Hiking is an important part of life among the local residents of the Upper Valley and the implanted residents who are the Dartmouth student body. The mountains of the region have much beauty and grandeur to offer. Appreciative relationships with nature, long periods spent together on the trails and the earth, and rich histories make hiking communities ripe for superstition, tradition, and communal narrative. Our group was excited to engage with these hiking communities and to learn about their lore.
The Dartmouth Outing Club (the DOC) plays a large role in the hiking folklore of the entire Upper Valley region. But there exist, also, many sections of this folk group outside of Dartmouth. There is much interplay between the two. We have made sure to include a variety of sources, in order to fully represent the material.
Researchers Robin Jayaswal, Laura Jeliazkov, Daniel McClafferty, Adrian Padilla
Presentation:
Folklore of the Upper Valley Trails
Folklore Items:
Narrative
Bookkeeping in Lore: The Record for ‘The 50’
Buried Treasure in Charles, New Hampshire
The Gorilla and the Stranded Man
Verbal Art
Tradition, Ritual
The Southern Hikers’ Hospitality
Post-Hike Tradition: Candy Store
Music
Material