Reported Mountaineering Accidents, Table III
TABLE III
Numbers Refer to Number of Persons Involved
1951-73
1959-73
1974
1974
U.S.A.
CAN.
U.S.A.
CAN.
Terrain
Rock
1221
102
64
3
Snow
626
98
42
3
River
5
0
0
0
Unknown
10
2
0
0
Ascent or Descent
Ascent
928
116
49
4
Descent
805
77
42
2
Unknown
129
8
1
0
Immediate Cause
Fall or slip on rock
675
55
56
0
Failure of piton or nut
53
2
4
2
Falling rock or object
163
27
11
0
Failure of rappel
80
3
6*
0
Slip on snow or ice
242
28
8
0
Fall into crevasse
35
11
0
0
Loss of control—Voluntary
glissade
69
6
3
0
Avalanche
116
38
13
3
Lightning
31
3
0
0
Skiing
6
3
0
1
Faulty use of crampons
11
2
1
0
Exceed abilities
121
5
8
0
Exposure and/or Exhaustion
97
2
1
0
Heat prostration
3
0
0
0
Failure to follow route
6
0
3
0
Stranded
93
11
3
0
Illness Medical (incl. Pulm.
Edema and Frostbite
43
3
1
0
Prussik knot slipped
3
0
0
0
Unknown
18
2
1
0
Contributory Causes
Climbing unroped
470
44
10
0
Climbing alone
139
14
2
1
Exceeding abilities
444
58
23
4
Darkness
43
3
12
0
Inadequate equipment
190
16
15
1
Old rope
8
1
0
0
Piton or nut failure
52
4
4
1
Bad weather
81
7
15
0
Exposure and/or Exhaustion
51
1
1
0
Party separated
36
6
2
0
1951-73
1959-73
1974
1974
U.S.A.
CAN.
U.S.A.
CAN.
No hard hat
6
1
Placed no protection
1
0
Failure to test holds
3
0
Age of Individuals
Under 15
69
4
2
0
15-20
648
43
45
1
21-25
422
41
48
1
26-30
217
45
23
2
31-35
119
16
6
0
36-50
Over 50
}187
27
3
1
0
0
Unknown
200
25
5
2
Affiliation with Climbing Croups
Unaffiliated
627
39
38†
1
Affiliated
636
107
27
5
Unknown
589
55
37
0
Estimate of Experience
None or little
847
73
39†
1
Moderate
492
48
26
1
Experienced
312
62
27
5
Unknown
211
18
18
1
Month of Year
January
63
3
16
0
February
73
12
3
2
March
95
3
8
0
April
101
3
3
0
May
165
11
4
0
June
222
31
13
1
July
342
67
19
1
August
328
57
17
1
September
190
7
13
1
October
100
3
4
0
November
79
1
6
0
December
64
1
2
0
Unknown
8
2
0
0
*Two failures resulted from having a continuous rappel rope uneven; hence, one rope too short.
† Reflects either 1) experience of total group, or 2) experience of the individual injured or killed—whichever is most relevant to the situation.