SAM Magazine—Warren, Vt., March 3, 2025—United States Vice President JD Vance went on a ski trip to Sugarbush Resort this past weekend with his family, along with a vast entourage of security personnel. Photo credit: Evan L’Roy/VTDiggerThe visit became a flash point, drawing more than 1,000 protesters to the resort and surrounding community. 

The protests brought together a broad coalition of environmental activists, LGBTQ+ advocates, and community members concerned about federal policy impacts on public lands, climate change, and social justice. The biggest gathering was in Waitsfield on Saturday, where protesters lined Main Street carrying signs condemning the Trump administration’s stance on environmental protection, diversity, equity and inclusion, federal employment cuts, Palestine, Ukraine, and immigration. Some protested on resort property. 

Conversely, some local business owners and community members welcomed the vice president and his family, with some organizing a "welcome card" campaign, according to VTDigger. All the protests remained peaceful.

Sugarbush Resort did not issue an official statement regarding Vance’s visit but found itself at the center of public conversation when its morning snow report on Saturday, March 1, written by snow reporter Lucy Welch, went viral. 

Welch’s report, which was quickly removed from the resort's website but continued to circulate online, highlighted the significance of Sugarbush’s location in the Green Mountain National Forest while criticizing the Trump administration’s environmental and social policies. 

“The world around us might be a scary place, but these little moments of tranquility [in the mountains] … give me, and I’d guess you, too, a sense of strength and stability,” Welch wrote. She went on to point out threats to public lands, climate monitoring agencies, and federal programs that support veterans and international workers—many of whom contribute to the ski industry. 

"I am using my relative 'platform' as snow reporter, to be disruptive," she added, concluding, "Acting like nothing is happening here feels way scarier than losing my job."

The snow report sparked discussion in the ski community and beyond. Many applauded Welch’s courage while others questioned the appropriateness of using an official resort communication channel for political commentary. As of Monday, Welch remained employed at Sugarbush. 

Also on Saturday morning, just north of Sugarbush, the message board at the entrance for cooperative ski area Mad River Glen read, "Sorry VP, Sold Out."