This week-long experiential learning project, taking place in the White Mountains and surrounding areas, immerses students in the fundamentals of outdoor living through focused instruction in fire-building, outdoor cooking, and basic shelter construction. Students will engage in hands-on practice to develop the skills necessary to safely and effectively build and manage open fires, using them as a primary means of cooking. With an emphasis on thoughtful planning, students will learn to prepare nutritious and practical meals using minimal equipment and natural heat sources. In addition to culinary skills, students will explore the principles of survival shelter design, constructing small, functional shelters using found materials and simple tools. Through these experiences, students will cultivate self-reliance, situational problem-solving, and collaborative teamwork in a natural setting. The project promotes not only practical life skills but also an appreciation for the planning, precision, and adaptability required to thrive in the outdoors. By the end of the week, students will have gained a meaningful understanding of outdoor survival techniques and the confidence to apply them in real-world settings.
Day 1
Outdoor Cooking Project Week got off to a great start today. We began the morning in the classroom planning menus, checking that we had the proper cooking equipment, and discussing Leave No Trace practices to make sure we are respectful of the woods throughout the week. After our planning session, we headed to the grocery store to pick up ingredients before driving up the Kancamagus Highway to Lincoln Woods in the White Mountain National Forest. Once there, students set off for an afternoon of hiking, fire building, and outdoor cooking. Many members of the group wore snowshoes for the first time, which made the trek through the deep snow a new and exciting challenge as we made our way up the hill and off the trail toward our campsite for the day. When we arrived at what we called our “camp,” the group split into three teams to collect firewood and begin cooking their meals over the fire. Some fires were easier to get going than others! One group made steak and cheese sandwiches, and although the steak nearly burned, they managed to save it just in time. Another group prepared chicken parmesan sandwiches and had a bit of trouble keeping their fire going, but the final result was well worth the wait. The final group made chili and bread over the fire, which was a perfect meal for an afternoon in the woods. It was great to see everyone working together, problem solving, and learning new skills throughout the day. We are looking forward to doing it all over again tomorrow with new menus and a new location.
Day 2
Day 2 of Outdoor Cooking started with an important task: cleaning up from yesterday. The group ran all of our dishes through the dishwasher so we could start the day fresh before jumping back into planning. Once everything was clean, students created new menus, headed to the store for ingredients, and set off for the day’s adventure. Today’s destination took us off Route 49 in Waterville Valley onto Sandwich Notch Road. We drove until the road was no longer plowed, then continued on foot down a packed trail before bushwhacking about half a mile into the woods to find the perfect place to set up camp for the afternoon. Once camp was established, the groups got their fires going and started cooking. The menus today included steak sandwiches, chicken fajitas with vegetables, chicken sandwiches with lots of seasoning and Chick-fil-A sauce, and bagels with cream cheese and Spam. There were also some s’mores made for dessert, and one group attempted cookies over the fire, which proved to be a bit more challenging than expected! Fire building came more quickly today as students put yesterday’s lessons into practice, and we were lucky to spend another beautiful, sunny afternoon in the woods. It was great to see the group growing more confident with their outdoor cooking skills. We are excited to do it all again tomorrow in a new location with a new set of meals.
Day 3
Day 3 began the same way many of our mornings have this week: washing dishes and creating new menus for the day. After planning our meals, we switched things up and visited a different grocery store before heading out for our next adventure. Today took us to the Sandwich side of Sandwich Notch Road in Sandwich, NH. Our first stop was a hike to Beede Falls, where we crossed rivers, streams, and bridges before arriving at a beautiful waterfall. From there, we continued up a steep bushwhack that connected us to a snowmobile trail. After hiking that trail for about 20 minutes, we turned onto a hiking trail that had not been used much this winter. After another 15 minutes, we bushwhacked into the woods once again to find our campsite for the day. The weather was colder today and the wind made things more challenging, especially when it came to building and maintaining fires. Some groups struggled at first, but it turned into a great lesson about choosing the right location and protecting a fire from the wind. Once the fires were going, students got to work cooking a variety of meals including sausage sandwiches, steak sandwiches, pasta with meat and bread, and rice with sausage. One group realized they had forgotten a few ingredients for their pasta sauce, which was another good reminder to double check supplies before heading out. Today also brought a few other lessons. After enjoying warm sunshine earlier in the week, some students chose not to bring jackets and quickly realized the importance of always being prepared in the outdoors. We talked about how sometimes outdoor experiences are less about comfort and more about learning to endure challenges and grow from them. Despite the cold and wind, the day ended on a high note. After cooking and enjoying our meals, the hike back down the trail warmed everyone up. There was plenty of slipping, falling, and even a bit of sledding down the snowy trail, which led to lots of laughs along the way. It ended up being another great day, and we are excited to head out again tomorrow for Day 4.
Day 4
Day 4 began the way most of our mornings have this week, with dish washing, menu planning, and a quick stop at the grocery store before heading out for the day. Our destination today was Waterville Valley, NH, where we found a pull off and hiked into the woods to search for a good spot to set up camp. The hike in was a reminder that spring is on the way. Along the trail we encountered a mix of surfaces including snow, mud, water, and leaves. Once we were far enough from the road and found a snowy clearing that looked like a good place to stop, the group got to work setting up camp for the afternoon. Students created fire areas and spaces to sit and cook while preparing their meals. Today’s menus once again included a wide variety of foods. Groups cooked bagels with cream cheese and spam, tacos with different fillings, steak and pepper sandwiches, baked potatoes, pancakes, and bacon. There were also s’mores for dessert, and one group even brought along a pre baked pie that they warmed up over the fire. It may stretch the definition of “outdoor cooking” a little, but it certainly made everyone happy and added to the fun of the day. The temperatures were a bit milder today, although the wind still made its presence known and we even saw a few snowflakes during the afternoon. Despite that, the group had great energy and once again enjoyed a full afternoon of hiking, fire building, cooking, and spending time together in the woods. We are looking forward to heading out one more time tomorrow for our final day of outdoor cooking.
Day 5
Our final day of Outdoor Cooking could not have asked for better weather. After our usual morning routine of cleaning dishes and preparing for the day, we decided to keep things simple and head to Squam Lake to enjoy our last day together outdoors. With a few tired group members after a full week of hiking and cooking, it felt like the perfect plan. We made our way to Kesumpe Cove where the lake was still covered with thick ice. The group walked out onto the ice and set up two large fire rings for the day. From there, everyone settled in for an afternoon of cooking and relaxing in the sunshine. Today’s menus once again included a wide variety of foods. Students cooked buffalo chicken wings, chocolate chip pancakes, fruit, bacon, kielbasa, mac and cheese, and burgers over the fire. As usual, there was plenty of creativity and teamwork involved as everyone worked together to prepare their meals. We also brought along a speaker and enjoyed some music throughout the afternoon while soaking up the sun. A football was tossed around, snowballs were thrown, and the group had a great time spending the afternoon together on the lake. It was the perfect way to wrap up the week. When we returned to campus, we finished with one last round of dish washing and put all of the equipment away. Outdoor Cooking Project Week 2026 is officially complete!
Credits:
Created with images by watcherfox - "Сauldron on a bonfire.,Outdoor touristic cooking concept on open fire.,Old fashioned way to make food." • michal - "coffee is brewed on a small fire in a rustic red pot" • shaiith - "Homemade and tasty hunter's stew with herbs and vegetables." • qunica.com - "Group of friends grilling sausages over an open fire during a relaxing outdoor barbecue gathering in nature." • LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS - "cropped view of couple holding sticks with puffy marshmallows near bonfire" • Kozma - "Camp fire with food and coffee and relaxation in nature"