Every skier who’s truly dedicated to the sport has a favorite place they like to go. And for Ira Riklis, that place is Vail. But how did a young man from the East Coast discover what was, at the time, a relatively new and unknown ski resort? It happened back in 1975, while he and his wife were on a cross-country driving tour.
Heading back east from California, they headed into the Colorado Rockies to spend a days at Aspen—the well-established resort at the time. While there, they learned by chance that President Gerald Ford was in Vail, and thought it would be worth stopping in the town to see if they could catch a glimpse of him. They never did see him up close, but while enjoying a pleasant lunch on an outside terrace, Ira Riklis and his wife, Diana, were enchanted by Vail’s charm and beauty. It was love at first sight, and though they didn’t ski that first trip, they’ve been back many, many times, both in summer and winter.