Honestly, if you were scrolling through TikTok or X (formerly Twitter) back in early March 2025, you probably saw the grainy footage. A guy in a blue jacket, looking a little stiff on his skis, surrounded by a bunch of people who were definitely not there to ask for an autograph. That was Vice President JD Vance attempting a family getaway at Sugarbush Resort in Vermont’s Mad River Valley.
It was a mess.
Most people think the backlash was just typical "blue state" noise, but the reality of Vance skiing in Vermont was a lot more chaotic and specific than just a few grumpy locals with signs. It was a collision of international geopolitics, a literal snowstorm of protest, and a very public debate about whether a politician’s "pizza and french fries" skiing form is a metaphor for their policy-making.
Why the Mad River Valley Went Into Meltdown
The timing couldn't have been worse. Vance arrived in Vermont just hours after a massive Oval Office blowup with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. If you remember that Friday, Trump and Vance basically grilled Zelenskyy in front of the cameras, with Vance lecturing him about being "thankful" for American aid.
By Saturday morning, the Mad River Valley—a place known more for artisanal cheese and rugged, "ski it if you can" vibes than high-stakes picketing—was crawling with Secret Service and about a thousand angry protesters.
They lined Route 100 in Waitsfield. It wasn't just a few people. It was a gauntlet. People were waving Ukrainian flags and holding signs with some pretty creative insults. The one that went viral, of course, was "Vance Skis in Jeans."
In the ski world, that’s basically calling someone a "Jerry"—an amateur who has no idea what they’re doing. Whether he actually wore denim on the slopes is still debated by some (most footage shows him in standard gear), but the label stuck because it felt right to the locals. It was a dig at his perceived lack of authenticity in a state that prides itself on being "real."
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The Great Snow Report Rebellion
One of the wildest details of this whole trip didn't even happen on the chairlift. It happened on the Sugarbush website.
Lucy Welch, the resort’s 25-year-old snow reporter, decided she wasn't just going to talk about the "fresh pow" and base depths that morning. She dropped an 800-word manifesto in the official daily snow report. She called out the administration for its stance on climate change—which, let’s be honest, is a direct threat to the very snow Vance was sliding on—and for cuts to the National Forest Service.
"Right now, National Forest lands and National Parks are under direct attack... this Administration also neglects to address the danger, or even the existence of, climate change," Welch wrote.
The resort pulled the post within an hour, but by then, it had already been screenshotted and shared thousands of times. It turned a local ski update into a piece of national political resistance. Welch became an overnight hero to the "Powder to the People" crowd.
What Actually Happened on the Slopes?
If you've ever been to Sugarbush, you know it's not Aspen. It’s got some grit. Vance and his family were reportedly staying at The Pitcher Inn in Warren initially, but they had to pivot to an "undisclosed location" (likely a private residence) because the heat was just too much.
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On the mountain, the vibe was bizarre. Imagine trying to teach your kids to ski while people are heckling you from the chairlift above. TMZ caught footage of Vance nearly getting taken out by a stray skier—not a protestor, just a regular "out of control" skier, which is a common hazard on East Coast ice.
The Secret Service was everywhere. Some were in full ski gear, trying to look like regular vacationers while wearing earpieces.
Facts Over Friction: The Logistics
- Location: Sugarbush Resort (Lincoln Peak and Mt. Ellen).
- Protest Scale: Estimated 1,000+ people along the access roads and in the town of Waitsfield.
- Duration: Originally planned for four days; reports suggest the family cut it short or stayed largely out of the public eye after the first 48 hours.
- The "Mad River Glen" Factor: The nearby ski area, Mad River Glen, famously put up a sign that said "Sorry VP, Sold Out." It was a classic Vermont "polite but firm" way of saying he wasn't welcome there either.
The "Skiing in Jeans" Metaphor
Why did that one insult—"Vance skis in jeans"—resonate so much?
In Vermont, skiing isn't a luxury hobby; it's a way of life and a massive part of the economy. When locals saw a Vice President who had recently questioned federal funding for the very lands they recreate on, they saw hypocrisy.
The "jeans" comment was a shorthand for being an outsider. It’s the ultimate New England gatekeeping move. It implies you’re unprepared, you’re uncomfortable, and you don’t belong in the environment you’re trying to occupy. For a guy who wrote Hillbilly Elegy and built a brand on being a man of the people, being mocked as a "clueless tourist" in a rugged state like Vermont was a significant branding hit.
Is Vermont Still a "Safe" Place for Political Vacations?
This trip showed a major shift. In the past, Vice Presidents like Mike Pence visited Vermont (specifically Lake Hortonia) without nearly this much friction. But the combination of the Zelenskyy spat and the specific culture of the Mad River Valley created a perfect storm.
Even Governor Phil Scott, a Republican, had to walk a fine line. He welcomed Vance officially—because that’s what governors do—but he also acknowledged the deep "political differences" many Vermonters felt.
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The reality is that "Vance skiing in Vermont" wasn't just a vacation. It was a litmus test for how much "normalcy" high-ranking officials can expect in a hyper-polarized country. If you can't even go for a run on Heaven's Gate without being called "Putin’s Puppet," the idea of a "quiet family getaway" is pretty much dead for anyone in the executive branch.
What This Means for Your Next Trip to Sugarbush
If you're planning to head up to the Mad River Valley yourself, don't worry—the protesters are gone, and the vibes have mostly returned to their usual "ski, eat a creemee, repeat" state. But the locals haven't forgotten. You might still see a "Vance Skis in Jeans" sticker on a lift tower or a local’s helmet.
To get the most out of a Vermont ski trip without the drama:
- Check the Snow Report: But don't expect another manifesto. Usually, it's just about the wind holds on the Castlerock Double.
- Respect the Land: Vermonters are fierce about conservation. If you're skiing on National Forest land (which much of Sugarbush is), remember that the locals view themselves as its protectors.
- Dress the Part: Seriously, don't actually ski in jeans. It’s cold, they get wet, and as JD Vance learned, you’ll never hear the end of it.
If you want to dive deeper into the local response, look up the archives of The Valley Reporter or VT Digger. They covered the day-to-day movement of the motorcades and the specific impact on local businesses in Warren and Waitsfield during that high-tension weekend.