By Sandra Fish

NEDERLAND — From mountain rescues to local government goings on, from Black Hawk through Nederland and over to Jamestown, The Mountain-Ear has covered communities along the Peak to Peak Highway since 1977.

Managing Editor Barbara Hardt and her staff talked with 10 members of Colorado Press Women about the mountain communities they cover, challenges they face and the transition two years ago to a new owner.

Hardt, who moved to the area in 1986, bought the weekly newspaper based in Nederland in 2007 after working there briefly on the business side. But in recent years, she began searching for a new owner, and in January 2023 sold the paper to Christian Vanek.

Vanek, a tech entrepreneur, lives in Nederland and is also involved in other development/preservation activities in the area. He is subsidizing the newspaper on a seven-year plan, allowing Hardt to increase the number of staffers while also strengthening the business, which serves Boulder and Gilpin County mountain towns along the Peak to Peak.

“Who we hope he is our final owner,” Hardt said. “He just wants to make sure it survives.” 

The Mountain-Ear focuses on local government, with seven full-time employees, eight part-time employees and multiple contractors. Development is a frequent debate in communities covered by the news organization, with a lack of transparency from some government bodies and housing for workers a significant concern.

And economic uncertainty is affecting the mountain communities, although the Mountain-Ear is on pace for its financial goals this year. The Mountain-Ear earns subscription revenue both online and through the print edition.

“People are spending less. I know I’m spending less,” Hardt said. “It’s the uncertainty of what is next, I think, is causing people to maybe not spend like they have before.”

The annual March festival Frozen Dead Guy Days became too large for Nederland and moved to Estes Park in 2023 (along with the frozen dead guy), causing a decline in tourism for the town.

“I’m sad that we don’t have a winter event that draws people here to stop,” Hardt said. “I do think that we should have something that makes people come here.”

After visiting with Hardt and the newsroom staff, Colorado Press Women were treated to the lunch buffet across the street at Kathmandu Nederland.

Photo by Sandy Nance