Date:             February 10, 2004

Contact:          Larry D. Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer
                  (719) 539 - 2516


                           HIGH COUNTRY BANCORP, INC.
            ANNOUNCES PLAN TO DELIST FROM THE NASDAQ SMALLCAP MARKET
          AND FILE FORM 15 WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

     SALIDA,  COLORADO,  February 10, 2004 - High Country Bancorp,  Inc. (Nasdaq
SmallCap:  HCBC),  the holding company for High Country Bank,  announced that it
had  notified  Nasdaq of its intent to delist  its common  stock from the Nasdaq
SmallCap  Market as of February  12,  2004.  The  Company  stated that since its
common stock is held of record by less than 300 persons it would be  terminating
the registration of its common stock under the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended (the "1934 Act") by filing a Form 15 with the Securities and Exchange
Commission ("SEC") on February 12, 2004.

     Upon the filing of the Form 15, the  obligations  of High Country  Bancorp,
Inc. to file with the SEC certain reports and forms,  including 10-KSB,  10-QSB,
8-K, and proxy statements were suspended.  In addition, the common stock of High
Country  Bancorp,  Inc.  will no longer be eligible for  quotation on the Nasdaq
SmallCap Market.

     High  Country  Bancorp,  Inc.  is  taking  this  action  in order to reduce
corporate costs associated with being a "reporting  company" under the 1934 Act.
Larry D. Smith,  President and Chief Executive Officer,  stated,  "After careful
consideration,  the board of directors  determined  to file the Form 15 and take
action to  deregister  the common stock under the 1934 Act. Our common stock has
been extremely thinly traded.  The board of directors  decided the advantages of
being a reporting  company under the 1934 Act do not offset the cost  associated
with SEC  reporting  requirements.  Subsequent to  deregistration,  High Country
Bancorp, Inc. will incur significantly reduced accounting and legal fees and the
administrative burdens on our management will be reduced."

     As soon as possible subsequent to delisting,  the Company's common stock is
expected to commence trading on the "pink sheets" market. Trident Securities,  a
subsidiary of McDonald Investments, has agreed to use its best efforts to make a
market in the common stock.

     This press release contains  statements that are  forward-looking,  as that
term  is  defined  by the  Private  Securities  Litigation  Act of  1995  or the
Securities and Exchange Commission in its rules, regulations,  and releases. The
Company  intends  that such  forward-looking  statements  be subject to the safe
harbors created  thereby.  All  forward-looking  statements are based on current
expectations  regarding  important risk factors  including,  but not limited to,
real  estate  values in our market  area,  the  impact of  changes  in  economic
conditions  in our market  area,  changes in




policies by regulatory  agencies,  fluctuations  in interest  rates,  demand for
loans in our market area,  competition and  information  provided by third-party
vendors.  Accordingly,  actual  results may differ from those  expressed  in the
forward-looking  statements,  and the  making of such  statements  should not be
regarded as a  representation  by the Company or any other  person that  results
expressed therein will be achieved.

     High Country  Bancorp,  Inc., is the holding company for High Country Bank,
which conducts business through its main office in Salida,  Colorado, and branch
offices in Salida, Leadville and Buena Vista, Colorado.