Creating Human Connections 

White Mountain Sauna Haus: Creating Human Connections 

By Andrew Schuyler

A few years ago, former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory on the healing effects of social connection. The 2023 report went so far as to label loneliness as an epidemic that is unsustainable to economic and overall well-being.  

For residents and visitors to North Conway, the recently opened White Mountain Sauna Haus and Nordic Cafe might be the antidote to this trend toward isolation.

Sauna Haus co-owner Bryce Harrison notes that the company’s goal “is for the people of the Mount Washington Valley to find a safe, welcoming environment where they can relax with friends after a long day of skiing or working. Or just come solo and meet new friends.”

Located in a renovated barn from the 1800s with pristine views of the Moats and Cathedral Ledge, the Sauna Haus features two saunas on a tiered outdoor deck, as well as several cold plunge tanks and outdoor firepit pits. It also offers Scandinavian-inspired food and local beer in a cafe that showcases local art and live edge wood tables.   

Co-owner Levi Lucy previously built and rented mobile cedar sauna units. Success on that front led Lucy and Harrison, who owns the restaurant Cheese Louise, to collaborate on introducing the sauna culture to a larger constituency.    

While Lucy and Harrison gladly welcome visitors to North Conway, they want the Sauna Haus to be accessible to residents, as well. Indeed, midweek pricing options and community events are garnering interest from locals. The Sauna Haus also offers corporate memberships, providing a tool for local businesses to attract and retain talent, while potentially increasing employee productivity and lowering health care costs.  

According to the owners, “genuine human connection” is a prime component of the sauna experience. Therefore, cell phones are prohibited. Moreover, since visitors can stay for as long as they desire–most use the facilities for an hour or two–and capacity is limited to twenty patrons, it promotes a relaxed and stress-free environment. 

“A huge focus for us is connecting people, including locals with out-of-towners,” says Lucy, a former nurse at Memorial Hospital. “We know from research that people who are the happiest and live the longest have deep, meaningful relationships. It’s the best predictor of life expectancy.”

Harrison says that he and Lucy “lean into” making sustainable choices when it comes to business operations. Since sauna patrons constantly hydrate, the business provides reusable water cups, thereby reducing waste, costs, and clutter. The Sauna Haus also sources firewood locally, uses sustainable cleaning agents, and washes towels onsite. 

Lucy highlights the durability of the saunas and says they were built to last for decades and withstand harsh New England weather. The Sauna Haus uses repurposed items like the wood bar and table tops from the two previous businesses that occupied the space, as well as an expansive cubby rack for footwear that it acquired from the North Conway REI.

“This is the third generation of these tabletops and it’s gorgeous wood,” Lucy says. “And the rack from REI was likely headed for the dump, and rather than buy a bunch of plywood and build one, this works perfectly.”  

Moving beyond social connection and operational sustainability, the physical benefits associated with saunas and cold plunges are well documented, including: improved sleep, cardiovascular health, joint mobility, and blood pressure reduction. As discussed, local businesses can create value for their workers or clients by partnering with organizations like the Sauna Haus, where health and human connectivity rule. 

Looking forward, the White Mountain Sauna Haus’s mission–to bring the Mount Washington community together through the Nordic tradition of sauna–fits well with the former Surgeon General’s notion that Americans will benefit from engaging with one another, particularly in a clean, inspiring, and relaxing space.