Word vomit: AJ Ogden
Myspace angles: AJ Ogden and Charlie Allen
2015 marked the 13th year of the Carson Ianson Memorial Quarterpipe event in the West Mountains of Idaho, or as it’s more affectionately known by the tight knit southwestern Idaho Snowboarding scene, CDI.
The event is headed up by longtime snowboard staple Corey McDonald, Head Digger at High Cascade Snowboard Camp and Bogus Basin outside Boise, Idaho alongside his longtime friends and fellow boarding enthusiasts Dustin Johnson and Preston Woods. The event takes place near the end of May and is a memorial to Corey’s best friend Carson Ianson. Although I never had the pleasure of meeting Carson, his influence on snowboarding and friends is ever present.
It’s an international gathering now, with all Canadians welcome. Sean Genovese and Jeff Keenan are regulars at the event and Dinosaurs Will Die has supported CDI since its inception. Newcomers to the event this year included Brandon Hammid, Blake Geis, and Adam Lewandowski, among others, who joined event veterans Parker Duke, Randy Vannurden, Evan Williams, Paul Whitworth and Greg Goulet. I’ll subside from the name-dropping now and let you know what it’s all about.
Starting from a snowdrift a top a majestic peak overlooking Long Valley, the 25-foot+ quarterpipe is hand shaped by Corey Mac and a handful of dedicated souls hauling snow and shaping tranny to perfection the day before the event. Meanwhile an army of able-bodied (debatable), beer-sipping (not debatable) supporters pile buckets of snow up scaffolding to create a three-story drop in. Once this is completed, Corey, or the previous year’s reigning champion, usually christens the event with first drop. This is followed by hours of boarding madness, beers, cheers, hoots, hollers and good times. Alternate features and rails begin to pop up and everyone has something to ride. This lasts until sunset, when Paul Whitworth and Greg Goulet usually showing up after running Prestige Skateshop all day, then cruise up to make the final hours of the session. Around ten o’clock in the evening the scaffolding comes down and that’s a wrap.
You’re being judged as soon as you show up, both as a human and as a boarder. To this day, I still have no idea who the judges are but they are pretty good at it, having made some pretty killer choices all these years. It all culminates with a raging bonfire at the campsite below the mountain, Corey taking a shot of whiskey before giving a speech announcing the winners, tossing out raffle prizes, reminding you to keep your dog in check, to pick up your trash and to pull your friend out of the fire if they fall in because “that’s your problem.”
Champion roster this year includes Evan Williams (3rd Place), Sean Genovese (2nd Place), and Parker Duke (back-to-back CDI champion 2 years running.)
Partying until the sun comes out starts now.
When the sun does come out, coffee is drank, trash is gathered and people head home to find a place to actually sleep.
The event is always one for the books and a welcome reminder to cheers to all your best friends, past, present and future because with them you’ll have the best times and they will be behind you in the rough times.
Supporters, Thank you: Dinosaurs Will Die, UNHLY Supply Things, Thirty-Two, Smith Optics, D-Day Snowboards, Maidenboise, Metal Hell, Prestige Skateshop