Ski and snowboard resorts have people known as snow reporters. Their job is to get up at an ungodly hour, check out the snow, and then report on the conditions, so that would-be patrons can decide if they want to spend their time and money on it. The snow reporter at a resort called Sugarbush in Vermont is a young lady by the name of Lucy Welch (who in her official bio explains that she has, sadly, no relation to the "mighty Fruit Snack Empire").
On the morning of March 1 -- the day that JD Vance was trying to ski at Sugarbush -- she decided to courageously commandeer the resort's "platform" to deliver a message. Every snow report subscriber got her letter in their inbox (though I'm told it was quickly pulled from the resort's website). And since she has a great literary voice, she speaks eloquently about skiing and the mountains, and she delivers a crucial and timely message, I'm sharing it in full with all of you today.
It may have been pulled from Sugarbush's website, but this blog lives on a blockchain that cannot be censored and that is intended to act as permanent storage. Its mission is to preserve "humanity's most important data" and so I'd like to make sure that her actions and this letter do not get erased over time. Here it is:
Mar 1st, 2025, 6:49 AM: Today of all days, I would like to reflect on what Sugarbush means to me. This mountain has brought me endless days of joy, adventure, challenges, new experiences, beauty, community, and peace. I’ve found that nothing cures a racing mind quite like skiing through the trees and stopping to take a deep breath of that fresh forest air. The world around us might be a scary place, but these little moments of tranquility, moments I’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy as a direct result of my employment here, give me, and I’d guess you, too, a sense of strength and stability.
This fresh forest air, is, more specifically fresh National Forest air. Sugarbush operates on 1745 acres of the Green Mountain National Forest. Right now, National Forest lands and National Parks are under direct attack by the current Administration, who is swiftly terminating the positions of dedicated employees who devote their lives to protecting the land we love, and to protecting us while we are enjoying that land.
This Administration also neglects to address the danger, or even the existence of, climate change, the biggest threat to the future of our industry, and the skiing we all so much enjoy here. Burlington, VT is one of the fastest-warming cities in the country, and Vermont is the 9th fastest-warming state. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), a resource I use every day for snow reporting, is crucial in monitoring extreme weather events and informing public safety measures, and is also experiencing widespread layoffs and defunding at the hands of the Administration.
Sugarbush would not be Sugarbush without our wonderful community. Employees and patrons alike, we are made up of some of the most kind hearted, hardworking people I have ever met. Our community is rich with folks of all different orientations, ethnicities, and walks of life, who all contribute to make this place what it is. They all love Sugarbush because it is a place where they can come to move their bodies, to connect with the land, to challenge themselves, to build character, to nourish their souls with the gift of skiing.
Many of these people are part of the LGBTQI+ community. Many (well, that’s a stretch, we all know this is an incredibly white-washed industry) are people of color. Half are women. Many are veterans or adaptive skiers who, through Vermont Adaptive, are able to access snow sports in part thanks to federal grants through the Department of Veterans Affairs, which is also facing devastating cuts. Many of our beloved employees moved across the world through an exchange program on the J1 visa to help this resort run, and they are not US citizens. ALL of these groups are being targeted, undervalued, and disrespected by the current Administration.
Lucy, thank you for your bravery.
Cover photo by Joel & Jasmin Førestbird on Unsplash
There are three resorts in the United States that do not allow snowboarding. They are: Deer Valley and Alta in Utah, and Mad River Glen in Vermont. New York-based Extell is also developing a new resort next to Deer Valley that was previously known as the Mayflower Resort. For a while, it was up in the air whether they would allow snowboarders, but this past summer it was announced that it will become part of Deer Valley and that their snowboarding ban will remain firmly in place.
As a snowboarder, I'm not overly fussed by this. There are, of course, lots of other places that will welcome my kind. But I do think it's both interesting and worth poking fun at. It speaks to the tribal-like nature of humans. I get down the mountain on this device and you get down the mountain on that device. So we are fundamentally different humans. And I do not want to associate with you. At the same time, I do respect the ability for private resorts to make their own decisions. And this seems to be what their paying customers want.
But what about if the resort happens to be on public land? Does that make things any different? Deer Valley sits on land that is privately owned; whereas Alta sits on land that is owned by the National Forest Service. Which is why in 2014, a bunch of cantankerous snowboarders sued the resort, claiming that its ski-only policy violated the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. I'm not a lawyer, but I am told that this is typically used in cases involving discrimination.
Alta ultimately won the case. They argued that even though the land they sit on is public, their lifts are still private. And so they get to decide who uses them. I guess that's fair. But at the same time, this technically means that snowboarders are allowed on the mountain, they just can't use any of the lifts. I tried to confirm this fact with Alta on X the other day, but they have yet to respond.
https://twitter.com/donnelly_b/status/1734076962707030355?s=20
In any event, my prediction is this.
Snowboarding is a relatively young sport. It grew massively in popularity during the 1990s (which is when I switched over from skiing), and so its participants tend to skew younger (my assumption). This is probably why fancy resorts like Deer Valley don't feel the need to cater to them. However, young people tend to both grow up and, you know, make more money. And so at some point -- when there's a real business imperative -- we may find that people suddenly change their minds.
If you're trying desperately to sell luxury condominiums at the base of a resort and if snowboarders keep showing up at your sales office, for how long will you continue to say no to their money?
Ski and snowboard resorts have people known as snow reporters. Their job is to get up at an ungodly hour, check out the snow, and then report on the conditions, so that would-be patrons can decide if they want to spend their time and money on it. The snow reporter at a resort called Sugarbush in Vermont is a young lady by the name of Lucy Welch (who in her official bio explains that she has, sadly, no relation to the "mighty Fruit Snack Empire").
On the morning of March 1 -- the day that JD Vance was trying to ski at Sugarbush -- she decided to courageously commandeer the resort's "platform" to deliver a message. Every snow report subscriber got her letter in their inbox (though I'm told it was quickly pulled from the resort's website). And since she has a great literary voice, she speaks eloquently about skiing and the mountains, and she delivers a crucial and timely message, I'm sharing it in full with all of you today.
It may have been pulled from Sugarbush's website, but this blog lives on a blockchain that cannot be censored and that is intended to act as permanent storage. Its mission is to preserve "humanity's most important data" and so I'd like to make sure that her actions and this letter do not get erased over time. Here it is:
Mar 1st, 2025, 6:49 AM: Today of all days, I would like to reflect on what Sugarbush means to me. This mountain has brought me endless days of joy, adventure, challenges, new experiences, beauty, community, and peace. I’ve found that nothing cures a racing mind quite like skiing through the trees and stopping to take a deep breath of that fresh forest air. The world around us might be a scary place, but these little moments of tranquility, moments I’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy as a direct result of my employment here, give me, and I’d guess you, too, a sense of strength and stability.
This fresh forest air, is, more specifically fresh National Forest air. Sugarbush operates on 1745 acres of the Green Mountain National Forest. Right now, National Forest lands and National Parks are under direct attack by the current Administration, who is swiftly terminating the positions of dedicated employees who devote their lives to protecting the land we love, and to protecting us while we are enjoying that land.
This Administration also neglects to address the danger, or even the existence of, climate change, the biggest threat to the future of our industry, and the skiing we all so much enjoy here. Burlington, VT is one of the fastest-warming cities in the country, and Vermont is the 9th fastest-warming state. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), a resource I use every day for snow reporting, is crucial in monitoring extreme weather events and informing public safety measures, and is also experiencing widespread layoffs and defunding at the hands of the Administration.
Sugarbush would not be Sugarbush without our wonderful community. Employees and patrons alike, we are made up of some of the most kind hearted, hardworking people I have ever met. Our community is rich with folks of all different orientations, ethnicities, and walks of life, who all contribute to make this place what it is. They all love Sugarbush because it is a place where they can come to move their bodies, to connect with the land, to challenge themselves, to build character, to nourish their souls with the gift of skiing.
Many of these people are part of the LGBTQI+ community. Many (well, that’s a stretch, we all know this is an incredibly white-washed industry) are people of color. Half are women. Many are veterans or adaptive skiers who, through Vermont Adaptive, are able to access snow sports in part thanks to federal grants through the Department of Veterans Affairs, which is also facing devastating cuts. Many of our beloved employees moved across the world through an exchange program on the J1 visa to help this resort run, and they are not US citizens. ALL of these groups are being targeted, undervalued, and disrespected by the current Administration.
Lucy, thank you for your bravery.
Cover photo by Joel & Jasmin Førestbird on Unsplash
There are three resorts in the United States that do not allow snowboarding. They are: Deer Valley and Alta in Utah, and Mad River Glen in Vermont. New York-based Extell is also developing a new resort next to Deer Valley that was previously known as the Mayflower Resort. For a while, it was up in the air whether they would allow snowboarders, but this past summer it was announced that it will become part of Deer Valley and that their snowboarding ban will remain firmly in place.
As a snowboarder, I'm not overly fussed by this. There are, of course, lots of other places that will welcome my kind. But I do think it's both interesting and worth poking fun at. It speaks to the tribal-like nature of humans. I get down the mountain on this device and you get down the mountain on that device. So we are fundamentally different humans. And I do not want to associate with you. At the same time, I do respect the ability for private resorts to make their own decisions. And this seems to be what their paying customers want.
But what about if the resort happens to be on public land? Does that make things any different? Deer Valley sits on land that is privately owned; whereas Alta sits on land that is owned by the National Forest Service. Which is why in 2014, a bunch of cantankerous snowboarders sued the resort, claiming that its ski-only policy violated the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. I'm not a lawyer, but I am told that this is typically used in cases involving discrimination.
Alta ultimately won the case. They argued that even though the land they sit on is public, their lifts are still private. And so they get to decide who uses them. I guess that's fair. But at the same time, this technically means that snowboarders are allowed on the mountain, they just can't use any of the lifts. I tried to confirm this fact with Alta on X the other day, but they have yet to respond.
https://twitter.com/donnelly_b/status/1734076962707030355?s=20
In any event, my prediction is this.
Snowboarding is a relatively young sport. It grew massively in popularity during the 1990s (which is when I switched over from skiing), and so its participants tend to skew younger (my assumption). This is probably why fancy resorts like Deer Valley don't feel the need to cater to them. However, young people tend to both grow up and, you know, make more money. And so at some point -- when there's a real business imperative -- we may find that people suddenly change their minds.
If you're trying desperately to sell luxury condominiums at the base of a resort and if snowboarders keep showing up at your sales office, for how long will you continue to say no to their money?
I want to reiterate how much I admire and respect my fellow employees and managers — they work so hard to make this place operate, to keep you coming back and enjoying it and making lifelong memories. Many of them may feel the same way that I do, but their hands are tied, and for good reason. They have families to support, they have benefits and health insurance to receive, they face far greater and more binding pressure from Corporate. I am in a privileged position here, in that I work only seasonally, I do not rely on this job for health insurance or benefits, and hey, waking up at 4:30 AM isn’t exactly sustainable. Therefore, I am using my relative “platform” as snow reporter, to be disruptive — I don’t have a whole lot to lose. We are living in a really scary and really serious time. What we do or don’t do, matters. This whole shpiel probably won’t change a whole lot, and I can only assume that I will be fired, but at least this will do even just a smidge more than just shutting up and being a sheep.
I am really scared for our future. Acting like nothing is happening here feels way scarier than losing my job. I want to have kids one day, and I want to teach them to ski. The policies and ideals of the current Administration, however, are not conducive to either of these things, because, at least how things look now, I’d never be able to afford a good life for a child anyway, and snow will be a thing of Vermont history. So please, for the sake of our future shredders: Be Better Here. It has truly been a pleasure writing your morning snow reports — I hope this one sticks with you. With love, peace, and hope, Lucy Welch
I want to reiterate how much I admire and respect my fellow employees and managers — they work so hard to make this place operate, to keep you coming back and enjoying it and making lifelong memories. Many of them may feel the same way that I do, but their hands are tied, and for good reason. They have families to support, they have benefits and health insurance to receive, they face far greater and more binding pressure from Corporate. I am in a privileged position here, in that I work only seasonally, I do not rely on this job for health insurance or benefits, and hey, waking up at 4:30 AM isn’t exactly sustainable. Therefore, I am using my relative “platform” as snow reporter, to be disruptive — I don’t have a whole lot to lose. We are living in a really scary and really serious time. What we do or don’t do, matters. This whole shpiel probably won’t change a whole lot, and I can only assume that I will be fired, but at least this will do even just a smidge more than just shutting up and being a sheep.
I am really scared for our future. Acting like nothing is happening here feels way scarier than losing my job. I want to have kids one day, and I want to teach them to ski. The policies and ideals of the current Administration, however, are not conducive to either of these things, because, at least how things look now, I’d never be able to afford a good life for a child anyway, and snow will be a thing of Vermont history. So please, for the sake of our future shredders: Be Better Here. It has truly been a pleasure writing your morning snow reports — I hope this one sticks with you. With love, peace, and hope, Lucy Welch
Share Dialog
Share Dialog
Share Dialog
Share Dialog
