The Mountain-Ear Podcast
The Mountain-Ear Podcast delivers you local news, music and community stories from Colorado's Peak to Peak region every single week.
Whether it's the latest headlines, exclusive interviews with local musicians or stories straight from your community, we've got it covered.
Subscribe to the show to get the most up-to-date news and stories from Estes to Black Hawk and everywhere in between.
Head to www.themtnear.com/subscribe to subscribe to the The Mountain-Ear in print and online.
Episodes
456 episodes
From the archives: How hippies rode an asteroid into Boulder
Today's show is a rerun of one of our most popular episodes ever.Back in February, we produced this story about how Boulder ended up as a hot bed for hippies and counterculture. If you didn't catch it then, you're in for a treat.H...
Music of the Mountains Flashback Episode: Treeline String Band
This week, we're flashing back to the very first segment of Music of the Mountains to celebrate the five-year anniversary of journalist and host Jamie Lammers writing for the column. This first interview features bassist Dolores Berbaum talking...
In the zone with BoCo-based band Prairiewolf
The July issue of Caribou Current hit the racks this week, so today we're featuring an exclusive interview with Boulder County-based cosmic Americana group Prairiewolf.Our editor Jezy Gray sat down with Jeremy Erwin, Tyler Wilcox and Ste...
Music of the Mountains: Ravin' Wolf (Jamey and Heather Bilyeu)
In this week's Music of the Mountains, Jamey and Heather Bilyeu take time out of their breaks performing at Very Nice Brewing Company in Nederland to talk about their history as a duo before their follow-up performance at the Gilpin location on...
Inside CU's world-class alpine research center
Today, we’re taking a trip to CU Boulder’s Mountain Research Station. This little plot of land in the Indian Peaks Wilderness operated by CU’s Institute for Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR) is one of the longest running high elevation resea...
Music of the Mountains: Down River
Rachel Cole and Gus Miller have been performing music as a duo for years, but for the first time, they're cementing a duo project they've called Down River. This week, we talk to Rachel and Gus in preparation for their upcoming performance at t...
Your neighbor has Paul McCartney's phone number
We've got another segment from our friends at Boulder Valley Frequency today featuring prolific music journalist, outdoorsmen and Ward-adjacent resident Grayson Haver Currin. Grayson has profiled Willie Nelson, Peter Frampton, Tame Impala and o...
Music of the Mountains: Emily Pennington of Trouble's Braids
Local indie folk unit Trouble's Braids released their newest EP Tarantula on June 5th, and to talk about the release and their upcoming group performances, co-founder Emily Pennington joins this week's episode of Music of the Mountains!
Ned eyes new housing, summer music preview and more
Take a break from national headlines and tune in to what's going on in your neighborhood. On this week's episode, we've got just the headlines: a quick round up of everything that's been happening in the Peak to Peak these last two weeks, from ...
Music of the Mountains: BlackDog
Colorado guitarist Jon Ridnell has released his first new BlackDog album in over a decade, Freak the Funk. Tune into this week's episode to learn more about Jon and his new release.
Boulder Comedy Festival preview
The June issue of Caribou Current hit the racks yesterday, so we've got another sneak peak at all of this months content today. In honor of our cover story about Boulder Comedy Festival, coming to venues across The People's Republic June 16-21,...
Music of the Mountains: Dango Rose
In this week's episode of Music of the Mountains, we bring on Dango Rose to talk about his musical endeavors, celebrating his opening at Ned General for Redd and the Paper Flowers on May 30, 2026. From a new documentary focusing on his songwrit...
Nederland skateboarders teach us a lesson
The general public tends to write off skaters as grungy, lazy, troublemakers. But that's far from the truth.In reporting a story for the May issue of Caribou Current, I asked Nederland skateboarders about the lessons skating can...
Music of the Mountains: Tony Crank
Guitarist Tony Crank recently performed with friends as Tony Crank Music at The Old Gallery in Allenspark. On this episode of Music of the Mountains, we talk with Tony about his time as a guitarist in Colorado and the reasons he continues playi...
Ward's Hotel Columbia is open for business
Today, we’re featuring an episode from our sister podcast, Shay Castle’s Boulder Valley Frequency, about a pair of mountain women breathing life into Ward’s Hotel Columbia, which just opened its doors after a year and a half of renovations.&nbs...
Music of the Mountains: Satellite Friend
Brian and Lacey Loeper are core members of a close group of musicians who arrived in Colorado from different places. This connection of new community members inspired the name Satellite Friend, who now work together to write new songs on a regu...
Why is Gilpin testing its residents blood for lead?
Colorado's largest Superfund site by area stretches 400 square miles across Gilpin and Clear Creek counties. The site has been in remediation for nearly five decades, and a new scope of remediation is assessing the health risk of lead left behi...
Performing in the Peaks: Aaron Foster
This week, transitioning into our new regular spot for Music of the Mountains, we're bringing a stand-up comedian, Aaron Foster, onto the show to talk about his upcoming set for his tour, Mostly Jokes, at the Backdoor Theater on Thursday, May 1...
Elephant Revival's Bonnie Paine
Today's show features an exclusive interview with Elephant Revival's Bonnie Paine, who just released her debut solo record, Unseen. She joins the show today to talk about how the record came together, her path to headlining...
Music of the Mountains: Doug Armitage of Brightwood Music
After the devastation of the Lakeview Fire in October 2025, Nederland businesses had to find their footing again. With the upcoming opening weekend for Ned's newest hub, The Vault, we're featuring Doug Armitage to talk to him about his business...
What's at stake for Nederland if Cross Mine reopens?
Cross Mine could finally reopen. A final hearing on operator Grand Island Resource's application to resume mining activity is scheduled for May 20 after years of delays.But where does the town of Nederland fit into all of this? On today'...
Music of the Mountains: Spencer Crawford of That Damn Sasquatch
In preparation for the first show of the Gold Hill Inn's 2026 season, learn more about That Damn Sasquatch from primary songwriter and guitarist Spencer Crawford. To prepare for the band's performance on May 1st to start the season off, we talk...
Nichole Sterling: Exclusive interview with Nederland's new mayor
On this week's episode, Nederland's new mayor Nichole Sterling joins the show for an exclusive interview to talk about her vision for Ned's future, affordable housing and the dramatic finish to the mayoral race.Polls closed in Nederland ...
Music of the Mountains Replay Episode: Wendy Woo
Wendy Woo will be coming back to the Peak to Peak area when she performs at Oskar Blues Grill and Brew on Friday, May 22, 2026. In anticipation of next month's performance, we're bringing back her segment from November 2025!Wendy Woo is ...
Nederland gardeners build seed saving community
What's the first thing you would grab if your house was on fire?For Brianna and Max Rashbaum, owners of Nederland's Spinning Silica, seeds are at the top of the list.On today's episode, we hear the story of a pair of seasoned gard...