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Steamboat Springs — When Barbara McNary moved to North Routt County from Steamboat Springs three years ago, it didn't take her long to realize there's more that makes the region a different kind of place than its alpine environment of higher altitude, crisp air, tall pines and crisp light.

"It has its own character, and that's what people have told me," McNary said. "Steamboat's gotten a little bit bigger, so the faces change more so than up here. : We're kind of rugged individuals up here, and we all know each other."

But - with interactions at The Clark Store, a community general store and post office, being the main exception - staying connected with your neighbors in a vast and remote region, stretching from the Elk River Valley to the Wyoming border, can be a substantial challenge.

In October, after she was laid off from a job in Steamboat, McNary decided to confront that challenge and began publishing North Routt Rumors, an eight-page weekly community newsletter that is approaching its 30th issue.

"We all kind of live far apart and get secluded in our own worlds," McNary said. "I decided there was a need for it, to get information out there."

McNary prints 250 copies of the newsletter out of her own home every week. On the front page, she tries to profile a North Routt personality. The newsletter also includes dining listings, diversions, community events, health and wellness stories, humorous features, a puzzle or story page for children and classified and display advertising.

"It's all real light. It's nothing serious," McNary said. "I figure they can pick up a (Steamboat) Today or a (Denver) Post to get the harder facts."

McNary said North Routt Rumors has been received well by the community and that she gets new advertisers every week.

"It's killer. It's nice to have a little paper that services North Routt," said Chris King, of The Clark Store. "It's well-received by the community. In fact, people complain when there aren't copies."