Just two miles from downtown Boulder up the beautiful Fourmile Canyon sits the A-Lodge Boulder — a place created by the adventurer for the adventurer. The property was acquired at the end of 2014 and was the perfect location for Asa Firestone’s original dream of a climber’s hostel in Boulder, Colorado.
Though the plan has shifted away from a traditional hostel, Firestone quickly turned two suites into hostel rooms and built an amazing community lobby. The guest rooms have been renovated slowly over the past five years, and improvements on the property have made the A-Lodge a little oasis from downtown.
Firestone had a good friend who moved into his driveway after giving up his apartment for the van life. His friend used Firestone’s house as a place to hang out and shower, giving Firestone an insight into how cool and on-brand the van life is with the A-Lodge’s philosophy and concept. Firestone thought it would be a perfect synergistic relationship with the A-Lodge philosophy of the three A’s: Access, Adventure, Amenities.
“We are essentially a cleaning company that rents rooms. The vans are similar, they are rooms on wheels,” Firestone says. “Why not get into van rentals; it fits our concept and our guests. Buying a van is a lot less expensive than another hotel.”
That was when he approached Matt North and the crew over at Titan Vans out of Boulder. “The advantage of this was to work and promote another local business and to have a facility nearby that can do the maintenance on these vans when something breaks,” Firestone adds.
Each van is specifically designed for bikers, climbers, skiers and hikers by Titan Vans. There is a module setup to remove and move storage, and racks to customize the van for your experience.
“Our vans are designed and built by an engineer for the adventurer. They are clean and streamlined for function, not as sexy as the reclaimed wood you may have seen in others,” shares Firestone.
Each A-Lodge Adventure Van includes an induction stove, plus sized sink, outdoor shower, mini-fridge, queen-size bed, solar power, fan, furnace, lighting and indoor storage for bikes, skis and gear.
The collaboration with Titan Vans is perfect for maintenance and is great branding for both organizations. It is also good for those who are planning on building out their own custom van. Titan Van will take the rental cost of an A-Lodge Adventure Van off your build up to $1,500 — what a great way to try before you buy.
Firestone and the crew at A-Lodge continue to look for opportunities to make adventure more accessible for all.
“Our goal is to give you access to the best outdoor adventures, whether you’re climbing, fishing, skiing, cycling, hiking or taking in a town,” he shares. “A-Lodge and A-Lodge Adventure Vans offers instant access to all your favorite adventures and the right amenities to come home to after an exciting day off the beaten path.”
Also check out their new project, a new A-Lodge coming soon in Lyons, Colorado.
Photos courtesy of A-Lodge Adventure Van Rentals.
Originally published in the Summer + Fall 2020 issue.
