MCCALL, Idaho -- Judd and Diane DeBoer have a strong connection to McCall.
Diane's father, Warren Brown, was born and raised in McCall. He helped found Brundage Mountain Ski Area with J.R. Simplot and ski champion Corey Engen.
"Diane and her family taught me that part of the business (turn skiing)," he said. "I had to learn to ski fast to keep up with them."
Today, Brundage is owned by Judd and Diane. It's a point of pride, and so is the town of McCall.
"Diane was my introduction to McCall," Judd said.
"I always say he didn't marry me for me, but for McCall," Diane laughed. "It was wonderful growing up in McCall because of the outdoors and the family that I was born into were very outdoor people."
Diane has watched Winter Carnival change grow over the years. She remembers helping with the sculptures in her early years and hearing stories of her father's racing days.
"The dog sled races. They have tried to bring those back, but they were really a part of the early days of the Winter Carnival," she said.
One of Judd's favorite Winter Carnival memories involves Payette Lake. Organizers needed a groomer from the ski hill to prep for a race.
"We loaned them one of our old groomers to go out and groom the track," Judd said.
But, the weather warmed up...
"The groomer went down through the ice to the bottom of the lake," Diane said.
It stayed at the bottom of the lake until spring, when a crew took a barge out to pull it back to the surface.
"That thing started right up. It went down running so it kept the water out of the engine," he said. "We named that groomer, Sinker."
The DeBoer's say they're not surprised that so many people head to McCall for Winter Carnival. It's a fun atmosphere.
"The parade of course kind of sets the tone for that," the DeBoer's said. "It's all Mardi Gras, lots of beads. It's very festive."
The couple is proud to be a part of McCall's story.
A story, and a history, that's still being written.
