Petition to Vail Resorts Inc. and the Mount Snow Executive Team

Restore Community Access to Mount Snow Childcare

To: Vail Resorts, Inc. and the Mount Snow Executive Team
From: The Families and Residents of the Deerfield Valley, Vermont

We, the undersigned, oppose the decision to restrict Mount Snow Childcare to employees only and eliminate much of its staff without transparency or community input.

For over 20 years, the Mount Snow daycare has served as a cornerstone for families in the Deerfield Valley — nurturing generations of children from Dover, Wilmington, Wardsboro, Jacksonville, and surrounding areas.

It has allowed parents to work, serve, and sustain this rural economy while giving children a safe, stable, and social environment.

The recent announcement — giving families only six weeks’ notice that their children will no longer be welcome unless a parent works for the resort — is an act of corporate carelessness that disregards decades of partnership and trust between Mount Snow and this community.

This Valley Is Small — and Every Decision Echoes Loudly

The combined year-round population of Dover (1,237), Wilmington (2,225), Wardsboro (850), and Whitingham/Jacksonville (1,278) totals under 6,000 residents — smaller than a single Denver suburb.

In such a small, interdependent region, removing one of the only full-service childcare programs is devastating.

There are only three to four other licensed childcare providers within a reasonable driving distance — all with long waiting lists.
Parents — teachers, healthcare workers, small business owners, and resort employees — now face impossible choices between staying employed or staying home.

When local parents can’t work, the entire valley economy suffers.
And when the valley suffers, Mount Snow suffers too.

The Economic and Reputational Cost to Vail

Vail Resorts’ bottom line will be affected by this decision.

The Deerfield Valley is not a faceless outpost — it is the beating heart that sustains Mount Snow’s local workforce, hospitality, and visitor reputation. Cutting out local families doesn’t save money; it alienates your base.

Vail’s reputation in the Northeast has already taken repeated hits for poor transparency, corporate overreach, and disregard for community well-being. From unannounced operational changes to abrupt closures like the Bluebird Express shutdown, these actions send a consistent message:

Corporate convenience over community consideration.

Resort-goers talk. Locals talk louder.

Families are already turning toward smaller, independently run mountains that reinvest in their towns. This decision will accelerate that shift — away from Vail, and toward competitors like Stratton and the Ikon Pass network.

The Human and Psychological Cost

The Mount Snow daycare is not a luxury — it’s a lifeline for children and working families in a rural area.

Research shows that disruption in early childhood care causes real harm:

Children who lose consistent caregivers show increased anxiety and regression (Harvard Center on the Developing Child, 2020).

Unstable childcare arrangements lead to higher behavioral problems and lower emotional security (Pilarz & Hill, 2015).

Predictable routines promote resilience and emotional regulation (McCoy & Raver, 2014).

After years of social isolation during the pandemic, our children are finally rebuilding connections — and this decision tears them apart.

The Divide Between Employees and the Community

Vail claims to be “employee-focused,” yet this decision deepens divides between employees and local residents.

Limiting childcare to employees — while laying off long-time staff — sends a clear message that Vail values profit over people.

Even employees are afraid to speak out, fearing retaliation. This kind of culture breeds resentment, not loyalty.

Lack of Transparency — Again

Once again, Vail has acted unilaterally, without input from those most affected.

There was no:

Public discussion
Effort to explore creative solutions
Consultation with parents or community leaders

Families would have gladly paid higher rates or adjusted schedules to keep the program open. Instead, they were given six weeks’ notice — not enough time to find new care, adjust work, or be heard.

Our Demands
We respectfully call on Vail Resorts and the Mount Snow Executive Team to:

Reinstate community access to Mount Snow Childcare immediately, or pause the change for one full ski season to develop collaborative solutions.
Provide transparency — share the financial data, operating costs, and decision criteria behind this change.
Create a Community Advisory Board including parents, childcare staff, and town representatives to ensure future collaboration.
Issue a public statement of accountability acknowledging the harm this decision has caused.

Final Appeal
This daycare has raised the valley’s children for over two decades — children who grow up to staff your lifts, teach your lessons, cook your meals, and keep your mountain running.

In a valley of fewer than 6,000 residents, every child matters, every parent matters, and every decision reverberates.

You cannot separate Mount Snow from the Deerfield Valley.

One cannot thrive without the other.

This is not just about a business decision.
It’s about whether Vail Resorts intends to be a neighbor — or a corporate occupier — in the communities it profits from.

The Deerfield Valley deserves better.
Our families deserve better.
Our children deserve better.

Signed,
The Families, Caregivers, and Supporters of the Deerfield Valley

References

Pilarz, A. R., & Hill, H. D. (2015). Unstable and Multiple Child Care Arrangements and Young Children’s Behavior. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 30, 102–114.
McCoy, D. C., & Raver, C. C. (2014). Household Chaos and Children’s Behavior. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 6(4), 375–389.
Harvard Center on the Developing Child (2020). Early Childhood Mental Health.
U.S. Census Bureau (2023). Population Estimates for Dover, Wilmington, Wardsboro, Whitingham/Jacksonville.

Additional Note

If you are employed by Vail Resorts, Inc., you may choose to sign anonymously to ensure your privacy and protect against any potential repercussions.