The opening day of ski season should be a celebration of the return to winter. It can get pretty competitive, with skiers and snowboarders working hard to secure the coveted first chair, but typically it’s done with grace and respect. Legendary Colorado snowboarder Trailer Tom (A.K.A. Tom Miller) has been successfully grabbing the first chair of the season across the Summit County ski resorts for 34 years now, and this year was no different.
At Arapahoe Basin’s opening day, Tom was comfortably on the first chair. At Keystone’s opening day, things looked a bit different. His recent video shows a little bit of the drama that came with the first gondola ride. Since
A Battle For Keystone’s First Gondola
Several dedicated members of the first-chair crowd had been waiting overnight to secure their spots at Keystone’s River Run Gondola, including Tom. They were comfortably in the front of the line, quite clearly earning the position of the first gondola cabin, but a few people in the singles line caused a bit of trouble.
Once the chair opened and the rope dropped, the people in the singles line shoved to the front and managed to push a few of the skiers and snowboarders who’d been waiting all night long away from the first gondola. Tom was able to make it into the cabin, but a few people who very much deserved to be among the first were pushed out.
Lift Line Drama
You may be tempted to ask if this really matters. Many people don’t even bother getting on the mountain until after December, including many hard core shredders. The conditions usually aren’t too good and the trails are often over crowded, so why would you bother fighting to get up there so early?
The first chair is a big deal for some people though, and they work really hard to ensure they keep their streaks going. If they arrived the day before and waited overnight to get the first chair, they deserve the first chair. People who showed up 30 minutes before opening and shoved their way to the front certainly don’t deserve it.
Respect the people who arrived before you, don’t cut or shove your way to the front of the line, and if you’re waiting in the singles line, wait patiently for a group that won’t fill up the chair or cabin before you attempt to board. The singles line is not the “cut the line” line. Tom is the man, and frankly he deserves those first chairs more than just about anyone else.