Reported Mountaineering Accidents, Table III
1951-84
USA
1959-84
CAN.
1985
USA
1985
CAN.
Terrain
Rock
2078
264
150
17
Snow
1333
226
36
6
Ice
96
39
7
4
River
12
3
0
0
Unknown
14
6
2
0
Ascent or Descent
Ascent
1768
269
157
14
Descent
1348
186
31
13
Unknown
220
41
7
0
Immediate Cause
Fall or slip on rock
1285
129
114
9
Slip on snow or ice
521
101
20
5
Falling rock or object
279
81
13
4
Exceeding abilities
231
25
9
1
Avalanche
209
85
5
1
Exposure
164
10
8
2
Stranded
141
35
7
0
Failure of rappel
130
15
2
1
Illness
128
12
10
0
Loss of control/voluntary glissade
118
10
7
1
Fall into crevasse/moat
88
26
1
0
Piton pulled out
67
12
0
0
Failure to follow route
59
14
7
1
Faulty use of crampons
37
3
1
0
Lightning
34
3
0
0
Skiing
27
6
2
0
Nut/chock pulled out
19
2
4
1
Equipment failure
4
1
0
1
Ascending too fast
2
0
4
0
Other1
37
8
7
0
Unknown
41
7
2
0
Contributory Causes
Climbing unroped
682
89
10
4
Exceeding abilities
668
108
12
7
Inadequate equipment
378
43
21
3
Climbing alone
215
30
4
2
Weather
217
21
20
1
Placed no/inadequate protection
127
16
20
1
Darkness
79
9
3
2
No hard hat
78
9
1
0
Piton pulled out
73
8
1
0
Party separated
63
11
0
1
Nut/chock pulled out
61
3
19
0
Exposure
39
9
2
0
Failure to test holds
31
6
4
0
Equipment failure
3
1
0
1
Inadequate belay
6
0
10
2
Illness
6
0
1
0
1951-84
1959-84
1985
1985
USA
CAN.
USA
CAN.
Failed to follow directions
4
0
9
1
Poor position
6
0
7
1
Other2
75
21
13
1
Age of Individuals
Under 15
91
11
2
0
15-20
961
169
15
3
21-25
938
182
72
3
26-30
532
126
54
5
31-35
265
58
25
3
36-50
358
68
34
3
Over 50
49
8
3
0
Unknown
556
220
9
43
Experience Level
None/Little
1197
184
17
18
Moderate (1 to 3 years)
1066
203
32
18
Experienced
689
212
59
15
Unknown
717
183
62
9
Month of Year
January
122
6
3
0
February
126
29
6
0
March
173
28
2
2
April
183
15
15
1
May
357
29
49
2
June
507
29
22
2
July
619
147
29
10
August
556
150
24
7
September
859
26
27
3
October
195
23
12
0
November
102
3
6
0
December
30
7
0
1
Type of Injury/Illness
Fracture
56
*
67
8
Bruise
22
*
12
3
Abrasion
17
*
20
2
Laceration
19
*
29
3
Sprain/Strain
17
*
11
5
Concussion
8
*
6
3
Puncture
4
*
3
1
Frostbite
6
*
6
0
HAPE
2
*
5
0
Acute Mountain Sickness
0
*
2
0
CE
0
*
0
0
Hypothermia
2
*
8
2
Other
15
*
21
3
None
0
*
7
0
'These include: a) miscommunication (4), b) improper spotting technique, and c) snake bite.
2These include: a) failure to check knot on tie-in, b) too slow descending, c) miscommunication.