Creating a (cost-effective) outdoors community in Conway, N.H.

The 12-room CoHo Hostel, located in Conway, N.H., offers a variety of rooms starting at $30 per night. (CoHo Hostel)

When Haley Gowland and Kyle Newman received a real estate listing from Gowland’s mom, the couple saw more than a run-down hostel, shuttered by the pandemic.

Instead, they saw an opportunity to dedicate themselves to an effort that potentially could shape not only their futures, but also New Hampshire’s Mount Washington Valley as a whole.

Gowland and Newman, both East Coasters hailing from Massachusetts and Coyb nnecticut, respectively, met while attending college in Connecticut. The avid adventurers were pursuing tracks in outdoor education before eventually relocating to Boulder, Colo., where they would live a vagabond lifestyle, piecing together jobs in an attempt to remain in the outdoor space. 

But as the cost of living continued to climb, Newman, who recently had succumbed to a corporate position with Vail Resorts, became frustrated with their paths in life and began seeking other options. In late 2020, the couple had their eyes set on moving farther west to Utah or Idaho, when the call came from Gowland’s mom.

“We were looking for somewhere else to go, for different paths,” Gowland said. “I feel like everyone had that ‘what do I do with my life?’ moment at some point during the pandemic. And during that period, (my mom) happened to send us a listing that was the hostel. And that’s when we had this lightbulb moment and realized this is how we can be in the outdoor community, year-round.”

The two shifted their sights back east. After spending a week exploring the Mount Washington Valley, where they had visited many times but never lived, they decided to take the leap and start what would become the CoHo Hostel.

“There were a bunch of places we were interested in, but each place only really had one of the sport disciplines we love,” Newman said. “But the valley has every sport on a legendary level.”

Thus, the ball was set in motion for the creation of an affordable, outdoor-focused communal accommodation that stands in stark contrast to the short-term rentals that typically sit on the forefront of mountain town lodging.

Inspired by the short-term rental ads that began to fill their inboxes, most of which were constantly touting privacy and individualism (many from the short-term rental platform VRBO, which campaigned on ads that ask “why would you share your vacation home with someone you wouldn’t share your vacation with?”), the two made it a goal to create a welcoming and affordable communal space, where guests are encouraged to mingle and have experiences with other like-minded travelers. This atmosphere is reflective of the locals’ experiences — where spending time in the mountains is as much about socializing and becoming a part of a community as the mountains and activities themselves.

“We’ve had people call and say, ‘This is my first time at a hostel but I’m hoping to meet someone to go on a hike with,’ and then two days later they’re out on a hike with a new friend,” Gowland said. “That is so unheard of in our culture. You don’t typically walk into a hotel lobby and start talking to someone. But those are the experiences you remember through your whole life.”

A shared common area, kitchen area and firepit intentionally cultivates this welcoming experience, where it’s more likely to find guests from different backgrounds talking, playing games and getting to know each other rather than simply staring at their phones.

But creating a community within a community isn’t where the partners’ goals end. They also are striving to create a more welcoming and inclusive destination for people of all colors, economic backgrounds and gender identities.

To accomplish this, Gowland and Newman have begun forging relationships with organizations that focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, like Flash Foxy, whose purpose is to create a welcoming community and opportunities for women and genderqueer climbers. The couple works with these organizations to provide lodging options at a discounted rate, ensuring visitors aren’t priced out of a trip to the Mount Washington Valley.

They also train their staff on creating a welcoming environment for everyone, focusing on avoiding the type of technical and isolating terms and phrases that often are heard around mountain towns.

“If ice climbers are talking about something really technical, we encourage (staff) to jump into the conversation and be the first one to ask questions,” said Gowland. “We try to be conscious of the words we’re using, because that’s a form of gatekeeping the outdoors. And we want to encourage people of all experience levels and experiences by making sure we’re using  inclusive language.”

The 12-room CoHo Hostel, located in Conway, N.H., offers a variety of rooms starting at $30 per night for a shared bunk room. Private rooms start at $89 per night, and group suites (one of which has eight beds and a private bathroom), starts at $159. 

Reservations can be made at cohohostel.com.