Blake says: I realize the Darwin Awards site is your baby, and you have to make decisions on what qualifies and what doesn't. But you would change your mind and accept the Avalanche submission if you had the whole story. This man was not killed by a "natural disaster," but by pure stupidity.
He was "highmarking" the snow, a snow machine (snowmobile) stunt. The aim is to drive your machine as far as possible up the side of a mountain. Just before the machine stops, you turn and drive back down. The U on the hill marks your best shot. Do it above tree level so everybody can see your mark. Then a buddy will take a go at it and charge that hill to better your mark.
Using heavy and noisy machines to undermine the snowpack in an avalanche risk area is not a sport for the meek.
The highmarking event is featured in the Alaskan Iron Man Competition, which combines skies and snow machines with pristine ice. The man who died in an avalanche was not competing at the time he died, but he knew the risks. Recent weather had destabilized the snowpack, and the condition of the snow was well known to all competitors. These men and women talk nothing but snow.
Earlier that very day he had generated an avalanche that buried him to his waist. Rescuers told him to stop highmarking, it was too dangerous! And told him to carry a locator if he insisted on highmarking anyway. But their warnings were not enough to save the man, who was not rescued from the next avalanche in time to save his life.
So as you see, this man was not killed by a natural disaster, but by his own pure stupidity. This qualifies him to be listed as a Darwin nominee.
