AVSC Seniors Reflect on Friendship and Fun Beyond the Podium

Luka Smalls remembers the laughter.

Before the splits, before the podiums, before the pressure of a national ranking, there was just the sound of skis on snow and friends goofing off. Those were the early years. It was pure fun. That’s when Smalls fell in love with skiing.

That’s the story of the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club seniors. Not the medals. Not the stats. The human stuff.

The 2025-26 winter season is done. The snow is melting off Castle Creek Road. Now, the club is looking back at the athletes who spent their formative years here. They asked six seniors — Smalls, Ryder Hutchison, Owen Cruz-Adams, Juliana Pittz, Jack Kravitz, and Hazel Barker — what they’re taking with them.

The answers aren’t about speed. They’re about connection.

Ryder Hutchison talks about landing his first double-cork 1080. It wasn’t just the trick. It was the first try. It was the team’s pride. It was the feeling of being supported every step of the way. That moment locked him in. He wasn’t just skiing; he was part of a unit.

Owen Cruz-Adams remembers running 17 miles. He’d never run more than 10. His brother trained with them that summer. They finished at Arbaney Kittle and jumped into the creek. The water was cool. The adventure was real.

Then there was the late September 2024 run. Snow. Deep snow. Cruz-Adams, August, Lars, and Ben spent six hours plowing through it. They were deep in the wilderness. They never got lost because August knew exactly where they were going. It was freedom. It was beauty.

Juliana Pittz goes back six years. Winter Park. One of her first competitions. That’s when she knew. She loved the sport. She decided to dedicate herself to it fully. She also met Natalee Nelson. Nelson became her best friend. She wouldn’t have met her without skiing. Nelson is now an important part of her life.

Jack Kravitz points to training camps. Away from the normal routine. Away from home. It’s where the team bonded. It’s where they got to know each other. Those moments in a new place created memories that will last.

Hazel Barker’s highlight? France. Simple. Fun. With her favorite people.

The club cites commitment, integrity, and teamwork. These athletes show what those words actually look like on the ground.

It’s not about the next gold. It’s about the person next to you. It’s about the creek water. It’s about the snow that takes six hours to plow. It’s about the friend you meet on the starting line who stays with you off it.

This is what AVSC builds. Not just skiers. People.

Smalls says it best. It was just fun. And that’s rare. That’s the hard part. Keeping the fun alive while the stakes get higher. The seniors did it. They carried the weight and still laughed.

The season is over. The seniors are moving on. But the values stay. Commitment. Integrity. Teamwork.

That’s the legacy. Not the records. The relationships.

Read that again.

The club is proud. The athletes are grateful. But the real story is in the details. The creek. The snow. The double-cork. The campfire.

That’s what matters.