Reported Mountaineering Accidents, Table III
TABLE III
1951-83
1959-83
1984
1984
USA
CAN.
USA
CAN.
Terrain
Rock
1942
250
136
14
Snow
1296
219
36
7
Ice
89
35
7
4
River
11
3
1
0
Unknown
12
6
2
0
Ascent or Descent
Ascent
1642
262
126
7
Descent
1296
174
52
12
Unknown
216
34
4
7
Immediate Cause
Fall or slip on rock
1186
125
98
4
Slip on snow or ice
501
98
19
3
Falling rock or object
259
79
20
2
Exceed abilities
227
24
2
1
Avalanche
204
84
5
1
Exposure
158
10
6
0
Stranded
140
31
1
4
Illness
128
12
0
0
Failure of rappel
127
14
3
1
Loss of control—voluntary glissade
111
10
7
0
Fall into crevasse/moat
85
24
3
2
Piton pulled out
66
12
1
0
Failure to follow route
52
11
7
3
Faulty use of crampons
35
3
2
0
Lightning
33
3
1
0
Skiing
26
5
1
1
Nut/chock pulled out
18
1
0
1
Equipment failure
4
1
0
0
Ascending too fast
*
*
2
0
Other1
31
7
6
1
Unknown
38
5
3
2
Contributory Causes
Climbing unroped
665
83
17
6
Exceeding abilities
652
100
16
8
Inadequate equipment
359
42
18
1
Climbing alone
209
30
6
0
Weather
207
17
10
4
Placed no/inadequate protection
98
16
27
0
Darkness
78
9
1
0
No hard hat
76
8
2
1
Piton pulled out
72
8
1
0
Party separated
61
10
2
1
Nut/chock pulled out
56
3
5
0
Exposure
38
9
1
0
Failure to test holds
21
6
10
0
Equipment failure
2
1
1
0
Inadequate belay
*
5
0
*
*
6
0
Failed to follow directions
*
*
4
0
1951-83
1959-83
1984
1984
USA
CAN.
USA
CAN.
Poor position
*
*
6
0
Other2
63
16
12
5
Age of Individuals
Under 15
91
11
0
0
15-20
936
166
25
3
21-25
881
174
57
8
26-30
487
118
44
8
31-35
246
54
19
4
36-50
322
66
35
2
Over 50
41
7
9
1
Unknown
545
183
11
37
Estimate of Experience
None or little
1170
169
27
15
Moderate
866
189
38
14
Experienced
633
193
56
19
Unknown
650
168
67
15
Month of Year
January
119
6
3
0
February
120
28
6
1
March
169
26
1
2
April
173
13
10
2
May
328
28
29
1
June
483
27
24
2
July
141
28
6
August
522
150
34
11
September
832
25
27
1
October
179
23
16
0
November
99
3
3
0
December
29
7
1
0
Type of Injury/Illness
Fracture
*
*
56
Bruise
*
*
22
Abrasion
*
*
17
Laceration
*
*
19
Sprain/strain
*
*
17
Concussion
*
*
8
Puncture
*
*
4
Frostbite
*
*
6
HAPE
*
*
2
CE
*
*
0
Hypothermia
*
*
2
Other
*
*
15
'These include: a) failing to rewarm toes, b) eating Amanita mushrooms, c) hand pinned on rappel, d) rappel off end of rope (2), e) bat bite, f) dislocated shoulder. “These include: a) dehydration and chewing tobacco (vaso-constrictor), b) off route, c) drunk, d) fatigue, e) fainting—which was brought on by a recent long distance run, e) hit finger with piton hammer, f) wet rock.
(Editor’s note: The category “Affiliation With Climbing Groups”has become meaningless because it has proven to be just about an even split over the years, with a remaining one third being unidentifiable. Its elimination makes room for the new category, “Type of Injury/Illness.”)