Creative Writing in the Great Outdoors

• Gather material through guided walks, observation and daily writing exercises

• Experiment with poetry, short fiction and creative nonfiction

• Use sensory detail, imagery and point of view to shape a piece

• Read and discuss literary work about people and the natural world

• Revise drafts using peer and instructor workshop feedback

• Assemble a small portfolio and share selected work in a closing reading

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Create poetry and prose that draw on observation, place and sensory detail

• Use feedback to revise a piece’s voice, structure and imagery

• Explain how form and point of view shape a reader’s experience

You’ll leave with a small portfolio of revised writing, workshop experience and a clearer sense of which forms and ideas you want to develop further.

A writer has to decide which detail will help a reader see a scene and which words can be left out. Working with observations of a place makes those decisions specific. A sound, a change in light or a remembered route can be shaped differently in poetry, fiction and nonfiction.

Revision adds the challenge of considering another person’s response while keeping responsibility for the piece. Students practice identifying what a reader needs and deciding how to provide it. Close reading, precise language and thoughtful use of feedback support writing in school as well as continued creative work.

For students who have completed 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grade.

This academy welcomes students interested in trying poetry and prose, developing a writing practice or examining how a place can shape a story. Expect daily writing, reading, constructive feedback and opportunities to share work aloud. Guided outdoor activities take place in varied weather.

Moosilauke Ravine Lodge is Dartmouth’s historic mountain lodge in the White Mountains. Students sleep in shared bunkhouses with round-the-clock residential supervision. Each bunk has a mattress and pillow, and each student has a designated space for belongings. Students bring their own bedding; a sleeping bag works well. There are no private rooms.

Shared bathrooms are centrally located, with sinks, toilets and showers, and lodge staff clean them regularly. There is no Wi-Fi or cell service. Dartmouth students and recent alumni run the lodge and offer informal mentorship throughout the stay.

Free time can include spikeball, frisbee or soccer on the field, reading or music on the screened-in porch, gathering around the fire pit or wading in the river. Evenings may include movie nights, contra dancing or an ice cream trip to nearby Lincoln. Sharing space, following common expectations and relying on one another make communal living part of the experience.

Based on students surveyed in the Dartmouth Precollege Summer Scholars program (2026)

Moosilauke Ravine Lodge is Dartmouth’s historic mountain lodge, and it is intentionally rustic. Students sleep in shared bunkhouses supervised around the clock by residential staff. Each bunk comes with a mattress and pillow, and students should bring their own bedding; a sleeping bag works well. Each student has a designated space for their belongings, and there are no private rooms.

Bathrooms are shared and centrally located, with multiple sinks, toilets, and showers, and the lodge staff clean them regularly. There is no wifi or cell service at the lodge, so students spend the week fully present with their group and their surroundings.

The lodge is run by Dartmouth students and recent alumni, who offer informal mentorship throughout the stay. In free time, students can play spikeball, frisbee, or soccer on the lodge field, read or play music on the screened-in porch, gather around the fire pit, or wade in the river. Evenings may include movie nights, contra dancing, or an ice cream trip to nearby Lincoln.

This is simple, communal living, and it fits the program’s goals well: students learn the most about how they work with others when they share space, follow shared expectations, and rely on each other.