Tim and Diane Mueller own and run one of America's most admired independent ski areas - Okemo Mountain Resort in southern Vermont. But the road they've traveled hasn't been easy. In 1982, they raised $600,000 by mortgaging their home and draining their savings to buy a controlling stake in the nearly bankrupt ski area. And the early years were very rough. Uncooperative weather, dilapidated lifts, and demanding customers were major problems. Because of the Mountain's past financial problems, banks were reluctant to lend additional money for operations. That first year the Mueller's had only $30,000 for operations