Dear Nederland,

I've spent much of my life on skis. Racing, coaching, working in the ski industry, wandering around mountains when I probably should have been doing something more productive. I've watched kids grow up skiing at Eldora, winters change, and the business of skiing becomes increasingly difficult to recognize.

And now our little mountain town is considering buying its ski area. I know. Sounds crazy.

We're a town that can barely agree on parking or road maintenance. And now we're contemplating running chairlifts, snowmaking equipment, and a multimillion-dollar business?

I understand the skepticism. But I think we're overlooking something extraordinary.

I remember the Killebrew years. I was involved in opposing Eldora's expansion back then. The relationship between the mountain and community was contentious, particularly regarding development and environmental protection.

Then Powdr came along. Powdr has been a remarkably good steward. They've invested thoughtfully, worked with environmental organizations, improved access for local schoolchildren, and treated Eldora like something more than another corporate asset.

Here's an idea. Maybe we should ask them not to sell.

I'm serious. Could we petition Powdr to stay? Explore some creative partnership? Running a ski area in Boulder County, with its environmental sensitivities, unpredictable weather, and cantankerous neighbors, can't be easy. They've done a stand-up job.

But suppose they're determined to leave.

Then what?

Another corporate owner? Perhaps a good one. Perhaps not. The ski industry is consolidating, and corporate priorities don't always align with small mountain communities.

Eldora isn't simply chairlifts and trails. It's generations of local kids learning to ski, families spending winter weekends together, people earning livelihoods, and a landscape of forests, wildlife, and watersheds worth protecting.

Climate change complicates everything. I remember Nordic trails opening around Thanksgiving. These days we're sometimes lucky to ski them before January.

Buying a ski area in a warming climate is a gamble. So is letting somebody else determine its future.

Community ownership could offer something rare: decisions guided by what's good for this place over generations, rather than quarterly returns.

Could Nederland pull it off? I don't know.

I don't want the town gambling away its financial security. We need transparency, independent financial analysis, public participation, and meaningful safeguards. If the numbers don't work, walk away.

But let's not confuse legitimate criticism of the process with opposition to the possibility.

Imagine a mountain where environmental protection is part of the mission, local kids can afford to ski, and the community has a meaningful voice in its future. Maybe that's idealistic.

Ask hard questions. Demand accountability. But don't abandon the opportunity before we've honestly explored it.

Once Eldora is sold, we might not get another chance.

Daniel Vardamis

Nederland