Lucas Magoon Treasure Hunts on Hump Day

Winner. Photo: Dank Donuts

To the uninformed, Lucas Magoon may seem like an oddity. He dresses like it’s 1993 and parties like it’s 1999. And you can very rarely understand a word he says. But in snowboarding, Lucas is one of the people who makes our world so great. He’s always smiling, always having fun and always doing his own thing – even though everyone else is on some new shit. Lucas’s story isn’t all sunshine and buttercups, but the formerly richest man in Rutland is still going for it, and I decided it was time to catch up with him. To be completely honest, I have no idea what Lucas was talking about for most of this interview, so much of it is my best interpretation, but you’ll get the idea.

Were you ever bad at snowboarding?

Yeah. I think so. We would hike a bunch and Janie Magoon would tell me to keep going. But I pretty much only remember one day of getting worked and then it was Pico B lift, a little two chair. That was the zone.

I think of you as a child prodigy in snowboarding, is it hard to keep it going?

Yeah, I agree, since you’ve known me since real little. I just continue enjoying it. I still remember the videos from the original Darkside at Killington. 1993 is the style I like the most.

Are you fully recovered from your head injury?

It’s definitely not like the first year after it. I spent two months in the Reno ICU and then two weeks when I went back to Rutland. Then I stopped taking the seizure medication and anti depressants that they had me on. And then I just told em I’m gonna smoke weed.

How long as it been?

It was like the summer of ’09. Each year it gets better. Even the officers I dealt with up here, they would like see me once a year and even they noticed a difference. It was kinda like I knew stuff and I had to like grab it and put it back together like puzzle pieces. Knowing there’s the puzzle pieces and then definitely I would have to say it’s not like it was. I still filmed a part that winter. Everything was fucking everywhere. It was definitely a little off, definitely just adjusting, it is what it is.

Why don’t you wear a helmet when you snowboard?

It’s all good. I think helmets throw things off sometimes. That’s just self opinion. Everyone else has their own. I respect the helmet. Before I got kicked out of the Killington Mountain School weekend program, that one time I got sideswiped on the cutover that goes across from Snowden, that’s the one time I remember a helmet worked out. It cracked and what not. Other than that the helmet flew off when I first got on a dirt bike and I totaled it. Straight into a tree and then I supermanned off and the helmet flew off, but I didn’t really hit my head on that one. Jeanie was all like, I’m not gonna pay for that dirt bike.

We couldn’t get any riding shots of Lucas, luckily I screen grabbed our Facetime. 

What did you get kicked out KMS for?

I don’t know, they didn’t want to affiliate with me. I didn’t make it through the weekend program.

You used to do a lot of rail jams, that’s kinda how you came up right? What do you think of the modern rail jam?

I did the triple crown and everything, going to the mountain school, and coming up on USASA. But yeah, I guess. The set ups aren’t really that great. There’s a couple I’ve seen. There was one in Breck in the streets but it didn’t look like much speed. But there’s rail jams over seas, the ones where they hit actual features. In the states it seems like Rail Jams are less important but overseas is where the rail jam set ups are going.

Do you think it’s all in the set up? Like a good set up makes a good rail jam?

Anything, as much options as possible. I think a good scaffolding set up to a stair set it still good. I just went to one down the 330, the Caviar rail jam. That was to two shipping containers with vert frame on both sides, and a bunch of filing cabinets on one side and some painters scaffolding set up going down the other. People got into it. But I was still sore from my first trip to Colorado. Definitely gotta make sure the body can keep up with the mind.

Is that something you’re having trouble with? How old are you now?

25.

How many times have you been in trouble with the law?

I don’t know, quite a bit. But it’s all misdemeanors and warrants that I usually get through. I think I just got one or two more years for a warrant to get dropped. And then I’m clear. Still paying a payment from another situation out here in California, but I should be clear on that once I pay for it. I just got all my tax returns in, from ’06 to now and I got the levy dropped.

Do you still get paid to snowboard?

I still been getting paid since I hit my head, I never stopped getting paid. I didn’t even know what professional really meant for awhile in the beginning, but I think I’m on my 10th year now. The money definitely helps, helps with the bills, that’s what it’s mostly on right now and then everything’s gone. Got a little bit left for food.

Do you think the way you came up still exists, or were you just in the right place, right time?

Possibly it could. I think it works for people, if the parents let it happen for the kids. I think there’s still a couple kids that could be straight out the trailer park just getting it done, doing their thing. I think it could still happen, all depending. Seems like snowboarding is kinda in a little slump, but it seems like everyone has their own style and plays their own part. It all depends on the person. If they get into skateboarding I think they should just go with that and continue with that.

I figured out if I flipped the phone sideways I could crop myself out. Don’t worry, Lucas is not doing anything illegal in this photo. 

Let’s talk tattoos. What was your first?

I’m still not finished yet. First one was the Magoon on the side of my arm, and then second was the Rutland STD crew. Then it was the Ritalin bottle third and then I still got plenty to go. I got plenty more room. Tonya already got all the legs pretty much done and then once everything is covered I’m just gonna go through and shade everything together. I got some more ideas, you’ll see.

You took the plunge with the face tat, was that Bozung inspired?

Actually no, that was mostly cause the misses there was getting a face tat. You gotta be careful when you drink and say what you’re gonna do. If you’re gonna do what you say, you might as well, so I kinda put myself into that. But I couldn’t let the misses have a face tat or more tattoos than me. We both got both sides of our necks done. I just got a new one on my temple too.

Are you worried that some day you’re gonna have to get a real job and that might make it hard?

Nah, not really. I don’t even try to think of that cause I don’t know what is gonna happen. Could be scared of not getting certain jobs, but I don’t know what I’ll end up doing. Probably get into treasure hunting. I hear after Route 4 got cleared out by Irene this dude’s been finding mad gold.

Speaking of our hometown, I think the Rutland influence in snowboarding is the strongest it’s ever been.

Yeah, it goes back to the Killington Block father, Pat Bridges. That pretty much is it, right there.

Rutland kids coming up, I honestly don’t know. But we got upstate New York, Johnny O’Connor, coming up. His parents actually own a hotel that we went to. They had this tavern and they hooked it up with food and drinks, that was pretty cool. I got respect for upstate New York, any of the neighbors in New England.

Are you surprised by the heroin epidemic in our fair hometown?

I’ve been hearing bullshit you know. It’s people didn’t grow out of it and just got into other styles of shooting and smoking.

Have you ever done heroin?

No, never done a needle or nothing.

That’s good, you’re a role model.

No one needs that. I think no one needs Acid either, I think it’s a little much.

Just keep it to the weed.

Yeah, just get some good, holy blessed flower and it’s good.

Do you make it back to Rutland much?

Not really. Last time was for the funeral, my dad that passed a couple months ago, and my grandfather passed a year prior. I was actually there on my 24th birthday, at the service for the G-pa. And then it was Tonya’s Birthday in July and then I was back for my dad’s service. I put a pre-roll and a cigarette up his sleeve and I left him a Budweiser in the open casket.

Sorry to hear about your dad.

It was bound to happen, he had emphyzema, but he was kinda like holding it in. Not really letting on it was as bad as it was. But it’s all good, all respect. I talked to him on father’s day before that and he kinda always knew the plan. I got a lot of hunting gear and like 15-20 rifles and weapons signed over for me from my grandpa from when he was a game warden. Did you know he was the first game warden to get killed in the line of duty in Vermont? It was way before I was born. There’s something at the main warden station up there for him, a foundation or something. You learn something new every year. Like I thought I was Scottish for a while, but Magoon comes straight from Ireland.

Getting inspired. 

Wait, do you think it’s safe for you to have guns?

Well, in Vermont it’ll be all good. I think I’m going back and just try to find that good land and just make a a whole plaza. Skateboard in the summer, shred in the winter. Make cement stair sets, a gazebo up top. You’ll just be seeing footage outta there.

Your own private Sababa land?

Yeah, but back Vermont. I think it’ll be closer to Mt Snow so you can like drive around to New York and stuff. (The Gremlinz) are all overseas right now.

Woah, how did they get the bus across the ocean?

Haha they didn’t get the bus over there, yet. I think Nico is meeting up after New Years. I heard they’re going to Amsterdam, Germany, France.

How?

I don’t know, I don’t ask. Maybe the sale of their boards are going good over there. I heard some good stuff about their land though. They just made a new ramp and as he was bulldozing they broke into a crystal pocket. But that’s the good thing, Dylan Lunch, they made sure that everything is completely written for so no one can come in later and try to take any thing. They got water rights, mineral sample rights, all sorts of rights. It’s really kinda set up very good.

They’re smarter than they look.

Definitely.

Do you think Killington is still the shred epicenter it was was?

Well, you got Rosey, he’s just continuing KSA there. But you also got a lot going on down there at Mt. Snow. Honestly, there’s a couple skateboarders in Rutland, I think that’s the best. The Rutland skate plaza there in Howe center. I think that’s good for some of those kids that can’t afford to go up to the mountain. I don’t know the price of the passes and I don’t think kids get free passes through their parents anymore.

Is that how you got a pass?

Yeah, pretty much when I was young, Jeanie was working at the mountain and I got a pass out of that. That’s pretty much what got me up to the mountain, my mom working up there. That kinda helped out. My uncle helped out my mom and gave her money to get my first snowboard. It was a Nitro, orange with a racer black stripe down the side. At the bottom it had like a cobra with hot wheels burning out. The next one was a Burton. That’s what I kinda went off the first board I did with Tech Nine, the yucky charms one and how I had the fork on the bottom. I had that Burton Punch with the fork and the skull and the brain. Since that was my second board in life, I kinda put it around that. The only part was putting the spoon on the bottom. But that’s the only Burton product I had.

Are you embarrassed that you rode a Burton?

Yeah but I don’t remember it, I just remember that Nitro. The first ever free board I got was a Nidecker from Chris Piadik, when I was getting Electric from him. Some how I got hooked up a Nidecker. And the first day with that it dropped down the whole Killington U-ditch, I was so pissed.

Do you ever ride halfpipe anymore? Does Big Bear even have one?

Yeah, I like u ditches here and there. They’re fun. You know some blocks and some reverts and some human staple guns. Plants. You know that’s always fun. There’s a full size pipe and then a smaller one up here that’s pretty fun, but that’s the closest U-ditch I ever go in. Last pipe I rode was a while back up at Hood.

Have you ever tried to answer questions and roll a spliff inside out? 

What’s the weirdest thing that’s ever happened on the GBP bus?

I bet plenty has happened when I’m not there. I bet there’s plenty of what-nots. Definitely the most convenient is when you have a hammock so you don’t have to be in the sardine pit.

What’s the sardine pit?

It mostly the front half of the bus, they took all the old seats and put them up against the wall facing each other, and then you take the back supports off and you put em over the middle of the walkway and that turns into a double california king size. They got all the old holders, like backpack stands and pockets so you can still tie off a hammock.

You recently acquired Eddie Wall’s drop in ramp. What’s so special about it? What are your plans with it this season?

You can check it out in “That.” It could be even older than that. It could be one of the original models from Hanes Supply. I think the ones that they sell now, you have like four pieces. We have ten slats. It’s older and bigger. He’s had it from quite a while. Plus it’s just Eddie Wall, there’s probably been some cool cats around it. You can probably make it into a good smoking section too. You can fully go underneath it. This thing is like 18 or 20 pieces. Ryan Tarbell set it up first thing. We went down there and I asked Eddie if he trusted me to pay him when I can. But then I got $300 early Christmas gift towards it. And it came with an old Forum board bag as well. I already put it in a new bag, but I’m gonna use the Forum one for collections, I got an old JP forum already.

People still use drop in ramps? Don’t people just use winches now?

Yeah you can get a winch, we were talking about that too. People try to use bungees, they’re still around. There’s not much good old classic car tow ins and what not anymore. But the good classic drop in is just good. You might not even need pump bumps with this one. But new ones are like 3 grand and I heard they only make em when someone order them. I haven’t seen anyone else with one of these in a long time.

Just bringing it back to ’93.

This thing is so convenient, you can travel with it. I don’t know why everyone doesn’t have one. Eddie was about it. I asked him if other people were trying to get it and he was like, yeah, there was a couple people I didn’t know, but I’d rather know where it’s going. She’s in good hands. It’s an honor really. We’ll keep it going.

Is going under something really a trick?

Ducking and what not? It seems like if you’re gonna go under you gotta bash the top sheet or the front of the bindings. It’s best if there’s something you gotta duck real quick after you hit something. There’s all sorts of what-nots.

I guess anything is a trick.

Anything. Even a tumble if you ride out, it still counts. Keep it going, why just sit there.

What are your plans for the season?

I believe I am filming a Snowboarder Mag part this year and then I’m gonna try to get on some trips with Blum, I will be taking some trips with Ryan Tarbell, he’s filming a part for 686. And then Old Dirty bradshow for a 32 part so I’ll be taking some trips with them. Anto Mazzoti will be out and about. There is winch too, Ryan Tarbell is getting one. And the East is still eerie, a lot needs to be going down out there and I think I might be heading back there. But after this Snowboarder Mag part, we’ll see where it’s at. Cause if I’m not gonna start Prepared Accessories and get everything down in LA I could maybe just do it in New York City.

What’s Prepared Accessories?

That’s been something that’s on the plan. Deadlung did the logo, I just need to get it freshened up. I already got all the Legal Zoom papers to get it Trademarked and stuff, but I didn’t go put the logo on a patch yet. But it’s Bradshaw and myself 50-50.

But what is it?

Prepared accessories! Anything and everything. I could go for days, it’s anything. It’ll be dope materials, good shit. It may even be super exclusive and you can’t even get the shit if you’re not on the program. I honestly don’t know though, I’m honestly gonna try and keep the body good and just go as long as I can. Definitely feeling it. Then I don’t know, probably start my own company. Tonya’s dad owns a fence company so I can get like $15-20 an hour working fences, but I know I can get the whole land compounded and just go from there.

Who’s paying the bills? Any other shout outs?

Mostly Tech Nine, the last check for this month definitely helped out. Kept everything up to date. Jus Liv, Creeps and Jay there. And Pop’s BBQ where Tonya works. And then we got Jammie Pack, Tight belts, Cavier Gold, Silica Glass, Duh bolts, GBP. Got the Gremlinz, got Rutland, got Big Bear locs, American Stomping Terrors. Cyle is still hooking up, he actually got me a pass from Electric so I’ll still rep that shit. Dank Donuts, I’ll throw Meditator in there, fuck it. Snow Mafia. That’s mostly it. All mad respect to Yobeat all the time. Let it snow, everyone get your shred on and smoke some good weed when you can.