James (Jay) Sanders, Jr., an alumni member of the Blue Knob Ski Patrol (BKSP), PA passed away on April 6, 2026.
Jay grew up in Rye, NH with winters of skiing and pond hockey, and summer camp sailing. He served in the US Navy and earned an EE degree at Tufts University. Following graduation, he took a position in Maryland supporting a US Navy missile systems contractor. He met his wife Carol, skiing at Blue Knob (BK) and they were married in 1967.
Jay joined the BKSP in 1970 to begin his 50-year NSP ski patrol career. He achieved senior status in 1972. During his career, he held numerous leadership positions including both OET and MTR instructor. He also served as both an APL and a PL. His awards included BKSP Patroller of the Year for several years, a Yellow Merit Star for Cooperation During Lifesaving Efforts at Blue Knob in 2012, and National Appointment #4965 in 1978.
Known widely on the patrol as “Mr. Radio,” Jay introduced VHF radio system technology to BK in the 1970s and served as Telecommunications Advisor for 50 years. His radio skills coupled with a passion for ski patrolling converged and became his career mission. He designed and built the system currently in place, incorporated upgrades, and trained patrollers in the professional use.
He worked closely with Dick Woolf, and served as Communications Team Member at Whiteface Mountain supporting all aspects of the competition venue at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, NY. Dick, the present NSP National Telecommunications Advisor during this period recalled his memories of working with Jay, “My first interaction with Jay was in 1975…I was a junior at RIT in Rochester, NY, a patroller at Bristol Mountain, NY, and also serving as the Eastern Division Telecom Advisor.
“Jay contacted me (by mail of course) and asked for help in establishing a VHF radio system at Blue Knob. In the 1970s, radio was still a new thing for ski patrols. Those patrols using radios at all were likely using CB radios with giant antennas from Radio Shack. At the time, NSP was participating in a DOD surplus equipment distribution program, and we were able to source Motorola radios that had been returned from Vietnam. In those days, Motorola radios were very expensive and getting them for free (!) was well worth the cost of buying new crystals and have them retuned. He had questions about what type of antenna to use and where the base station should be located. I offered to drive down to Blue Knob to make a site visit.
“Blue Knob was an upside-down ski area, and the patrol room was at the top of the hill. I recall that Jay had to make some kind of remote receiver at the bottom of the chair lift to pick up signals from the portable radios. Anyway, the radio system became operational and everyone thought it was the best thing since Morse Code!
“Jay and I stayed in touch after I graduated college and had transferred to Stratton Mountain, Vermont and was tasked to set up communications for the first Alpine World Cup skiing events in the USA…at Stratton in February 1978. Lake Placid had been awarded the 1980 Winter Olympic Games, and with the Alpine events being the most radio-intensive, I was contacted by the Lake Placid Olympic Organizing Committee to ask if I would set up the communications for the 1979 pre-Olympic events. It was about that time that I realized that I would need a team of people to handle all aspects of the competition venue, in addition to the alpine events including dispatching, issuing and receiving equipment, charging and maintenance, and of course signal coverage.
“I contacted (by mail, of course) patrollers who I’d dealt with over the past few years to see if they were interested in being “on the team.” Jay was one of those who agreed. I recall we had a telephone conference call (new technology!) to make introductions, and we all got together a week or so before the opening ceremonies. Everyone worked well together and the international ski officials overseeing the Alpine events said we did a great job. We all received elegant certificates of participation from the Organizing Committee.
I stayed in touch with Jay over the years and I was sorry to learn of his passing. He was a really good guy, and a credit to the National Ski Patrol. My condolences to his family.”
His passion for ski patrolling extended well into his eighties as he enjoyed the camaraderie of his fellow patrollers, providing safety services for the skiing public, and skiing with his family.
Mike Calabrese, Jess Hill, and Tom Rawcliffe
Blue Knob Ski Patrol Alumni
