About Us
Our mission is to further establish Chattanooga as an ultimate outdoor destination by providing a base camp and community hub for adventurous travelers.
This has led us to our dream of opening an uncommon hostel in the heart of downtown, combining the affordability and camaraderie of a traditional hostel with the charm and cleanliness of a boutique hotel. While The Crash Pad welcomes all travelers, we’ve taken special care to maximize the experience of those who come to play in the mountains and rivers that surround our city.
As outdoor adventurers, we pursued construction and operation techniques built on reclaimed and renewable resources in order to minimize our impact on the environment. New construction ensures the highest standards of craftsmanship and energy efficiency. For more information on our commitment to sustainable business, please view our certifications below.




Leed Platinum Certification
A distinction that no other hostel currently holds. We are also one of four buildings in Chattanooga to attain it. If you’re looking to save a little green yourself, book your reservations now at The Crash Pad hostel.
Our Team
Learn about our guys’ favorite local things.

Max Poppel
Co-Owner
Local Favorites
Climb: Golden Locks, T-Wall
Boulder prob: Dodge Swinger, LRC
Hike: Stringers Ridge, North Chattanooga
Beer: Any variety of Kush IPA by Heaven and Ale
Cocktail: Hennen’s Pomegranate Martini
Bar: Flying Squirrel
Burger: MP Wagyu Beef Burger, Meeting Place
Fine dining dish: Beeler Farm’s Pork, Meeting Place
Rainy day activity: TBA
Ethnic dish: Pad See Ew, Alex Thai
Breakfast dish: Korean BBQ Burrito, Flying Squirrel (Sunday)

Elliot Stahl
General Manager
Local Favorites
Climb: Tall Boy Castle Rock
Boulder prob: Making Waves Rocktown
Hike: Pigeon Mountain highpoint
Outdoor activity (other than climbing): caving
Beer: Igneous IPA Hutton and Smith
Cocktail: mojito
Bar: Flying Squirrel
Burger: Tremont
Rainy day activity: caving
Fine dining dish: Chicken Parm @ The Feed
Ethnic dish: Pad Thai
Breakfast dish: Main Street Meats bacon
Downtown attraction: High Point Gym

Dan Rose
Co-Owner
Local Favorites
Climb: The Prow @ Sunset Rock
Boulder prob: Damn Yankees @ Suck Creek
Hike: Signal Point to Edwards Point
Outdoor activity (other than climbing): trail running
Beer: Hutton & Smith Promenade
Cocktail: tiki drinks @ The Fix
Bar: Bitter Alibi
Burger: Main St Meats
Rainy day activity: TN Aquarium
Fine dining dish: anything at St. John’s
Ethnic dish: Chana Saag @ India Mahal
Breakfast dish: portobello hash @ Bluegrass Grill
Downtown attraction: Riverwalk

Nadine Bahlke
Happiness Ambassador
Local Favorites
Climb: Finger Puppets – Foster Falls
Boulder: Black Carpet – Stone Fort
Hike: Fiery Grizzard Trail
Beer: Anything German
Cocktail: Odd couple – Flying Squirrel
Bar: Bitter Alibi
Burger: Resident Vegetarian on staff
Fine Dining Dish: Current vegetarian option at White Bird
Rainy day activity: Painting
Ethnic dish: Red Lentil Daal
Breakfast dish: Pancakes at Aretha Frankenstein

PJ Gardner
Happiness Ambassador
Local Favorites
Climb: Whatever is easiest at High Point
Boulder prob: Whatever is easiest at Synergy
Hike: Edwards Point, Signal Mountain
Outdoor activity: Splashin’ about in Suck Creek
Beer: The Good Schist, Hutton & Smith
Cocktail: Mango Margarita, Mexiwing
Bar: Bitter Alibi
Burger: Main St Meats
Rainy day activity: Reading
Fine dining dish: Braised Veal pasta, Alleia
Ethnic dish: Anything from Mexiwing
Breakfast dish: Special Stack at Syrup and Eggs
Downtown attraction: Sleepyhead Coffee
Local Partners
We’ve had the wonderful opportunity to offer local goods to our hostel guests. Check out the companies below to get an idea of some of Chattanooga’s small business flavor.
Friends
We’re thankful to have support from the best organizations around. Please take a moment to read about some of the people that have helped make The Crash Pad a reality.
Featured In
these (and plenty of other) magazines and newspapers.