Dear AVST Parents, Coaches, and Athletes,

There is a lot to be proud of as we look ahead to another season at Arctic Valley!

When I founded the Arctic Valley Ski Team, the goal was simple: give kids an affordable introduction to ski racing, help them develop a lifelong love of alpine skiing, and bring ski racing back to Arctic Valley. What started with 30 kids has grown to more than 100—and that is something we have built together!

AVST is about learning, building confidence, and taking on new challenges while having fun alongside friends, families, and teammates. Providing a quality ski racing experience at an affordable cost remains a top priority.

Our volunteers and parents make AVST possible!

To everyone who has contributed their time, energy, and support over the years, thank you! You have helped create a community that means so much to me, our coaches, our athletes, and everyone at Arctic Valley.

After more than 10 years of running ski programs, it is time for me to make room for new leadership. I can no longer give the day-to-day operations the time, energy, and focus our athletes and families deserve. This is a big change for me, but I am proud of how far we have come and excited about what fresh energy and leadership can bring to AVST.

We have been actively advertising and searching for a new Head Coach/Program Director. Finding the right person has been more challenging than expected, but this is a wonderful opportunity for someone to build on a strong community, support our coaches, provide clear direction and consistent communication, and help shape the program’s future.

I am prepared to help a new Head Coach/Program Director transition into the role—and I am not hanging up my skis! I look forward to continuing to support our athletes and the program through the Alaska YSL Race Series and by hosting races at Arctic Valley.

We need our parents and AVST community to help us through this transition.

Your willingness to volunteer, support our coaches, and lend a hand will be especially important as we search for new leadership and will remain essential once that person is in place. If you can help, please complete our volunteer sign-up form:

https://forms.gle/67r8WbKraPkMdewu6

You can also help us find our next team members! Please spread the word about our openings for Head Coach/Program Director and Ski Team Coaches by sharing these opportunities with anyone who may be interested or know a qualified candidate with ski racing experience:

https://arcticvalley.org/jobs/

We plan to open registration for the upcoming season on September 14 through the AVST webpage:

https://arcticvalley.org/winter/avst/

Thank you for everything you do to make AVST special. I look forward to seeing our athletes back on the snow, cheering each other on, building friendships, and enjoying the sport we all love.

See you at our annual kickoff party on October 29! Details to follow.

Luke Clement
Founder and Director
Arctic Valley Ski Team

Please direct all questions to avst@arcticvalley.org.

AVST STAFF

AVST Program Director: Luke Clement

Coach Luke, I grew up ski racing at Alyeska, Arctic Valley and all over Colorado with Crested Butte Academy. My Grandma and Dad started skiing at AV in 1958... I founded AVST back in 2018, both of my daughters have skied for AVST and my oldest is now coaching the Tinys. We've grown from 30 athletes in 2018 to 98 in 2024/25.  My love of speed and passion for skiing has kept my focus on making Arctic Valley a place for all skiers. Looking forward to another great season!

AVST PROGRAM SECRETARY: Mark Dehertogh

Coach Mark had a career in the marine corp where he had the opportunity to ski in several countries and many of the states, moved to Anchorage volunteered with Challenge Alaska at Alyeska, then moved to hilltop to volunteer with Special Olympics Was the hilltop ski area assistant ski school director for 2 years then became the ski school director for the next 13 years. While with hilltop he continued coaching and helping with Special Olympics. He became involved with ski racing when hilltop started a ysl ski program. Mark is also our official for us ski and snowboard the past 8 years.

AVST Fighting Ptarmigan Head Coaches:

Steve "Mash" Mashburn

Coach Steve "Mash" Mashburn: has been coaching alpine ski racing for over 20 years. He has helped produce athletes that have gone on to race around the world.

AVST FLYING PTARMIGAN HEAD COACHES:

Brian Richardson & Kara Norby

Coach Brian grew up ski racing at Alyeska and then went on to race for Burke Mt Academy where he specialized in Downhill and Slalom.  Brian returned to Alaska to Coach for Alyeska and Guide raft trips all over Alaska. Brian was Coach Luke's first ski coach in 1992.

Coach Kara grew up racing in a midwestern league as well as USSA and FIS with Cascade Mountain in Wisconsin, where she also began coaching. She went on to race for Colorado Mountain College in Steamboat Springs, and the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. Now in her fourth season with the Arctic Valley Ski Team, Kara is a lifetime member and volunteer coach who loves watching athletes progress from being nervous on the rope tow or T-bar to finding their rhythm on the mountain, navigating their first race course, and quickly out-skiing their parents 🙂 One of her favorite things is skiing with her family and helping others discover that same joy.

AVST LAUGHING PTARMIGAN HEAD COACH:

Andrew Kastning

Coach Andrew grew up in Colorado and has been skiing his whole life. He raced uphill on skinny skis for the University of Vermont, and has coached at three Universities including Nevada-Reno, Montana State, and UAA. Now a dad of three, he’s shepherded his three daughters through the Arctic Valley Program and also helps out with Junior Nordic. When he’s not at his regular jobs he can be found deep in the mountains shredding powder on his tele-setup.

AVST Tiny Ptarmigan Head Coach:

Story Clement

Coach Story is 19 and born and raised in Alaska. I’ve been skiing since I was 5 years old and have been part of the Arctic Valley ski community for the past eight years. For the last three seasons, I’ve had the opportunity to coach with Arctic Valley, and I absolutely love sharing my passion for skiing with others.

AVST Assistant Coaches:

Dan Allard, Kris Gills, Nili Reynolds, Ryker Dean, Wyatt Mashburn, Paul Matthews

Coach Dan has been training alpine skiers since 1989. He is an international mountaineering guide and ski racing coach. He holds a Level 6 Deutscher Schileherverband (DSLV) (German Ski-Instructor Association) certification, attained in 2000. The DSLV level 6 includes backcountry ski instruction/guiding and the training of instructors in all aspects of Alpine Skiing and Racing. In the US, he holds a level 3 USSA Ski Instructor certification and a Level 100 Alpine Race Coaching certification. He has experience coaching young racers for the Hillberg Youth Ski Team on JBER, the Mad River Glen Ski Team in Vermont, and the Arctic Valley Ski Team. Dan’s coaching philosophy is Safety 1st, Challenge the Athlete, and to have a BLAST doing it!

Coach Wyatt "Yung Mash" has grown up through the Alaska Division and the alpine club programs. He is a 3rd generation Mashburn skier, with a love and passion of the sport. He now helps his Dad coach at Arctic Valley Ski Team as Junior Coach. Wyatt is currently a Junior at South High School (2025-26)

Coach Kris is coming back to AVST for another season! He has a long history in ski coaching and Big Mountain Skiing with Mighty Mites, ASC, Rowmark, CPG, and AVST! He has a Lifelong love of skiing and is looking forward to a great season with the AVST gang!

Coach Ryker: I started skiing around 4 years old, my dad coached me. I switched to snowboarding around 10 to try something else. Now I’m able to do both and try to switch it up every week.

Coach Paul grew up in the rugged hills of Scotland, where he first discovered his love for skiing and racing. Despite the inconsistent snow, driving winds, and icy terrain, his passion for the sport flourished. In pursuit of deeper powder and more challenging slopes, Paul’s journey evolved into ski mountaineering, leading him to alpine peaks and backcountry routes throughout Europe and North America. In 2023, Paul seized the opportunity to relocate to Anchorage, Alaska. With the Chugach Mountains now in his backyard, he’s immersed himself in the vibrant outdoor community and the endless possibilities of Alaskan winters. Today, Paul is a proud father of two young skiers in the Flying Ptarmigan program. Watching them carve their first turns at Arctic Valley fills him with joy and pride. He’s inspired by the program’s blend of community spirit, skill development, and the rugged beauty of the terrain, an ideal setting for fostering resilience, confidence, and a lifelong love of the mountains.

Coach Nili has been skiing since she was three and a half and has been racing since she was about four years old. She went to the 2024 Arctic Winter Games and won one gold, one silver, and two bronze medals. Coach Nili has lived in Alaska all her life, she loves ski, and is excited to coach the next generation.

Coach Alice: I grew up skiing in Vermont on the ice and other variable condition the East Coast likes to deliver. Ski racing came into my life in high school where I fell in love with learning a new type of skiing technique. I continued racing in college at the University of Vermont on the club team before moving out to Alaska this past June. I hope to inspire and encourage the next generations of skiers to ski fast and ski hard.

Questions about our programs?

Contact at avst@arcticvalley.org