{"id":11678,"date":"2014-04-27T10:29:32","date_gmt":"2014-04-27T18:29:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.canyoncountryzephyr.com\/blog\/?p=11678"},"modified":"2014-04-28T03:58:16","modified_gmt":"2014-04-28T11:58:16","slug":"an-afternoon-with-ken-sleight-in-his-own-words-from-the-2010-zephyr-archives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.canyoncountryzephyr.com\/blog\/2014\/04\/27\/an-afternoon-with-ken-sleight-in-his-own-words-from-the-2010-zephyr-archives\/","title":{"rendered":"‘AN AFTERNOON with KEN SLEIGHT—In His Own Words’ (from the 2010 Zephyr Archives)"},"content":{"rendered":"

AN AFTERNOON WITH KEN SLEIGHT, from May 2010\"sleight6-2010\"<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s almost looking like Spring at Pack Creek Ranch. The lawns are greening up. The horses are looking like they\u2019re feeling their oats after a long hard winter. Splashes of color\u2014flowers! Dot the landscape. But where\u2019s Sleight? I check the house but he\u2019s not where he said he would be. Sleight on the move. I wander the grounds for few minutes, hoping to catch a glimpse of him wrestling with an irrigation sprinkler. No sign of him.<\/p>\n

Finally I get back in the car and drive up the road to the incongruous sight of a steel Quonset hut set back in the trees. I see his truck, then I hear \u201cSeldom Seen,\u201d even with my windows rolled up.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoddamn computer!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

I know how he feels.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s my old friend of almost 35 years. He had been hunched over his desktop, frozen by frustration. But now, he unwinds his legs, props them across the desk and leans back in his ragged chair. Ken cups his hands behind his head and grins, \u201cStiles! How the hell are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

I met Ken Sleight at the Arches National Park visitor center almost 35 years ago. In the intervening years, I don\u2019t think he has ever failed to greet me in just that way. And incredibly, always with a hint of enthusiasm.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow you doing Ken?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been sitting at this damn computer. I don\u2019t like all this computer shit but I have to learn how to do it. I don\u2019t really want to learn how to do \u2018new stuff\u2019 anymore. They tell you there\u2019s all this new stuff that a computer or whatever will do. But then you get it and you have to learn HOW to use it! I\u2019m sick of updates! And the damn computer is always freezing up and I have to turn the whole damn thing off. You either have to be a computer whiz or have somebody around who is. .and the money to pay them. And then you\u2019re broke so what\u2019s the point?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\"sleight1-2010\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Ken isn\u2019t too pleased with the state of the world these days. Ken spent most of his life running rivers and leading pack trips. He never hesitates to note that he was a small businessman. It\u2019s BIG business that gives him heartburn that leads to heartache. He liked being \u2018small.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cI used to think I could do it all myself. Even when I was running the river, I wanted to do it all myself. I never liked to spend a lot of money and if it all got too big, then I wasn\u2019t really in a business that I wanted to be in. I didn\u2019t like to send out pack trips or river trips when I couldn\u2019t go myself. What\u2019s the point if I can\u2019t go? So I kept it real low level…I\u2019d hire an assistant or two but that\u2019s about it. If you\u2019re a small outfit, you get to be the creator. It\u2019s like The Zephyr. If there was anybody to blame it was you!<\/em><\/p>\n

Ken did it all back then. He was the marketing man. He put together hand-made brochures that he printed on an old mimeograph machine. He did the folding and stuffing, he licked the stamps. On trips, he drove the truck, led the horses, cooked the meals. Ken didn\u2019t really want any \u201cassistance\u201d when he cooked. The more his customers tried to \u201chelp\u201d the less likely they were to eat. Ken used to take a stick and draw a circle around him as he prepared the meals.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is my kitchen!\u201d<\/em> he hollered, pointing out the crude circle to his customers. \u201cDon\u2019t dare step inside it!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Pack trips were no more complicated than that\u2014stay outside Ken\u2019s circle!<\/p>\n

\"sleight2-ju10A\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe biggest problem in the world today is that everything is so complicated. You have to go through so many things. There\u2019s just too many damn people and as a result, you have to be so organized it takes the fun out of living. Abbey and I used to talk about where we\u2019d go once this place is totally ruined. We\u2019d just close our eyes to the changes and figured we\u2019d go where we want. We talked about going to the Yukon once. Just keep moving. Keep moving.<\/em><\/p>\n

“But really I don\u2019t know that that\u2019s the answer. I have Jane and my family and I couldn\u2019t just drag everybody along. But just me talking?\u00a0 I wouldn\u2019t be here.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cBut I am here and I like it. I\u2019ll stick it out to the end, whether there are parts of it I don\u2019t like or not. We can still…maybe…protect some of it…eliminate some of the stuff we\u2019ve screwed up. Maybe restore some of it. I always felt we could restore Glen Canyon.\u00a0 The older I get, the less I feel we have much impact. It bothers me to no end to know you can fight like hell, we can organize little groups of activists, you put all your heart and soul into that, then here comes other mainstream groups who can overrule you.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

In the late 1990s Ken Sleight and others tried to organize a \u201cGlen Canyon Group\u201d of the Sierra Club. Its sole purpose was to advocate the decommissioning of Glen Canyon Dam, a subject dear to Ken\u2019s heart. But Sierra Clubbers from the Utah Chapter hierarchy took issue with the groups\u2019s goal, even though the national organization had passed a resolution in support of decommissioning. Ultimately Sleight was drummed out of the group. It was the last time he would actively involve himself in a \u201cmainstream\u201d environmental organization. Here\u2019s Ken…<\/p>\n

\u201cThat Sierra Club deal really taught me a lot. One of the basic goals was to restore Glen Canyon. Our little group fought like hell to get established. But here comes the powers-that-be from Salt Lake that opposed our group. Then the national people say, \u2018Let\u2019s do it another way.\u2019 The group pulled away from serious Glen Canyon restoration…they thought going after restoration looked silly.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cNowadays, there\u2019s no major project. They do clean ups and things. They did a fine job on moving the tailings at Atlas, but I don\u2019t see the green fighters in it that there used to be. It\u2019s a feel-good deal, the Sierra Club. <\/em><\/p>\n

“What the large environmental groups don\u2019t want to get into is that they load their boards of directors with people with lots of money and those people with lots of money seem different than we are. Some of them are doing good jobs…not letting their interests get in the way.\u00a0 But others…how in the world can they NOT let their interests get in the way? So as a result, some of these groups, like the Grand Canyon Trust..SUWA…I think they pull their punches. They won\u2019t take on some issues. White Mesa. Nuclear waste. Glen Canyon… Anyway I think it is legitimate to question the big money on these boards. <\/em><\/p>\n

“I\u2019ve thought a lot about this. After they got all their money in the first place, whether it\u2019s by oil or gas or uranium or plastics, they\u2019ve created these monsters. Then they come back and want to donate. Are they trying to make amends? How are they making amends? If these big outfits and people want to make amends, then REALLY make amends. From a standpoint of conscience, if they say, \u2018I want to do everything I can to atone for my past sins,\u2019 then okay. But most of it is, \u2018I give so much to charity,\u2019 and it makes them look great. But if they are really repentant, they ought to get their shovels and go right to work.”<\/em><\/p>\n

More than anything, Ken worries about too many people. When Sleight was running tourists down Glen Canyon in the 1950s, he never dreamed the recreation industry \"sleight2010-c\"<\/a>would become what it is today. And if it\u2019s this bad now, what will it be like in another 20 years?<\/p>\n

\u201cThey keep trying to bring more people here. That spells doom for wilderness. More people. More people. How many times have we talked about that? More parking lots. More of everything. We keep building and building. Down at Zion they\u2019re about to build a bigger tunnel for the east entrance road. \u2018Improving\u2019 it! Adapting to handle ever increased numbers, all for the comfort of the people. Now everybody associates that with preservation. We\u2019ve got to \u2018improve\u2019 it so we can get more people in. And that\u2019s what even Obama is saying. I\u2019m an Obama fan in a lot of ways but not this. And look at the offshore drilling now! It\u2019s too much compromise. And nobody is talking about reducing the number of people.”<\/em><\/p>\n

And what about wilderness?\u00a0 It is the biggest environmental battle in Utah and has been for 20 years. Why do we save wilderness? Ken has some opinions…<\/p>\n

“Now its how can we use IT…wilderness that is. Not wilderness for its own merits. I\u2019ve got an idea for wilderness. Lets carve up a big section and NOBODY goes in there. Leave it to the animals and nature. NOBODY! Goes in there. I admit I\u2019d be the first to want to go in there and I\u2019d probably get caught. Why not just have places on the earth where nobody can go in. Not even scientists! They\u2019re not going to allow that. I always like Dave Foreman\u2019s idea to even take wilderness off the maps. Big blank spots. JUST LEAVE IT LONE! That sounds good to me.”<\/em><\/p>\n

If there\u2019s one subject that riles Ken more than anything else these days, it\u2019s the case of Tim DeChristopher. In December 2008, DeChristopher attended a federal oil and gas lease auction in Salt Lake City. He found himself bidding on the leases though he had no money to pay for them. In effect, he successfully killed the sale and a month later, the Obama administration voided any future sales of those lands near Moab. But DeChristopher was charged with two felony counts anyway. On June 21, DeChristopher goes to trial.<\/p>\n

Ken gets hot just thinking about Tim…<\/p>\n

\u201cHere is a case of an unjust action..the oil and gas leases…and they\u2019ve shown it was the LEASES that are unjust. The government itself has said it was wrong. The law suit from SUWA shows part of this. But here was a young guy who saw all this and said, \u2018nobody is doing anything…this is unjust,\u2019 and rightfully he did something about it. <\/em>
\n\u201cWhat a glorious thing, acting against an unjust action. Then the BLM and the Justice Department takes him to task. He acted. What a wonderful thing for him to do. <\/em>
\n\u201cIt\u2019s haunting to me that nobody, no environmental group is commenting on it. I talked to Groene (executive director of SUWA) and to Liz Thomas and I said, \u2018Where\u2019s your support?\u2019 No support. QUIET!\u00a0 They said, \u2018Well he was doing all these things and we were doing this thing and his actions interfered with our actions..in the name of the environment. And I said, \u2018where is the grassroots.\u2019 I know that SUWA\u2019s lawsuits were beneficial but SO WERE HIS ACTIONS! \u00a0<\/em>
\nIn the same way. The same fervor. Law suits are so slow and DeChristopher accomplished his purpose. He won! <\/em><\/p>\n

“But I don\u2019t think any of these big outfits like SUWA will even send a delegation to the trial to protest.\u00a0 Groene says he\u2019s not going to do anything or make a statement. They\u2019re afraid it makes them look like they condone that kind of stuff. But for me, the most important thing to realize is an unjust law. That\u2019s what this is about.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Ken<\/a>

Ken at Arches NP. 1985<\/p><\/div>\n

Ken gets frustrated at times. He blames his age more than anything else. The fire is still there, but…<\/p>\n

“The older you get, the less sharp you are. You feel all your aches and pains and you don\u2019t quite have it like you used to. I can blame it on people not listening to me. Well maybe the problem is, I\u2019m not putting the word out appropriately.\u00a0 Maybe there comes a time like ol\u2019 Governor Lamm said a long time ago, that it\u2019s time to let the ranch go…I think there might be something to it. I\u2019m still going to fight to the end, but I was much better at fighting for things in a younger era than I am now.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Ken stands up. \u201cLet\u2019s get out of this damn office and breathe some real air.\u201d<\/p>\n

For once we have a breeze not a gale as we walk into the Springtime and the trees and gaze across the horse pasture to the old Pack Creek lodge, now Ken and Jane\u2019s home. It looks much the same to me as it did 25 years ago, but change is underway. The ranch is administered by a homeowners association and all the owners, including the Sleights, share the commons. Ken ponders the future…what will it be like, Ken?<\/p>\n

\u201cPack Creek Ranch and Moab will be plastic,\u201d<\/em> Ken says sadly.\u00a0 \u201cNothing but plastic, and Pack Creek with it. Civilization is already headed that way. It IS that way. Plastic is a good word. Plastic individuals.\u00a0 Not really individuals anymore. People will go where they\u2019ve been trained and taught. Control.<\/em>\u00a0 Wilderness is supposed to be having the space to be free. When we fought for wilderness, we thought it meant big empty places. I really don\u2019t want to be around for what\u2019s coming and I won\u2019t of course. I\u2019m 80 years old. I\u2019ve turned the corner I guess.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Ken stares down the valley to the towering red wall on the far side of Spanish valley and beyond to the tablelands and mesas and\u00a0 cliffs that have been his home for a lifetime.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes the fever goes out….But not all the time. It comes back. I may not change the course of anything\u00a0 but I\u00a0 feel better about it when I try.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\"sleight-2010-b\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

AN AFTERNOON WITH KEN SLEIGHT, from May 2010 It\u2019s almost looking like Spring at Pack Creek Ranch. The lawns are greening up. The horses are looking like they\u2019re feeling their oats after a long hard winter. Splashes of color\u2014flowers! Dot the landscape. But where\u2019s Sleight? I check the house but he\u2019s not where he said […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11678","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.canyoncountryzephyr.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11678","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.canyoncountryzephyr.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.canyoncountryzephyr.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.canyoncountryzephyr.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.canyoncountryzephyr.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11678"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"http:\/\/www.canyoncountryzephyr.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11678\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11697,"href":"http:\/\/www.canyoncountryzephyr.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11678\/revisions\/11697"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.canyoncountryzephyr.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11678"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.canyoncountryzephyr.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11678"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.canyoncountryzephyr.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11678"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}