LEBANON – When Josh Garrison and Noah Lynd opened The Notch Climbing Gym a year ago in Lebanon, they weren’t sure what to expect.
Sure, indoor rock climbing had taken off in popularity among many who seek alternatives to some more traditional team sports. The Upper Valley had been without a dedicated rock climbing gym since one in Taftsville closed during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. While research indicated that Upper Valley residents would be receptive to a new place, there’s always a risk when starting a new venture.
“One of the things that surprised me the most is how much of the family demographic we saw in the first few months,” said Garrison, who opened The Notch about a year ago with Noah Lynd.
While people of all ages have been drawn to climbing, children have helped to fuel The Notch’s growth. In fact, you are as likely to see young children learning the basics of climbing as you are more experienced climbing honing their skills for the outdoor season.
Though they anticipated growth, Lynd said the immediate response from the climbing community as well as those who are new to climbing has been more than they expected when they opened in early November 2024.
“I would say the ramp up happened more quickly than we thought it would,” said Lynd, 36. “I would say where we are now is where we expected to be in the longer term.”
The Notch offers a variety of climbing experiences in its 13,000 square foot facility including bouldering, a term for climbing shorter heights without ropes or other gears and pads for safety in case of falls. The height of the bouldering routes are 15 feet while rope climbing walls go up to 45 feet. The stand alone walls have different colored, size and shaped holds attached to simulate hand and foot holds on real rocks.
“We categorize our gym as a modern climbing gym,” Lynd said. “It pretty much has top of the line equipment and walls for bouldering and rope climbing.”
Both men are climbing enthusiasts and used that interest and knowledge to start their business. The co-founders met while teaching in Connecticut and began talking about a climbing gym on a trip to Utah. They bought the property in 2022 and started construction in January 2024. As part of their plan for The Notch, which includes a complete fitness area with cardio and weights, Lynd and Garrison said they did a comprehensive research on rock climbing gyms.
“We looked at other gyms in New England but also throughout the country,” Garrison said about how they developed their business plan and decided what kind of walls they wanted. “The designs were based on talking to other gym owners and our own experiences climbing in gyms and experiences in the Upper Valley. We adjusted to what others have done in this market and environment.”
Lynd and Garrison wanted a gym that was a welcoming spot for all ages and abilities, not just for hardcore climbers. The rope belaying area has auto-belays, which allow a climber to clip and go up and down the wall on their own.
“It is very, very popular with kids,” said Garrison, 43. “In general, families and kids are really a huge driving force for us. We took that in mind so we designed a gym that is kid-friendly but also challenging for the better climber.”
Added Lynd: “There is a large group that trains for outside climbing inside the gym.”
According to The Climbing Business Journal, a publication that covers all aspects of the indoor climbing market, there were 354 climbing gyms in the U.S. in 2014. That number had risen to 622 by 2023 and to 870 a year later with 7 million Americans identifying as climbers.
Once considered a niche market dominated by young men and women who possessed needed attributes such as strength and agility, indoor climbing has broadened its appeal. This is partly due to safer equipment, but also varied challenges for beginners and older climbers who may not be as strong, Lynd said. Also helping to increase the number of people interested in learning to climb was the exposure given to the sport when it was added to the Olympics in Tokyo (2020) and Paris (2024).
Lynd said the growth of climbing outside of a niche sport has its origins in the 1990s, when climbing enthusiasts began building the first climbing gyms using plywood and screw in holds. More gyms with newer technology appeared and that led to easier access to newcomers who could get stronger for outside climbing. Climbing films and social media brought climbing to a broader audience as well and greatly contributed to the explosive growth, Lynd said.
“It has been sort of a positive feedback loop,” Lynd said.
The Olympics added awareness and then came the pandemic, which had the positive effect of increasing outdoor recreation but on the downside, forced gyms to close until pandemic restrictions lessened.
“It hurt indoor gyms but it did increase climbing in general,” Lynd said about the effects of the pandemic.
Concord and Burlington are the closest places with climbing gyms, leaving the Upper Valley and surrounding market virtually untapped. While most climbers live within 30 minutes, some will travel an hour.
“Being a new gym with state-of-the art facilities people will travel a ways to climb here,” Garrison said.
The Notch also offers classes and private lessons can be scheduled for anyone interested in learning the basics or, for those who know how to climb, improve their technique. There is also staff available for anyone who drops in for instruction.
With better-than-expected demand (the owners did not wish to share membership numbers) Lynd and Garrison have given some thought to expansion but those ideas have not been formulated yet. For now they will build on their success and the continued increase in demand for the indoor climbing market.
“I would say things are going very well and we expect to be here for a long time into the future,” Lynd said.
The Notch is open seven days a week. A monthly membership is $95 but can be less when two or three qualifying family members are added. Day passes are available for $25. There are also discounts for children, military veterans, teachers and students. For additional fees, The Notch offers a variety of classes and a competition climbing team and climbing club. For more information visit www.thenotchclimbing.com.
Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.