I guess I'm just lucky

I guess I’m just lucky to have survived this far.

The recent deaths of a backcountry snow-biker, and a horn hunter hit me particularly hard. I didn’t know either victim, but I knew what they were doing and where they were doing it. I’d been there.

While I’ve never been caught in an avalanche it wasn’t because of any great care taken by me to avoid one. I skied Miller Mountain above Cooke City where the snow-biker died many times, never fearing for my safety. I should have.

I should have paid closer attention to snow conditions, too, but I didn’t. I should have avoided avalanche chutes, but I didn’t. I just skied, often catching a snowmobile ride up the mountain for a long run by myself through the scattered trees back to the cabin.

From my bedroom window there I had a wonderful view of Woody Ridge where three skiers were caught in an avalanche last month. Although injured they all survived.

I used to ski there, too. Never had a problem, but again it wasn’t because I was careful. Dodging trees on the way down was a bigger issue, and I never even considered wearing a helmet.

Neither did I ever carry bear spray while horn hunting in the spring. I was young and bullet-proof, and as it turns out – lucky.

The bears I did encounter always went their own way except for one that treed me, and he soon left after I climbed out of reach.

I never paid much attention to the old adage there’s safety in numbers either. Although I usually hunted shed horns with a partner, we typically split up and spent most of the day alone.

This was all before the advent of cell phones. If I was away from home, I was out of touch. If I got into trouble, it was up to me to get out of it.

But I never gave it much thought. I was always comfortable in wild, hard-to-get-to places where avalanches and bears might kill me. The rewards out-weighed the risks.

I no longer ski the backcountry or hunt horns in grizzly country, not because I’m more cautious now, but simply because I’m too old and lazy.

A more pedestrian passing awaits me, I’m sure.

None of us are going to get out of this alive.

Parker Heinlein is at [email protected]