Whaddup dogs! My name is Lucy Welch (sadly no relation to the mighty Fruit Snack Empire) and I am your Snow Reporter for the 2023-2024 season. Since you’ll be reading my words and hearing my voice all winter long, I thought we might acquaint ourselves a little more.
I hail from the mundanely historic Boston suburb of Arlington, Massachusetts, where I existed for 42 days before the 21st century took hold. It would be about 10 years from my life debut until my parents plopped me on skis, and another 10 before I would actually be able to navigate a mountain safely. Ironic, especially considering my mom and dad spent their first date skiing, before grabbing pizza at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant called Lucy’s. Now, given this rough timeline of my skiing history, you’re probably questioning my credentials as your Snow Reporter. It’s okay, I am constantly questioning my credentials. But let me tell you how I ended up here, waking up at 4:30 AM 4 days a week and spending my waking hours looking at snow, thinking about snow, talking about snow, writing about snow, and of course, skiing on snow.
Not too long ago…
I graduated from the University of Vermont in 2022 with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies and a concentration in Integrative Health and Wellness Coaching. I’ve always known I wanted to work with people in some capacity, so a major with the word “human” in it sounded good to me. While at UVM, I volunteered at various youth centers, assisted in conducting research on internalizing disorders in children, and worked at the Greater Burlington YMCA Early Childhood Education Center. I continued working at the GBYMCA post-grad, where I taught the most adorable classroom of three-year-olds in the history of the world, many of whom have already begun their skiing and riding endeavors.
As you may have gathered, I was right smack in the middle of college when the pandemic hit. Bad timing, you’d think, but actually, I never would have clicked back into skis if it weren’t for that fateful year of 2020. Classes were online, everything was shut down, and we weren’t 21 yet. There was even a 24-hour hotline permeating UVM where you could anonymously report classmates for illegal socialization. Punishment was expulsion or a swift redaction of your scholarship. Skiing was pretty much the only thing left to do. Coincidentally, many of my friends happened to be insanely talented skiers and snowboarders. So, as the weather grew colder, I felt I had no choice socially but to purchase a ski pass, in a fighting effort to maintain the integrity of my college experience.
Back on the mountain
Long story short, this effort proved successful, both in the quality of my social life and in the quality of my skiing. I think I clocked about 50 days that season. With the help of some patient, persuasive pals, I went from an exclusively blue-trail skier to a woods-navigating menace.
And here I am, three years later, reporting to you live from my slopeside office in Valley House. To this day, I describe my skiing abilities as, “it might not look pretty, but I can get down anything”. This even pertains to my uphill endeavors (if you just replace “down” with “up”, of course).
Some of the most fulfilling moments of my life have taken place on the snow in the last 3 years, as I grew to love the sport of skiing. And of those moments on snow, 95% of them occurred here at Sugarbush. It was here at Sugarbush that I learned to ski in the woods, slowly and gleefully navigating the glades between Rim Run and Elbow. The first time I accidentally caught air was off a side hit on Sleeper Chutes. And there have been many hilarious attempts by yours truly at park skiing on the beginner features on Sugarbear Forest (or what I like to call, the “Baby Park”. You can even sing it to the tune of the hit children’s song, “Baby Shark”. Your friends will love you.)
I am my happiest, most vibrant self when I am on the hill. It is truly an honor to say I am employed by the mountain that gave me the gift of skiing. What initially just looked like a really cool job that would give me a season’s respite from the wild world of childcare, is turning out to be a perfect combination of my interests and skills: writing (about how much I love Sugarbush), talking (about how much I love Sugarbush), collaborating with and meeting a variety of people (who also love Sugarbush), and of course, skiing (at Sugarbush). It has been amazing to learn about everything that goes into making this mountain run. I feel very lucky to be a part of the behind-the-scenes action.
When I’m not here, you’ll find me in Burlington, where I’ve resided since 2018. Maybe you’ll find me running on the bike path or scarfing down a sandwich (the best in the world) at Four Corners of the Earth Pub and Deli. There’s also a good chance I’m sitting on my porch doing a crossword puzzle, drinking a Fiddlehead, or hanging with the neighborhood cats. A fun fact about me is that I’ve never seen a moose, but I have seen Bernie Sanders on Church Street. Also, I can do the worm.
I am so excited to spend the winter keeping you up to date and informed on snow conditions and beyond. I’ve already been loving chatting with you on the lift and around the resort. I cannot wait for all the fun to come this winter:)
Don’t be a stranger! Call the Sugarbush snow phone at 802-583-7669 😉
