Julia Cappio

Rails and Trails (Part 1 of 3): Sense of Place

Hi from West Glacier, Montana! As I write this post, I am boarding my Amtrak back to Boston; I wanted to sit down and write these posts before I forget any details. You might ask yourself, "Why are you getting on an Amtrak in Montana?"

I'm on a break trip! The Dartmouth Outing Club sponsors a smattering of student-led trips worldwide throughout the year (that take place between Dartmouth's academic quarters), and I was lucky enough to join seven of my classmates on an epic backpacking adventure to Glacier National Park. The catch is that we only use public transportation, hence the Amtrak! It has been such a great adventure that I feel compelled to write three blog posts about it. I'll start today by discussing the trip's sense of place, but stay tuned for future posts discussing my fellow trippees and how Rails and Trails have made me more excited for the fall term ahead.

When I first entered Dartmouth, I was quickly immersed in conversations about a "sense of place." Having lived in the same place my entire life, I was unfamiliar with establishing a sense of place anywhere other than Seattle. Soon, though, I realized that all Dartmouth students strive to identify a sense of place in New Hampshire, Vermont, and anywhere else they might wander.

Reflecting on my trip to Montana, I am struck by how much my trip leaders strove to explore our sense of place ______ miles away from campus. On the third night at our campsite, I was informed that we were going to a talk. I was tired—a bit worn out from adjusting to hiking more than I had in a long time—and less eager than others to pile into an amphitheater for an hour. But, trying to be a good trippee, I bundled up and sat down for a talk.

Instead of having a simple conversation about the park's history (which would have still been cool), we spent the next hour listening to a local tribal member about his connections to Glacier and the surrounding natural world. I learned much more about the land we lived on for two weeks. I felt more gratitude when I went to bed that night: the only way this trip was possible was through generations of people caring for the land we laid on.

Smiling with our Junior Ranger books directly after the talk!

When I tell people from home that I go to school in New Hampshire, I am often met with a look of shock. You go to school that far from here? How? The truth is, it all comes down to a sense of place. Dartmouth students and faculty pour into understanding and loving the Upper Valley. We are proud of our campus and our natural landscape. Being in Montana made it clear that Dartmouth students are determined to care for any land they cross, no matter how far away they are from campus.