The Notch Climbing
Lebanon, New Hampshire
Specs: The Notch Climbing in Lebanon, New Hampshire, opened on November 1st and is owned by Noah Lynd and Josh Garrison. Founder Lynd grew up in the area and went to school in Lebanon; he and Garrison later met while teaching at a school in Connecticut. Garrison had been climbing and working in outdoor education for over a decade and introduced Lynd—who has a team sports background—to climbing, and he quickly fell in love with the sport. The pair would travel from the Hartford region up to the White Mountains to climb, frequenting Franconia Notch, which brought them through the Lebanon region. “So, over time, the idea that this area has a lot of climbers and a lot of people into outdoor activities but no climbing gym became more and more persuasive to us,” Lynd detailed. “There’s definitely a group of people here who enjoy activities like climbing, mountain biking, skiing, and so on. So, combining the existing climbers in the area with people who are interested in trying it out seemed like a good idea.”
The idea of opening a gym in the area started developing slowly and not seriously until 2020. “We kept teaching in Connecticut for the 2020/2021 school year,” Lynd said. “At the end of the year, we left our jobs and moved up here to try to make the gym happen.” The location in Lebanon was deemed an ideal spot for the team’s vision since it was at the intersection of two major highways and in proximity to Dartmouth College. Another location perk was the regional hospital down the road from the gym, where many Lebanon citizens work. Lynd and Garrison broke ground in the middle of winter and built the gym from the ground up as quickly as they could.
The Notch building was designed exactly to the pair’s specification, Lynd said, in terms of wall shapes, dihedrals and aretes. Creating interesting angles and adding volumes to the walls was one of the goals that Lynd and Garrison had for the build. The team discussed including an arch but felt it might not be “the most efficient use of square footage” in the 13,000-square-foot gym. With 46-foot walls, The Notch features over 100 routes on lead, top rope and auto belay walls, as well as 180 linear feet of bouldering. Also offered at the new gym is a Kilter Board, a kids’ climbing area, a climbing-specific training area, and traditional fitness gear.
Walls: Impact
Flooring: Revival
CRM Software: Capitan
Website: www.thenotchclimbing.com
Instagram: @TheNotchClimbing
In Their Words: “If I can distill it down: buckle up. It’s quite a process. There are a lot of different kinds of hats that you wear. And being open for a [couple months], it definitely has been rewarding to see people enjoy the facility that we have spent so much time thinking about and planning.” – Noah Lynd, The Notch Founder and Co-Owner
