cross country
PSIA Cross Country Academy is an annual gathering of the country’s best Nordic instructors from across the United States. It is an opportunity to improve your skate and classic techniques, enhance your teaching abilities, learn from and network with your peers, stay up on innovations shaping our industry, grow your community, demo new equipment, and get inspired.
Dates: April 17-20, 2026
Location: Mt. Bachelor, Oregon
WHY ATTEND?
Ski Better. Teach Better. Have More Fun!
Cross Country Academy is an intimate and personalized event. Whether you have been a Nordic coach for decades or are a member interested in obtaining your first XC certification, this event is designed to make you a better skier and a better instructor. Academy offers something for everyone with multiple daily clinics across various skill levels plus plenty of time to network and demo new skis. Current and former National Team members help shape the agenda and coach on-snow sessions.
Join us at Mt. Bachelor in Oregon April 17-20, 2026.
Event is open current to PSIA-AASI members and non-members. XC certification not required.
Price:
$599 before March 18
$799 after March 18 (please call in to our Member Services team to register after March 18)
CEUs:
18 (for-members only)
Deadlines:
Registration closes Wednesday, March 18, 2026 or when event reaches capacity.
This is a great opportunity for your rising stars and your leaders, alike, to improve their own skiing or riding, gain new insights, expand their community, and grow their bag of tricks. They will return to you as stronger and more motivated instructors!
Registration open.
Event Schedule
The 2026 schedule is below.
Born in Manhattan, Caitlin Compton Gregg loved family ski trips to Vermont. She moved to Vermont in 4th grade, which she told her NYC friends would be helpful in her goal of making the Winter Olympics. She discovered cross-country skiing and running in high school and went on to graduate from Northern Michigan University as a dual sport All-American. She made her first World Championship team in 2007, 2008 (in Biathlon), and again in 2009, then represented Team USA in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. She finished 6th with Kikkan Randal in the team sprint. She has won 5 American Birkebeiners, 3 Boulder Mountain Tours, and a Bronze medal in the 10km Freestyle at the 2015 World Championships. Competing as an underdog, Caitlin achieved this success as an athlete never named to the National Team. She and her husband, Brian Gregg (2014 Olympian) operated their own ‘Team Gregg’ with the support of prize winning and community support. Cailtin and Brian now live in Winthrop, WA with their two daughters Heidi (7) and Brooke (1).
Zeke is the PSIA-AASI Cross Country National Team coach, PSIA-Central Examiner, and Ski Pro at Minocqua Winter Park Ski Shop. He honors his skiing roots by coaching and mentoring local youth in snowsports and water sports. Zeke has had the privilege of skiing under renowned coaches including Dan Clausen, Ken Schoville, Dan Emerson, David Lawrence and recently Emily Lovett. He studied history, Education and German at the University of Minnesota Duluth and has enjoyed teaching from an early age.
Skiing across all disciplines of snow and water provides a unique understanding of the art of sliding and helps connect to a wide range of athletes. His blend of equipment expertise, pedagogical studies, and racing experience makes Zeke a resource for all levels of skiers seeking greater enjoyment through efficiency. In summer he owns a 3rd generation carpentry business which has imbued him with patience and taught him the importance of focusing on each individual customer.
PSIA-AASI Level 3 XC, Level 2 Telemark, Children’s Specialist 2. US Ski and Snowboard Level 100 cross country coach
Tulie is a clinic leader for PSIA Northwest and a member of the 2024-28 PSIA-AASI National Team. She lives and teaches in the beautiful Methow Valley and can be found coaching clinics and ski camps throughout the United States.
She is a lifelong skier and passionate educator. Her enthusiasm and joy of teaching paired with a desire to connect deeply with people and ideas makes her a highly adaptable instructor with a proclivity for authentic connection. She has a unique ability to expand and compress ideas or tasks precisely based on each student, and is committed to contemporary instruction that aligns with the most current concepts and techniques of the sport.
Justin is a skier by heart. He grew up skiing on Colorado’s front range, where he spent his winters skate skiing, Alpining, and Teleing. Justin raced in college for Colorado State University, and later coached that team. As a PSIA-AASI Cross Country National Team member, he enjoys working with instructors from around the country, helping them become better instructors! Justin has PSIA Level 3 Cross Country, Level 2 Alpine, Level 1 Telemark, Children’s 2, and is an examiner in the Rocky Mountain region. In the summers, Justin enjoys trail running and works as a Park Ranger in Grand Teton National Park. In the winters, Justin teaches XC and Alpine at Big Sky Resort in Montana.
Growing up in Michigan, Emily developed a deep passion for skiing at an early age alongside her family, which has shaped her lifelong dedication to the sport. Emily played collegiate volleyball and loved the team aspect of the sport. After college and a short stint working as a project leader for a technology consulting firm, Emily took a “leave of absence” from that job and moved to Steamboat Springs, CO. to work in the ski industry, instructing and coaching cross country skiing. Once in Colorado, Emily immersed herself in learning, training and development of her own skiing and coaching skills. She was fortunate to learn from the best, Sven Wiik, Jon Engan, Jon Kreamelmeyer to name a few. Known for her ability to create engaging and fun learning environments, Emily’s commitment to creating dynamic and supportive team environments shines through in her work with skiers of all levels. Emily’s 29 year career in coaching includes roles as a coach and co-director at the West Yellowstone Ski Camp, Head Coach at Steamboat Springs High School Ski Team where she coached multiple all-state athletes and most recently eight years with the PSIA National Team, contributing to advancing ski technique education and facilitating instructor and coach development programs across the country.
She also serves as an instructor and masters ski coach in Steamboat Springs, where she supports adult skiers in achieving their goals and enhancing their skills.
Emily enjoys competing in citizen ski races and remains dedicated to her own training to stay competitive in her age group. Her personal commitment to skiing reflects her coaching philosophy, balancing continuous personal development, challenge and fun.
Outside of skiing, Emily’s interests include yoga, hiking, biking. She and her husband, Clay, often combine these activities with the love of travel and immersion in new cultures.
Greg Rhodes is a PSIA Cross Country National Team Alumni (2016-2021) and brings over 25 years of Nordic skiing instruction and coaching experience to the 2026 National Cross Country Academy. A Minnesota native who started skiing as a young child, Greg earned two All-American honors in cross-country skiing at NCSA nationals (1999) while attending Carleton College and continues competing today with 19 American Birkebeiner finishes. Greg holds a Ph.D. in Kinesiology from the University of Minnesota, where his research focused on the metabolic adaptations of aerobic training, providing him with a deep scientific foundation that enhances his practical instruction. His connection to Mt. Bachelor Nordic Center, this year’s Academy venue, spans five years (2017-2022) of instruction, during which he also served as Nordic Program Director at Bend Endurance Academy (2018-2019), directing programs for over 200 skiers. Greg holds PSIA-AASI certifications in Cross Country Level 3, Snowboarding Level 3, Alpine Level 1, and Children’s Specialist Level 2, along with US Ski and Snowboard Cross Country Level 100 and 200 coaching certifications. As a member of the PSIA-AASI Central Region Board of Directors serving as Nordic Representative, Greg remains committed to advancing ski instruction and coach education. Currently coaching cross-country skiing at Southwest High School in Minneapolis, teaches with the Loppet Foundation Ski School, and leads ski programs throughout the Twin Cities. Greg’s approach seamlessly integrates exercise physiology, biomechanics, and pedagogical expertise with an infectious passion for Nordic skiing. Recently Greg was a keynote speaker at the inaugural American Birkebeiner Sports Medicine Conference in 2025 connecting common over-use injuries in Cross Country skiing to technique changes that could reduce these types of injuries in recreational skiers.
David is a former PSIA National Nordic Team coach, 2 term PSIA Nordic Team Cross Country specialist. Author of dozens of articles in magazines like Master Skier, 32 Degrees, Trax and Cross Country Skier.
PSIA Northwest Cross Country divisional clinic leader, alpine level 3, telemark level 2, XC level 3 and children’s specialist level 1. Owner of Pangaea River Rafting, Inc.
Melodie is a PSIA-AASI National Team member and the Education and Training Manager at Oregon Adaptive Sports, where she creates inclusive, high-impact learning experiences. As an Adaptive and Alpine Examiner, she helps shape the future of ski instruction nationwide.
Her love for skiing began at age five and has fueled a career built on curiosity, community, and the support of countless mentors, friends, scholarships, and organizations who believed in her and helped her grow. Known for her sharp eye, deep knowledge, and contagious enthusiasm, Melodie is passionate about helping people find their best on snow.
Off the mountain, she can be found biking, dancing, reading, or exploring the outdoors with her dog, Jette—always chasing connection, movement, and adventure.
Campfire Hotel
Join us at the Campfire Hotel in Bend, OR, for event-specific pricing during Cross Country Academy. The Campfire Hotel is where registration, all evening presentations, and après events will be held during XC Academy.
If you’ve already registered for XC Academy, check your email for a link to secure your discounted lodging. If you would like to stay additional days at Campfire Hotel, please contact them directly at 541-382-1515.
Address: 721 NE 3rd Street in Bend, Oregon.
LONGEST GROOMED NORDIC SEASON IN THE USA
About Mt. Bachelor, Oregon
Mt. Bachelor Nordic Center in Bend, Oregon, is home to the longest groomed Nordic season in the U.S. and incredible spring skiing. The ski area features 56km of groomed trails, 95 percent of which are intermediate-advanced. With over 400 inches of annual snowfall per season and an elevation above 6,000 feet, we are hopeful for great conditions.