Reported Mountaineering Accidents, Table III
TABLE III
1951-89
1959-89
1990
1990
USA
CAN.
USA
CAN.
Terrain
Rock
2727
330
93
13
Snow
1744
262
38
8
Ice
130
56
6
4
River
12
3
0
0
Unknown
19
6
2
0
Ascent or Descent
Ascent
2433
341
80
13
Descent
1552
232
53
11
Unknown
237
45
3
1
Immediate Cause
Fall or slip on rock
1764
163
73
12
Slip on snow or ice
615
123
23
6
Falling rock or object
387
99
11
2
Exceeding abilities
305
27
7
0
Avalanche
227
93
3
0
Exposure
193
12
3
0
Illness1
191
14
3
3
Stranded
169
38
7
0
Failure of Rappel
141
21
1
0
Loss of control/voluntary glissade
139
12
7
1
Fall into crevasse/moat
104
33
2
1
Failure to follow route
88
18
4
0
Piton pulled out
69
12
0
0
Faulty use of crampons
49
4
1
0
Nut/chock pulled out
43
3
5
0
Lightning
36
5
0
0
Skiing
34
9
1
0
Ascending too fast
32
0
0
0
Equipment failure
4
2
1
0
Other2
79
11
10
0
Unknown
48
8
0
0
Contributory Causes
Climbing unroped
772
103
16
15
Exceeding abilities
733
126
17
8
Inadequate equipment
451
54
10
1
Weather
289
31
5
2
Placed no/inadequate protection
280
29
33
5
Climbing alone
260
42
6
5
No hard hat
131
18
24
0
Nut/chock pulled out
121
8
12
2
Darkness
96
12
3
0
Piton pulled out
78
10
1
0
Party separated
77
15
5
0
1951-89
USA
1959-89
1990
1990
CAN.
USA
CAN.
Contributory Causes (cont.)
Poor position
51
8
11
0
Failure to test holds
49
13
2
0
Exposure
48
9
2
0
Inadequate belay
39
5
7
0
Failed to follow directions
42
1
3
2
Illness1
26
4
1
0
Equipment failure
6
2
0
1
Other2
138
30
14
11
Age of Individuals
Under 15
97
11
2
0
15-20
1037
176
12
5
21-25
1190
204
32
2
26-30
767
152
28
9
31-35
413
76
28
0
36-50
531
83
36
2
Over 50
77
11
7
1
Unknown
697
300
25
31
Experience Level
None/Little
1309
233
24
7
Moderate (1 to 3 years)
1160
248
27
12
Experienced
991
274
36
5
Unknown
1029
195
54
1
Month of Year
January
140
7
3
0
February
149
30
4
1
March
203
33
5
1
April
256
23
11
1
May
526
36
16
1
June
647
38
26
1
July
756
182
25
7
August
660
184
19
9
September
944
35
16
2
October
259
27
3
0
November
127
3
6
0
December
49
14
2
2
Type of Injury/Illness (Data since 1984)
Fracture
391
43
67
15
Laceration
178
14
37
5
Abrasion
106
8
10
4
Bruise
94
11
11
5
Sprain/strain
95
10
11
0
Concussion
45
6
10
0
Frostbite
38
0
7
3
Hypothermia
36
5
2
5
1951-89
1959-89
1990
1990
USA
CAN.
USA
CAN.
Dislocation
26
3
8
0
Puncture
15
2
0
0
HAPE
31
0
3
0
Acute Mountain Sickness
9
0
1
0
CE
4
0
1
0
Other
90
19
12
0
None
22
3
0
0
2These include: a) miscommunication several); b) inadequate instruction and supervision; c) ice ax strap problems; d) distraction; e) inappropriate technique.