The twisted turns of the banked slalom disappear into the snow-drenched trees at Mount Bachelor, Oregon, an open invitation for everyone from pro snowboarders to sitskiers. Welcome to the Dirsken Derby, an event established in 2007 to raise money for snowboarder Tyler Eklund, who was paralyzed in a crash. Now in its 10th edition this December, the event also includes a photo and video contest, art show, and derby dinners — no wonder TransWorld Snowboarding once called it “snowboarding’s family reunion."

The visionary behind the whole thing? Veteran pro snowboarder Josh Dirksen. Read more of Dirksen's story in this piece for evo.com.