Beware of Slippery Slopes

Since most of you guys only fish, you’re used to just buying a fishing license before you go fishing in your state or another. That’s pretty straightforward and pretty simple.

On the other hand, I know that only a small percentage of you guys hunt, so you may not be aware that you have to get in state-run drawings to buy a tag for most big-game hunts in our Western states.

Although you receive preference points for future years when you’re not drawn, the process usually takes years to actually buy a big game tag. This is the case for each state and for each species.

Years ago, after trying for six years, I drew a mountain goat tag for Colorado. It takes some people 20 years to get a mountain goat tag. I got lucky.

I went on the hunt by myself, which probably wasn’t a great plan, but when you wait 6 years to get a tag, you use it whether you have a hunting partner or not.

In hindsight, this do-it-yourself, hunt-alone plan was particularly questionable when you consider that mountain goats live almost their entire lives above 12,000 feet elevation — and in particularly rugged terrain. Are you getting the picture?

In case you also didn’t know it, in Colorado trees don’t grow above 12,000 feet elevation. It’s called the “treeline”.

Each day, after drinking almost two liters of water for hydration, I would start my ascent before daybreak in order to minimize my afternoon time above the treeline. That’s because dehydration and lightning are two of the major causes of death for mountain hikers and climbers. And storms form quickly in the afternoon in the mountains.

While above the treeline on one of the days, I spotted a band (group) of mountain goats at about 13,000 feet. They slowly went out of my sight as they crested the ridge above me. As they went out of sight, I started climbing directly toward them, but in my excitement I found myself sliding down the mountain until I was able to eventually grab a small bush.

I quickly realized that in my rush I had gotten myself in a steep area with very little vegetation to hold the soil and rock. I was on a slippery slope with nothing to stop my slide or probable tumble until I would crash into the treeline which was almost a thousand feet below. If it wasn’t for that single well-rooted bush I would have probably broken every bone in my body before crashing into the treeline.

I caught my breath, then straddled the bush as I carefully removed my backpack, and got out some paracord. Then I unloaded my rifle and tied the paracord onto my backpack and rifle. I was eventually able to rest the pack against the bush as I carefully back crawled like a crab up to some more well-rooted vegetation. I pulled up my pack and did the maneuver over again several times till I was out of the slippery slope area.

In a metaphorical sense, a slippery slope is a series of events that are difficult to stop or control once they’ve begun, and typically lead to worse or more difficult outcomes. It can also refer to a course of action that seems to inevitably lead to unintended consequences.

I was wondering, have you had a slippery slope experience? What led to my first divorce was certainly another slippery slope story that we could share sometime while we sip bourbon or sit around a campfire. Maybe you could learn from my disastrous story.

Sometimes, slippery slopes aren’t obvious until you find yourself sliding out of control. I’m reminded of a line from Hemingway’s book The Sun Also Rises. One character in the story asks his friend how he managed to go bankrupt. The penniless, broken friend answered, “Gradually and then suddenly.”

I’m not trying to judge others or get into someone else’s business, but I do sometimes try to remind my kids and friends to be aware of potential slippery slopes.

Often it’s easier to see someone else on a slippery slope than it is to see yourself there. Years ago, there was a campaign to help curb drunk driving. It was built around the slogan, “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk.”

Alcohol, pornography, lying, cheating on your taxes, lack of exercise, poor eating habits are all potential slippery slopes. They can go from “gradual to suddenly” in no time at all.

In my mountain goat story I was saved in essence by that deeply-rooted bush. In my divorce story I was saved by clinging to a relationship with Jesus Christ. Now that I think about it, Moses found God in a burning bush. A bush on the side of a mountain saved me from great harm or death. My divorce led me to finding God; whom I cling to for salvation and peace in trying times.

It’s Christmas and New Years time. Maybe that’s a great time to examine our lives for “slippery slopes” and potential “bushes” to cling to.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

John