The Mountain-Ear Podcast

Send us a text

Did miners in the Peak to Peak get Christmas day off in the 1800's? In this week's episode, our guest host Maryann Rosen digs into the history of Christmas, and what the holiday meant for early settlers in Nederland. Winters were long and the holidays in the Colorado mountains weren't always merry and bright - especially for the laborers who worked year-round in the historical mines. But the spirit of C...

Send us a text

There’s a special joy that comes when people play music together. Richard Shine, who has primarily performed acoustic solo sets over the last few years, is now experiencing that joy with fellow guitarist Steve Scheidker.

“I met Steve playing pickleball,” Shine recalls. “We had him over one night, and he said he played some guitar and did some singing, so we started fiddling around, and next thing you know, I’ve invited...

Send us a text

We are excited to announce an endeavor that has been months in the making: Caribou Current, our new, free arts and culture monthly coming in February 2026.

A cast of former Boulder Weekly staffers, who lost their jobs when the Alternative Weekly newspaper ceased publishing this past summer, are teaming up with The Mountain-Ear to bring you stories about music, arts, entertainment, food and more, spanning the Peak to Pe...

Send us a text

On Friday, December 12, 2025, the Nederland Community Library hosted a reception for its current art exhibit, A Plague of Parody, with its artist, Brent Warren.

Community members mingled and drank amongst the artwork in the library’s community room, with the filmmaker, musician, magician, and multimedia artist providing guitar accompaniment.

Warren also discussed the meanings of his artwork, digital graphic photos that ...

Send us a text

Gospel music has the power to bring people together, no matter where they’re from or what they believe. The emerging lineup Chapel Mountain Rounders embrace the style for that exact reason.

Longmont resident Elijah Donovan, Nederland resident Matt Thomas, Rollinsville resident Courtlyn Bills, and Steamboat resident Kay McKenzie have consistently drawn hope from gospel music.

While Christian messages build the ...

Send us a text

On today's show, we’re bringing you a segment from our guest host Maryann Rosen, who paints a beautiful picture of a winter drive down the Peak to Peak highway. 

Bundle up, watch out for moose, and try not to let the breathtaking scenery distract you while you make your way from Blackhawk to Estes Park on one of the prettiest drives in the state of Colorado.

Also

• Reindeer games (literally) in Blackhawk on Sunday...

Send us a text

William Nicholson has passed down the idea of Tortesia for years. The legend began at a previous job, where he frequently talked to “a guy named Cole,” who constantly showed up hungover.

When Nicholson asked Cole where he had been the night before, he said he was down in Tortesia. Nicholson asked where Tortesia was, and Cole pointed in one direction and responded, “It’s down the road about 10 or 12 beers.”

“I just kept ...

Send us a text

Ever wanted to learn how to sharpen your knives like a professional chef? Or dip your toes into music theory? Try asking your neighbor.

In this week's episode, editor and reporter Shay Castle sits down with Fourmile Canyon local Anna Stifter to talk about a community skill share she's been organizing for the past few months.

Anna details the steps you can take to start a skill share in your own community, and ...

Send us a text

Danny Shafer opens up through music. The Americana singer-songwriter pours his heart into every song he writes and performs, hoping to make honest connections
with his listeners.

“I don’t have to hide anything when I’m on stage,” he says. “There’s no spot in my personality that I can’t show.”

Tune into this week's Music of the Mountains episode to hear from and learn more about longtime Colorado performers Dann...

Send us a text

It's not often that students, parents and teachers get to share a meal with each other. But once a year, on the Friday before Thanksgiving, the whole Nederland Middle-Senior High School community get's together for the Harvest Feast, a traditional more than a decade old.

Media specialist Jamie Lammers stopped in to the potluck lunch to chat with the hungry cafeteria patrons to see what it's like to sit d...

Send us a text

We've all been told the story of the first Thanksgiving - but what actually happened?

As with much of colonial American history, the real story is much darker. In Maryann Rosen's annual retelling of the story, she dives into the facts, giving us a true recounting of what colonial and indigenous relationships were like when pilgrims first began colonizing New England. 

Listen today, and keep these stories in mi...

Send us a text

Ned's got history - a lot of it. From the glacier carved valleys walked by indigenous peoples, to it's early mining settlements, to the vibrant music scene that evolved at Caribou Ranch, the town has been through countless ebbs and flows of time.

History changes though, and in early October the Caribou Village fire that destroyed 20 storefronts and the livelihoods of many locals signified a seismic shift in t...

Send us a text

Two things tie together Arn Current’s musical life: family and community. The longtime local musician worked his first job at the Caribou Ranch under founder James William Guercio, and he graduated from Nederland High in 1989.

Now, Current is returning to his hometown for a show at Busey Brews as part of the Ripple Effect Benefit Series. The concert series has been scheduled through November, raising funds for the...

Send us a text

On today’s show, we’re launching a new joint segment with Boulder Valley Frequency we’re calling “Sounds of the Town”.  

The Mountain-Ear wants to know: What does home sound like to you? 

We are accepting submissions for Sounds of the Town, a new podcast series that seeks to highlight the sonic signatures of our area: from Allenspark to Idaho Springs, and all the canyons and communities in between.

Tell us what the sound...

Send us a text

Patrick Dethlefs has always let his instincts guide him. While he found early inspiration as a young musician everywhere from Jimmy Page to The Allman Brothers, the Colorado native put most of his energy into original material.

“I don’t think I was a big learner of other people’s songs, even in the beginning,” Dethlefs says. “First getting the guitar, I think I just learned chords and put them together in a different w...

Send us a text

Earlier this summer, Salto Coffee owners Karina and Marcus Luscher struck a deal to sell their shop to the ownership group at Gold Hill Inn, bringing a slice of the iconic Peak to Peak hangout to Old Town Nederland. That's where the story of Ned General, Nederland's newest coffee shop, bar and community space begins.

This episode features a conversation from the archives between Mountain-Ear managing editor B...

Send us a text

Guy Frydenlund formed a band through connections, meeting the band’s original drummer at an open jam and the bass and guitar players through CU Denver’s music program.

Eight years on, guitarist Frydenlund, current drummer Zach Bulgarelli, keys player Jack Marty, and bass player Caden Kramer play together as Sqwerv.

Frydenlund describes the group as an indie-jam band, with each member bringing their own influences to the...

Send us a text

This week, we're featuring an episode of Boulder Valley Frequency, a show from longtime Boulder journalist Shay Castle covering news across the county.

In this episode of BVHz, Shay sits down with our very own senior reporter for The Mountain-Ear, Chris Kelley, for an update on Nederland's progress toward acquiring Eldora Ski Resort. 

Chris gives us a bit of perspective on the potential purchase, and while he&...

Send us a text

In this episode, the host reads Some Words for the Week, poems written throughout the month of October 2025 by Alexander Shalom Joseph.

Support the show

Thank you for listening to The Mountain-Ear Podcast, featuring news and culture from peak to peak! Additional pages are linked below.

If you want to be involved in the podcast or paper, contact:

Barbara Hardt, our editor-in-chef, at info@themountainear.com

Tyl...