Highmarking
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Highmarking or High-Marking is a popular activity performed by snowmobilers in mountainous terrain, where the snowmobile operator tries to ride as far up a steep mountain slope as possible, then turn around and come back down the hill without getting stuck, rolling the snowmobile or losing power.
This activity is extremely dangerous because optimum highmark terrain is typically in areas where avalanche danger is extremely high. Snowmobilers are the recreation group most likely to be killed in an avalanche, largely due to the activity of highmarking.
According to the Utah Avalanche Forecast Center, "Avalanche victims are almost exclusively backcountry recreationists--snowmobilers, climbers, snowboarders, snowshoers, skiers and hikers. Snowmobilers lead the list with twice the number of fatalities as any other activity."
