Reported Mountaineering Accidents, Table III
TABLE III
1951-88
1959-88
1989
1989
Terrain
USA
CAN.
USA
CAN.
Rock
2627
321
100
9
Snow
1491
254
33
8
Ice
123
55
7
1
River
12
3
0
0
Unknown
18
6
1
0
Ascent or Descent
Ascent
2335
327
98
14
Descent
1511
228
41
4
Unknown
235
45
2
0
Immediate Cause
Fall or slip on rock
1696
157
68
6
Slip on snow or ice
596
120
19
3
Falling rock or object
367
96
20
3
Exceeding abilities
290
27
15
0
Avalanche
224
93
3
0
Exposure
192
12
1
0
Illness1
180
14
11
0
Stranded
164
38
5
0
Failure of Rappel
137
19
4
2
Loss of control/voluntary glissade
133
12
40
3
Fall into crevasse/moat
101
29
3
4
Failure to follow route
84
18
4
0
Piton pulled out
69
12
0
0
Faulty use of crampons
47
4
2
0
Nut/chock pulled out
40
3
3
0
Lightning
35
5
1
0
Skiing
30
9
4
0
Ascending too fast
29
0
3
0
Equipment failure
4
2
0
0
Other
70
10
9
1
Unknown
48
8
0
0
Contributory Causes
Climbing unroped
751
99
21
4
Exceeding abilities
717
123
16
3
Inadequate equipment
439
50
12
4
Weather
274
30
15
1
Placed no/inadequate protection
246
23
34
6
Climbing alone
245
39
15
3
No hard hat
127
13
4
5
Nut/chock pulled out
117
6
4
2
Darkness
91
12
5
0
Piton pulled out
77
10
1
0
Party separated
74
14
3
1
Failure to test holds
48
13
1
0
Exposure
45
9
3
0
Poor position
44
6
7
2
Inadequate belay
36
5
3
0
Failed to follow directions
37
1
5
0
Illness1
25
4
1
0
Equipment failure
5
2
1
0
Other2
124
29
14
1
1951-88
1959-88
1989
1989
USA
CAN.
USA
CAN.
Age of Individuals
Under 15
97
11
0
0
15–20
1021
176
16
0
21–25
1155
198
35
6
26–30
735
150
32
2
31–35
381
72
32
4
36–50
497
80
34
3
Over 50
71
10
6
1
Unknown
626
295
71
5
Experience Level
None/Little
1290
228
19
5
Moderate (1 to 3 years)
1136
244
24
4
Experienced
950
262
41
12
Unknown
968
195
61
0
Month of Year
January
137
7
3
0
February
146
30
3
0
March
196
33
7
0
April
245
20
11
3
May
502
34
24
2
June
631
36
16
2
July
725
179
31
3
August
647
180
13
4
September
933
32
11
3
October
247
26
12
1
November
124
3
3
0
December
42
12
7
2
Type of Injury/Illness (Data since 1984)
Fracture
329
37
62
6
Laceration
149
11
29
3
Abrasion
94
7
12
1
Bruise
83
9
11
2
Sprain/strain
78
8
17
2
Concussion
36
3
9
3
Frostbite
30
0
8
0
Hypothermia
30
5
6
0
Dislocation
22
2
4
1
Puncture
15
2
0
0
HAPE
29
0
2
0
Acute Mountain Sickness
9
0
0
0
CE
4
0
0
0
Other
76
14
14
5
None
17
3
5
1
2These include: a) inattention- several; b) distraction - thought he saw a snake; c) dropped rock on partner; d) jumping crevasses; e)foot caught in Quick Draw; f) threw rope down by mistake - stranded; g) pulled rock off (3); h) wind blew tent 300 vertical meters w/people inside(2); i) no radio; j) rope broke - abraded by another rope; k) tangled in rappel rope - strangled.