Gordon - I guess I use two things to judge the safety of the slope, but one of them is never "seat of the pants" feel anymore. The Tiltmeter tells me exactly what the slope is at any given time, something that "seat of the pants" can't do, because of factors like "optical delusion", etc. But there's a lot more involved than just the actual slope. For example, if there's logs or rocks on the slope, running over one on the uphill side could be enough to tip you instantly. Or, if the surface isn't smooth, running over a bump on the uphill side or a hole on the downhill side could tip you instantly. Similarly, if the ground is very soft, the downhill side, having more weight on it, will sink faster and tip you. Or, if the surface is slick and you start to slide, then stop suddenly, the momentum can tip you, too. (I realize you know all this already, but I'm just illustrating a point.) So, basically, I rely on the Tiltmeter exclusively for the degree of slope at the moment. Then, I factor in everything else I can observe (facts, not feel) and come up with a "go/no go" decision.
Now, aren't you sorry you asked? /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
Mark