Stepping the mast on an incline.

I'm about to buy a 2009 Bravo with the original, 2 piece assembly securing the mast to the A-frame. Canyon Lake, where I'll be sailing, is a dammed-up canyon with fairly steep sides at the surface level. The boat ramps aren't TOO steep, but the parking lots above them are all on about a 10 degree incline.

If I park aiming uphill, stepping the mast and securing it to the A-frame gets a little tricky. Do you see any problem with me simply parking in a downhill direction and stepping the mast into a "slightly more than vertical" angle? The A-frame is plenty sturdy enough for that, isn't it? And there's no chance of the mast slipping off the ball before I secure the mast, is there?

Why not (if you can) park on the level somewhere close and put the mast up. As long as there are no low trees or phone/electric lines between where you put it up and where you launch, there should be no problem. I keep mine up all the time unless I am going to store the boat for an extended period. I live about 300 yards from where I launch and pull it on a small wooden homemade trailer with a golf cart. Had to trim a few trees, but sure does make it a lot handier. It's about 10 minutes from the house to in the water.
If you have to do it on a slope, it probably would be easiest with the bow downhill. As long as you hold a little pressure against the ball I think the mast will stay on it okay.
Good luck & good sailing.

Thanks Bahama Bravo,

I'm 45 minutes from the lake and so can't trailer the boat with the mast up, but I'll look at the boat ramp again and see if there isn't a flat spot somewhere before I get there where I can step the mast.