Before Basecamp: The History and Origins of the Notch Hostel

About the presentation• At this chat, you'll get to watch Before Basecamp, a 30-minute documentary film about the history and creation of the Notch Hostel. Produced by Philip Carcia, the film features Notch Hostel founders Justin Walsh and Serena Ryan and reflects on buying the property at Lost River Road, the ambitious renovations that turned a single-family home into a hiker hostel, and how far the Notch has come since opening its doors in 2015. You'll learn more about the history of the 1890 farmhouse that you are sitting in, hear from the previous homeowners on what it was like to sell their single-family home of 30 years and watch it transform into a 30-bed hostel, and get to see incredible before-and-after shots from hostel construction. Enjoy a Q and A with Justin and Serena where you can ask them anything you want to know about what it was like to start the Notch Hostel.

About the speakers• Notch Hostel owner Serena Ryan co-founded the hostel in 2015 with Justin Walsh. She loves climbing, cooking, and working in the Notch’s prolific vegetable and flower gardens. Serena is also the founder of Summits in Solidarity, a hiking initiative for racial justice based in the White Mountains.

Justin Walsh, Notch Hostel co-founder, is a climber, mountaineer and entrepreneur who has extensive ties to the White Mountains community and who has successfully summited some of the world’s most iconic peaks, including Matterhorn in Switzerland (14,692 feet), Chimborazo (20,549 feet) and Cotopaxi (19,347 feet) in Ecuador, and Denali in Alaska (20,310 feet). Justin owns and manages local commercial and residential property, and co-owns and operates a custom stonework company in Plymouth, NH, called Friction & Gravity.

The sunrise hike • On Sunday morning, Serena, Justin, and Fireside Chat director Philip "Finding Philip" Carcia will hike Franconia Ridge via Falling Waters and Old Bridle Path trails. Anyone is welcome to join, however, the hike is unguided; participants must have prior experience hiking 4000’ers in winter and be prepared to hike solo if needed. Hiking start time from trailhead is TBD.

To attend

Doors open at 6 pm. Bring a meal if attending the potluck from 6-7 pm. The presentations run from 7:30 to 8:30 pm followed by Q&A 'til 9 pm. Arrive early; seating is limited. To attend:

1) Book a stay at the Notch on the night of the presentation, park in the main lot.*

OR

2) Show up anytime after the doors open to the public at 6pm. Bring a meal to share for the 6-7pm potluck dinner. VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are NOT a guest at the Notch, you must park on Lost Valley Road (not Lost River Road!!!) behind the hostel's picket fence and walk through the backyard. In the event of a snowstorm, no street parking is allowed so members of the public may need to walk or shuttle in from town.

OR

3) Tune in via Instagram Live; we'll be streaming from our account @NotchHostel.

*Note: If our overnight accommodations fill up, please don't let that deter you from joining us for dinner and the presentation. These talks are open to the public. There are other local hostels like the Barn Door Hostel in Rumney, or the Coho Hostel over in Conway, that may still have space.