A high altitude plunge! — 1989
I could fill an entire volume with a recounting of the unwise and risky stunts I’ve participated in or initiated during my life. The following experience would definitely be included in such a volume. During August of 1989, I went on a backpacking trip with our Scouts into the Uinta Mountains. The hike was long and hot, and when we finally reached our destination, a remote highland lake, we were anxious to rest and cool down. Across the lake we could see some Varsity scouts from another unit cliff-jumping into the lake. Cliffs seem to have a magnetic attraction for Scouts, and soon we were all over at the cliffs. The highest cliff was about 35 feet above the water level, and the scouts began goading each other to jump from the high cliff. Soon the taunts were directed at the leaders, and myself and another leader looked at each other, knowing full well what we had to do. We huddled together briefly to give each other encouragement, walked to the edge of the cliff, counted to three, and leapt. That was our second mistake. The first mistake was not checking the water’s temperature before we plunged into it. This particular lake was fed by melting snow from surrounding snow banks at an elevation of about 10,000 feet. I am still amazed that my organ systems withstood the combined shock of the jump and the frigid water. It was several seconds before I could draw a breath. When the scouts saw our wide eyes and our blue lips, they decided it was time to go back to camp and set up the tents. Myself and the other leader thought so also. I paid a dear price for this shenanigan. Four days later, I had pneumonia in both lungs, and I was on antibiotics for several days. It is frightening to ponder the ridiculous things that peer pressure or macho-ism, at times, causes us to do.
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