Harley Ruffle has been hitting the slopes since he was just two years old and is going into the 2025-26 ski season seeking to be a member of the 100-day club for his sixth consecutive time. Ruffle is now seven, and his love and passion for shredding down the mountain on his snowboard still drives him. The Jersey native moved to Killington when he was just over a year old and has competed in competitions such as the Slash and Berm, and Rail Jam. In 2023, he placed third in the Under 10 category in the Slash and Berm at Killington.
Ruffle’s love of snowboarding is as pure and innocent a seven-year-old child could have. Having the desire to someday compete at the highest level is not on the agenda for Ruffle at this point. His heart is focused on doing what he enjoys most, which is being on the mountain and having fun. Ruffle’s parents, Jill and Gary, have made it clear that if someday their son wanted to try and make a career out of snowboarding, it would be up to him. Although his skills and accomplishments for a child of his age are impressive, “Nobody is pushing him to do things he isn’t comfortable doing, this is a lifestyle, not a race to the X Games,” Ruffle’s mother told SnowBrains.
Ruffle’s first season on a snowboard was at Killington, Vermont, where he was able to hit the slopes enough times to be a member of the 100-day club. “There was no effort to achieve this goal; he just loved being on the snow,” Ruffle’s mom said. During this five-year streak of snowboarding at least 100 days in a season, Ruffle has been to other ski resorts besides his hometown mountain of Killington.
One of his favorite ski trips was when he had the opportunity to attend the World Quarter Pipe Finals at Mammoth Mountain, California, where he had the chance to meet and shred with Signal Snowboard Team rider, Yuki Kadono. “That memory of flying into a 22-foot Quarter pipe will forever be a part of his favorite childhood memories,” Ruffle’s mother said.
The HOMESICK event is something Ruffle loves attending that is held at Stratton Mountain, Vermont, and will return for its fourth season this March 20 to 22. It features three days of events with legends, pros, and up-and-comers all getting together, and Ruffle has been competing in the event since it started. This relaxed, no-stress, fun weekend of everything snowboarding is what makes this event so special. He has now become a mini legend at this event, according to his mother.
Ruffle is all about the lifestyle and the community that snowboarding gives him. “I love it and I want to snowboard forever,” Ruffle said. Although he does participate in competitions, Ruffle rides for himself, and not to compete against others. “My only competition is myself, I just want to be better than I was the day before,” he said.
After riding at the mountain for the day, Ruffle can be found riding the Dark Park at Darkside Snowboards at Killington. “That is his nightly fun in the winter, and Darkside isn’t just a shop, it’s a family, and we are blessed Harley is a part of it,” Ruffle’s mother said. Outside of snowboarding, Ruffle also participates in soccer, mountain biking, and skateboarding; however, his true passion is being on the snow. Even on the coldest of days, he is out there.
Hitting the slopes 100 days in one season is challenging for most skiers or snowboarders to accomplish. However, Harley Ruffle already has five seasons of achieving that and is going for his sixth. How long he will be able to keep this streak going is the question. But, he does have a ton of support on and off the mountain and in the local community of Killington, according to his mother. His enjoyment comes from being on the slopes and being around the friends he meets on them. “His love for the community is part of his love of riding,” Ruffle’s mother said.
zzzzzz I been doing over a 100 day seasons for over 40 years. LOL
He’ll be in Tahoe by his 18th birthday!