When Ira Riklis first started skiing at Vail, he began taking lessons from instructor Mike Bartasuis. The two soon became good friends and have been skiing together ever since. Back in the early days, Mike’s status as an instructor gave him top priority on the lifts, allowing the two to avoid long waits as the lines. But as Mike moved on to other ventures, they no longer had a free pass to the front of the lines. They needed a new strategy to avoid waiting in line.
The answer turned out to be simple: just show up early. Most skiers on vacation tend to sleep in, take their time getting ready and stop to enjoy a leisurely breakfast before hitting the slopes sometime around 10 a.m. The result is the morning “rush hour” on the lifts, long lines and long waits. And all that leads to fewer runs and less skiing overall. Ira Riklis and Mike Bartasuis are serious about their skiing, so they make it a point to get up and get going. They’ve already enjoyed some excellent runs down un-crowded slopes before most people are done drinking their morning coffee!