Max Richard has been to the top of bens that dwarf Titcomb Mountain in Farmington.

Titcomb was Richard’s playground in the snow, but he eventually outgrew the diminutive mountain where learned to ski as a boy. He wondered what it would feel like to glide down the slopes of a towering summit.

“I always skied at Titcomb, which is a tiny mountain,” said Richard, a Farmington native who is a senior at Carrabassett Valley Academy. “I had big dreams. I always wanted to go to the big mountain. So I did the SCVA program in the middle school. When I was freshman, I decided to go to CVA for the full experience.”

For the first three years of high school, Richard attended the CVA’s five-month program and went to school at Mt. Blue during the spring and fall semesters. But since this is his senior year, the 17-year-old decided to spend the entire year at CVA.

“I coached him two or three years ago,” said Chip Cochrane, who is a men’s U18/U21 coach at CVA. “But I am working with him again this year.

“He is getting more mature, physically growing into himself, just getting to know the body he has to work with,” Cochrane added. “He has a better understanding of racing and everything it takes to be a high-end racer.”

Richard is the first to tell you his forte is slalom racing, but he also competes in giant slalom, Super-G and downhill. He is starting to mature in those three events and has made remarkable progress.

“He is also becoming pretty good at the speed events like Super-G as well,” Cochrane said. “He is a good, hard worker and has a head on his shoulders for it. He has a very balanced, relaxed approach to his skiing — just what you like to see as a coach.”

Last weekend, Richard competed in the U18 Junior Championships at Mammoth Mountain in Mammoth Lakes, Calif.

“Max finished 19th in the slalom,” said CVA U18/U21 men’s head coach Doug Williams. “He started 45th and moved up to 19th — one of the biggest moves up in the field. He was eighth on his second run. In the GS, he started 44th and finished 24th.”

He recently finished in first place in giant slalom and Super-G in a pair of United States Ski Association meets at Sugarloaf USA. He finished in 11th place in a slalom race at Stratton Mountain in Vermont.

“He has improved a lot through the years,” Williams said. “He has a nice touch with the snow, and he is very fluid.

“He is real hard worker and he is a great kid to coach. He listens and tries to make changes when we are trying to make changes on the hill. He is an all-around good kid. He is a coach’s dream.

“He does his job and he doesn’t complain about it. He goes about his business. He works hard on and off the hill.”

Richard is always looking ahead, something he has been doing since he slipped on a pair of skis at two years old.

“That’s my most recent goal right now, make a Division I ski team,” Richard said.”

Then, he said, the ultimate prize would be wearing the stars and stripes.

“It’s possible for sure, but it’s a long journey, and its hard to predict,” Cochrane said.

Richard also understands the difficult climb to make the U.S. ski team, but he’s already been to the top of plenty of mountains to realize his first dream.

“The ultimate goal is obviously to make he U.S. ski team. That ‘s my goal now,” Richard said. “It’s a very hard goal, but I am working toward it.”