Waitsfield, Vermont, Rises Up Against JD Vance & His Embarrassing Bullying – CleanTechnica

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Waitsfield, Vermont, is the kind of mountain town where valley homes are tucked next to the Mad River, with granite slopes and rich forests rising up on both sides. It’s a place where locals have survived floods and a manufacturing exodus. Today tourism, especially skiing, sustains the proud, industrious, and slightly upscale community. Yet, with fresh powder covering the slopes at Sugarbush Resort, local citizens lined Route 100 in protest.

US Vice President JD Vance was coming to town with his family to ski.

Usually unassuming, citizens of Waitsfield were angry, embarrassed, and indignant. Vance’ demeanor during a White House meeting with President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky had dissolved into chaos. Tag teaming, Trump and Vance berated Zelensky, claiming he wasn’t grateful enough for US aid. They constantly interrupted and insulted their guest, raising their voices and repeating the same accusations. Vance was particularly vocal.

“I think it’s disrespectful to come into the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media. You bring people on a propaganda tour, Mr President … Do you think that it’s respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country?”

Never before had the US president and vice president spoken in such a condescending manner to another democratic world leader — in front of the press.

Why Vance chose to visit such a progressive location like Waitsfield later that same week continues to be one of the many mysteries of the Trump-Vance-Musk administration.

A line of black Secret Service vehicles protected JD Vance and whisked him to an afternoon of leisure. His disrespectful attempt to bully Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office was not to evaporate into US memory if residents of Waitsfield had their way.

The shocking, unbelievable, and historic fascist display in the US executive office would remain frozen in the minds of US citizens as Waitsfield residents — those remote workers and entrepreneurs, temporary ski instructors and students, small hold farmers and retirees, wine makers and boutique owners — wouldn’t let anyone forget Vance’ duplicity.

Over 700 protesters braved the cold on sidewalks and snowbanks along Route 100. They hooted and hollered. They sang and rallied passing cars in support of democracy and NATO. Behind them were a gas stations, a skiwear shop, and grocery store, among other stores in the small but vibrant local community.

A sign decorated in the blue and yellow of the Ukrainian flag read “Vance = Traitor.”

Another decried the Vice President’s alliance with Vladimir Putin. “Vance is a traitor — go ski in Russia.”

“Hillbilly go home” alluded to Vance’ memoir, Hillbilly Elegy.

One sign displayed a crossed-out swastika and requested (expletive deleted) Nazis to “please leave.”

Rainbow Pride flags draped over parkas.

Ukrainian and American flags slapped in the wind.

One protester wore a white T-shirt over her winter clothing with “DEI skier” printed in black on the back and a taunt about Vance on the front.

Some protesters joined a convoy of vehicles to circle Waitsfield and the Mad River Valley as the day went on.

Around 3:40 pm, a motorcade of six cars drove out of the ski resort down a winding road. It passed snow covered mountains, general stores, and a wooden barn. The motorcade flashed red and blue lights as it drove past protesters perched on mud-splattered snow.

The Daily Snow Report Becomes A Famous Marker Of Resistance

One Sugarbush employee, Lucy Welch, has become the recent face of resistance to the Trump-Vance-Musk administration. Welch used the forum of Sugarbush’s online snow report to publicly call out Vance and the Trump administration.

“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.

The beauty of National Forest land, is that anyone and everyone is welcome to enjoy it. Anyone and everyone can buy a lift ticket. I also imagine it is incredibly difficult, and likely impossible, to say “No” to the Secret Service. I hope that, instead of faulting Sugarbush management or employees for “allowing this to happen”, you can direct your anger to the source — the Administration that, in my oh-so-humble opinion, is threatening our democracy, our livelihoods, our land.

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.”

The post only had a short life, as it was removed fairly quickly by resort administration personnel. But locals continued to applaud Welch as a shorter audio version was still available on Sugarbush’s snow report hotline that afternoon.

Sugarbush spokesperson John Bleh told the Boston Globe that the resort respects “the voice and opinion” of its employees but “determined that the snow report was not the appropriate medium to share that information.” During that interview, Bleh said that Welch “remains a member of the snow reporting team.”

Climate activist Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org, wrote that “if a 25-year-old can risk her job to—quite politely—speak truth to power, the rest of us can figure out some things to do as well. Those of you who know your American history may remember Ethan Allen, leader of a gang of Vermont rowdies called the Green Mountain Boys who caused no end of trouble to King George. Well, we need more of them to take on King Donald, and I’d follow Lucy Welch in a heartbeat.”

Robert Reich, former secretary of labor in the Clinton administration, spoke out on MoveOn.org.

“Boycotts are taking hold. Protests are on the rise. Federal courts are hitting back. The Trump-Musk-Vance regime’s popularity is plunging, and DOGE is losing credibility. In these dark times, people are starting to fight back. Ultimately, what happens to our country will come down to our own courage and resolve: To engage in peaceful protest. To organize and mobilize others. To work against hate and bigotry. To fight for justice and democracy.”