An easy way to beat the crowds

The excuse: “Too crowded.”

Solution: Hop the first chair of the day.

We’re talking before the mountain opens. At resorts like Lake Tahoe’s Squaw Valley USA in California, you can pay extra to have the slopes to yourself. Squaw’s new Dawn Patrol lets you on the tram at 7:40. Admire the rising sun as you schuss down just-groomed runs, then head to High Camp for breakfast. By the time the masses arrive, you’ll almost be ready to call it a day. Select dates; $39 plus lift ticket; squaw.com/dawn-patrol