Mammoth local Scott Blum has managed to fly under the radar for many years now with his mellow demeanor and ‘don’t give a fuck’ riding style. Those days may be numbered, however, should he keep riding the way he does and filming with Pat Moore. Attacking random features with breakneck speed matched with an original approach, Scott’s place in snowboarding is refreshing in a scene infested with look-a-likes and parasites. Riding for Volcom, Vestal, Drink Water, Rev’d, Tech Nine and Mammoth Mountain, we caught up with the elusive one not long ago for A Quick One…
How is it you tend to emerge only here and there with some gnarly shit that makes me think you are the best snowboarder around? What is your place in the whole pro snowboard scene?
My place is that it’s not as important for me to be a professional as it is for me to be snowboarding ALL the time. And I’ve found that through snowboarding all the time that I enjoy challenging myself in certain ways. Whether that’s on a professional level or not, I want to ride certain things for myself and being given the opportunity to travel more and ride different terrain has made me challenge myself in different ways than I even know about. So I kind of just want to roll with that, there is no real expectation or goal… I just snowboard… it’s more of a lifestyle than a career.
Definitely skateboarding and motocross. Dirt trails, BMX and mountain biking influence my physical act of snowboarding the most. Just reading the terrain and riding berms and corners and making that flow is what I look for the most. Looking for transitions to catch or pump or bank off of is fun for me. That’s the main motivation… or inspiration.
And what has been your plan this winter?
I’ve really just been on a plan of getting on crews where the experience of traveling and snowboarding together outweighs the productivity side. Because if we are all going somewhere together to snowboard we are always going to be productive, but I’ve just been on too many trips where it’s all about “going to where the best snow is”, or “this is where the best spot is” type thing and it just turns into this hectic bullshit. It drives me crazy. But if you just go with it like, “This is my life, this is what I want to do,” then you can go at your own pace, how you want, when you want – that way is much more enjoyable and will never get old.
Also see: Chris Roach Interview: A legend’s perspective on style in snowboarding
