Reported Mountaineering Accidents, Table IV
Miscellaneous Information Numbers Refer to Number of Persons Involved
1951-62
1959-62
1963
U.S.
CAN.
U.S.
CAN.
Terrain
Rock
365
4
56
7
Snow
217
22
17
2
River
2
0
0
0
Unknown
0
0
0
0
Ascent or Descent
(River crossing not included)
Ascent
268
16
36
5
Descent
272
9
35
4
Unknown
43
1
2
0
Immediate Cause
Fall or slip on rock
210
4
29
3
Failure of piton
12
0
1
0
Falling rock or object
58
0
6
4
Failure of rappel
32
0
2
0
Slip on snow or ice
92
10
4
0
Fall into crevasse
13
4
1
0
Loss of control in voluntary glissade
29
0
4
2
Avalanche
48
7
2
0
Lightning
16
0
0
0
Stuck rope
5
0
0
0
Skiing
2
0
0
0
Faulty use of crampon
5
0
0
0
Fall in river
2
0
0
0
Exposure and/or exhaustion
34
1
7
0
Heat prostration
1
0
1
0
Illness, medical
4
0
1
0
Exceeding abilities
(inexperience)
14
0
0
0
Miscellaneous (incl Frostbite)
8
0
14
0
Contributory Causes
Climbing unroped
149
5
18
3
Climbing alone
39
1
8
2
Attempt to exceed abilities (inexperienced)
77
7
24
0
Darkness
6
0
2
0
Inadequate equipment
31
0
4
0
Old rope
3
0
0
0
Piton failure
13
1
0
0
Bad weather
7
0
4
0
1951-62
U.S.
1959-62
CAN.
U.S.
1963
CAN.
Exposure and/or exhaustion
8
0
2
3
Party separated
9
0
3
0
Age of Individuals
Boys
6
0
0
0
Under 15
18
0
4
0
15-20 years
187
4
30
2
“Young or college age”
11
0
1
1
21-25
129
3
11
0
26-30
59
4
5
4
31-35
41
1
8
0
Over 35
55
8
10
1
Unknown
59
6
3
1
Unaffiliated with climbing groups
Unaffiliated
132
4
39
4
Not stated
209
1
11
1
Member of mountaineering club .
243
21
23
4
Estimate of experience
None or little
290
9
40
4
Moderate
158
9
17
3
Experienced
63
7
11
2
Unknown
72
1
5
0
Month of Year
January
13
0
1
0
February
31
0
4
0
March
24
0
0
0
April
36
0
2
1
May
44
0
9
0
June
63
1
6
1
July
132
17
18
2
August
106
8
13
4
September
56
0
6
1
October
23
0
6
0
November
32
0
3
0
December
11
0
5
0
Not specified
2
0
0
0