A Chill Off-Season Check In with Cannon Cummins

Cannon Cummins has been turning heads of late, from his home in Washington to far outside the Pacific Northwest, showing more and more that he is someone to watch in the next generation of snowboarders. An absolute chiller on and off the board, Cannon has had a relaxed and steady rise in the scene over the past few years. This past year he has been picked up by big names, the likes of Red Bull and Volcom, and has become a big part of the Gnu family. I caught up with him on a quick Facetime call to see what is going on in his life during the off season. Strap in for a super on-topic deep dive into the world of Cannon, where we struggle to talk about snowboarding. Rest assured, we will cover pertinent topics like his new dirt bike, favorite summer drink, and how he gets his haircut by Oprah’s favorite stylist. – Ely Campeanu

How you doing, champ? What are you up to?
I was just playing 2k and chilling.

Have you gone surfing since Brain Bowl?
Yeah, I went to La Push a couple days and it was pretty good. It was good the other day, but I went dirt biking instead.

Did you get your dirt bike, finally?
Yeah, I got it. You want to see it?

Yeah, I want to see it.
I got a good deal on one. I found a good one for cheap online. I took out something in the muffler, so it sounds like a straight pipe now pretty much.

Cannon proceeds to give it a couple revs that blow out the speakers on Facetime.

It’s pretty dope, though. I think I am gonna go ride it this evening with Max. Max is nice with it. He hits all the trails.

Max Poops?
Yeah, Max Poops.

Can you do a tail whip yet?
No, I don’t have that one yet, but hopefully soon. It would be dope if I was nice on the dirtbike like that. I don’t really want to get broke off, though.

What’s the exact make and model you got?
It's a Kawasaki 230r. Are you gonna say that in the interview? It’s kind of a baby bike. I don’t know if I want to be exposed like that.

It’s fine, don't worry about it. Okay next question. Who’s a better golfer? You or your dad?
Golfing-wise, probably my dad. I am not good at all.

What's an average summer day for you in Sequim? Keeping it pretty chill?
An average summer day in Sequim is probably wake up pretty late and go skate. Now, hopefully dirt bike. Maybe go to the beach and chill, then skate again. Then get some food, get a spritzer and drink some more Red Bull. ;)

What’s your favorite food spot to get lunch in Sequim?
Probably the Da Kindz Hawaiian truck. It’s pretty good for Sequim, but it’s kind of spendy.

That place is pretty good. It pops off.

Matteo Soltane (with the quick phone-in question mid interview): How many Red Bull spritzers a day?
I’d get one a day, but like probably two a week. For a second there, I was drinking like one a day every day of the week.

Matteo: What's your favorite Red Bull spritzer?

Favorite Red Bull spritzer flavor is probably Blackberry lavender lemonade. It’s bussin’.

Ely: How about you, Matteo, what’s your favorite Spritzer?

Matteo: The new pink mist. One spritzer on a regular day, two spritzers a day on a good day.

Cannon: That's pretty crazy. I don't know about that…

What is Cannon listening to these days? I want one rap and one reggae recommendation.
That’s a tough one. Let’s see. The one rap song I’ve been listening to a lot recently is How High Remix with Method Man and Redman. It’s been on repeat all year. And a Reggae song… There are so many. I don’t know if this counts, but Games by Bitty McLean.

Yup, yup! I have been listening to that song on repeat since Brain Bowl. Matteo was bumping that all week.
I put him on that one! That one’s fire. It’s a little slow, but it’s too good.

It’s so fire. So chill. I heard you were super chill. Any comments on that?
Takes a chiller to know a chiller.

Okay, time for something about snowboarding. The season’s over, do you have any summer riding plans or are you going to keep it pretty chill?
Going to Hood in a week or so and then possibly going to New Zealand in August. Otherwise keeping it pretty chill. Going on a summer trip to Costa Rica, I think. Otherwise, I am just trying to chill at home since I have been gone a lot this winter.

Is New Zealand a just-for-fun trip?
It’s for Volcom. It’s kind of just for fun, but also to film some more clips for the video we have been working on.

Are you going to Cardrona or going out into the ‘cunch?
I don’t know where we are going. I just know we are flying into Queensburg? [editor’s note: Queenstown would be where they’re flying.]

Any plans or things you're excited to do with Red Bull this upcoming season?
I am going to the headquarters in Austria pretty soon, which is super exciting. Then I don’t know. We have to do some brainstorming for some Red Bull content.

Are they pushing you to do something like that?
Yeah, for sure. I don’t really know what I am going to do yet with it all.

Yeah, there’s different avenues you can go down. You can go more Seb Toots and put a rail at city hall or be like Jesse Augustines and be more like a presence and film.
Yeah it would be cool to go more towards the presence vibe, if that makes sense.

You do a pretty good job of doing what you like to do in snowboarding. Not really pandering to anyone while you pursue it. Basically, would you ever sell your soul to the industry?
Everything that I am asked to do is pretty chill. And I'm down to do it. It all sounds fun. It's always hard to say no to things. I feel like I don't really say no too much. No one's really like giving me a super whack opportunity. Overall, I like what I have gotten to do.

Last year was your first year out of school, right?
This year is actually my first year out of school.

Last year it seemed like you expanded your world of snowboarding. You left home a little more. Do you have any new takes on what you want to do on your snowboard now that you’ve seen more of what’s out there?
Seeing more of the world, I kind of just want to ride Baker more, honestly. Everywhere was so dope but being gone so much just made me want to ride Baker even more. It is amazing traveling and seeing all these new places, but it’s kinda like…

Makes you realize how much better Baker is?
Yeah, haha.

Did you get your hair cut by Christoph (Matteo's dad, who is located two hours away), yet?
I need to go back soon. My last haircut was by Christoph, last fall. I need a haircut so bad.

It’s funny because a lot of people wouldn’t drive two hours to go snowboarding, but you will drive two hours to get your haircut by Christoph.
You can kind of make a trip out of it though, like skate or stay the night. It’s definitely a mission for a haircut.

Why is Christoph the best?
‘Cause he cuts Oprah’s hair. (Fun fact: Oprah is quoted saying he is the best hairdresser in Seattle.)

I heard you have a new board in the works. Is there anything you can share about that?
It’s a board that Jayden Chomlack and I have worked on and it’s going to be sick. I can’t say much, but it’s going to be a little more twin than the Banked Country.

Should we bring the intensity of the PNW surf localism to the hill in snowboarding?
I feel like it’s already there in some places.

Someone’s going to beat you up for dropping in on them or fucking up a fresh line?
I don’t know if they would swing on you, but there might be some words exchanged. Like if someone’s waiting to drop a line and you rip in under them and take it. But why are you waiting, you know?

And the Summer Road line is pretty on-brand, like chucking snowballs at people who try to cut in line. I guess it’s already localized. Any Projects you have been working on that you can speak on? You mentioned filming for a Volcom video?
Yeah, actually there’s a Volcom video with Arthur Longo and Jadyn Chomlack. Olivier Gittler is filming. We went to France, Canada, and Mt. Hood, and then I missed Japan with them. I still got to go to Japan with Austen Sweetin, Matteo, Griffin Siebert, and Lucy though, which was sick.

Sick! Is there a name for the project that you can share?
We don't have a locked in name yet, but there are a few working titles floating around.

Do you think you'll ever move out of your parents’ and if so, where would you move to?
I definitely will move out one day. I don't know where, though. It's kind of hard to imagine living anywhere other than Port Angeles, at least right now. Definitely not moving out of Washington.

Would you move closer to Baker?
Yeah, I'd move closer to Baker. I wouldn't live in Glacier full time, definitely not, but Bellingham is definitely a possibility. We will see.