make travel and schedule arrangements as early as possible (some call us even before we’ve sent out applications!). Although it is extremely rare that we tell someone we can’t find space for them on a specific date (we really want everyone to be able to go!), please be aware that if you commit yourself to a specific timeframe before our mailings your son or daughter may not be able to get the trip he or she really wants. Not all trip types are offered in every section.

If you’re traveling to Hanover, you might be interested in Dartmouth’s list of local lodging.

Loosening the ties…

During the Trips program the office gets very busy. If you need to confirm that your child has arrived in Hanover from their travel, please arrange for them to call you (payphones are available in the Hopkins Center near the student mailboxes). They will have time to call you in the evening they arrive.

No cell phones, blackberries or other means of wireless communication are allowed on trips. If students bring a cell phone, they will be provided with a safe place to store their phone for the duration of their trip, and their phone will be returned to them afterwards. You will not be able to reach your child via cell phone during the trip. If there is an emergency and you need to reach your child, please call the DOC Trips Directors at 603-646-3996 and we can deliver any urgent messages.