With his passion for skiing (and an eye for professional perks), Jay Nation began instructing at 7 Springs Mountain Resort in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania in the 90s. From that humble beginning he has become an instructor and alpine trainer for 7 Springs and Winter Park, CO as well as a telemark examiner for PSIA Eastern.

Jay comes from a small town called Hickory, 20 odd miles southwest of Pittsburgh. He attended Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, PA where, in blue jeans on a fraternity trip to 7 Springs, he launched his skiing career.

He is President of the Appalachian Telemark Association and conducts monthly clinics for the membership. He also offers telemark clinics on “Tele Tuesday” for instructors (and visiting alpine examiners) throughout the season. Through Jay’s expanded network, he has been able to bring National Team and Divisional telemark leadership to Telepalooza, an annual telemark festival held each January at 7 Springs.

Jay can be found teaching and conducting telemark events mainly in the southern part of the division (although on rare occasions he shows up in the north) through February. From March until the snow melts, you can find him teaching and skiing at Winter Park.