Reported Mountaineering Accidents, Table III
TABLE III
1951-90
1959-90
1991
1991
USA
CAN.
USA
CAN.
Terrain
Rock
2820
343
105
11
Snow
1782
270
53
7
Ice
136
60
15
2
River
12
3
0
0
Unknown
21
6
1
0
Ascent or Descent
Ascent
2513
354
121
11
Descent
1605
243
47
9
Unknown
240
1
1
0
Immediate Cause
Fall or slip on rock
1837
175
59
8
Slip on snow or ice
638
129
30
5
Falling rock or object
398
101
12
0
Exceeding abilities
312
27
12
0
Avalanche
230
93
7
1
Exposure
196
12
15
0
Illness1
194
17
7
0
Stranded
176
38
12
1
Rappel Falure/Error
142
21
12
1
Loss of control/voluntary glissade
146
13
3
0
Fall into crevasse/moat
106
34
7
0
Failure to follow route
92
18
4
0
Piton pulled out
69
12
0
0
Faulty use of crampons
50
4
1
0
Nut/chock pulled out
48
3
8
0
Lightning
36
5
1
1
Skiing
35
9
2
0
Ascending too fast
32
0
1
0
Equipment failure
5
2
0
0
Other2
89
11
12
2
Unknown
48
8
0
0
Contributory Causes
Climbing unroped
788
118
19
7
Exceeding abilities
750
134
21
8
Inadequate equipment
461
55
16
5
Weather
294
33
14
2
Placed no/inadequate protection
313
34
30
5
Climbing alone
266
47
12
1
No hard hat
155
18
11
0
Nut/chock pulled out
133
10
8
2
Darkness
99
12
1
0
Piton pulled out
79
10
0
0
Party separated
82
15
3
0
Contributory Causes (cont.)
Poor position
62
8
11
1
Failure to test holds
51
13
7
1
Exposure
50
9
2
0
Inadequate belay
46
5
10
0
Failed to follow directions
45
3
4
2
Illness1
27
4
0
0
Equipment failure
6
2
2
1
Other2
152
41
32
8
Age of Individuals
Under 15
99
11
0
0
15-20
1049
181
16
11
21-25
1222
206
36
10
26-30
795
161
47
11
31-35
441
76
41
6
36-50
567
85
47
7
Over 50
84
12
7
0
Unknown
697
300
22
21
Experience Level
None/Little
1333
240
14
12
Moderate (1 to 3 years)
1187
260
31
24
Experienced
1027
279
44
16
Unknown
1083
196
42
14
Month of Year
January
143
7
8
2
February
153
31
2
0
March
208
34
6
1
April
267
24
14
1
May
542
37
30
0
June
673
39
28
2
July
781
189
21
3
August
679
193
25
6
September
960
37
19
2
October
262
27
9
2
November
133
3
5
1
December
51
16
2
0
Type of Injury/Illness (Data since 1984)
Fracture
458
58
88
11
Laceration
215
19
19
7
Abrasion
116
12
29
7
Bruise
105
16
42
6
Sprain/strain
106
10
24
2
Concussion
55
6
13
1
Frostbite
45
3
12
1
Hypothermia
36
5
13
2
Dislocation
26
3
8
2
Puncture
15
2
4
0
HAPE
31
0
3
0
Type of Iniury/Illness (cont.)
Acute Mountain Sickness
9
0
2
0
CE
4
0
1
0
Other1
90
19
28
1
None
22
3
12
0
'These include: a) acute mountain sickness (3); b) colitis; c) fatigue; d) pneumothorax (3); e) lightning burns; f) ligament tears; g) psychological; h) dehydration (3); i) heat exhaustion.
2These include: a) failure to recognize symptoms of AMS/HAPE (2); b) failure to communicate previous illness and medications to guide; c) failure to file route plan with friends; d) no spotter; e) unable to self-arrest; f) late start—includes avalanche and lightning incidents in afternoon; g) alcohol; h) foot/boot stuck in crack after fall; i) unwilling to change plans; j) did not know how to tie a prusik knot; k) inadequate supervision (3); 1) miscommunication on belay; m) didn’t use ice ax on icy approach to climb; n) inattention (2); o) short climber—couldn’t reach hold.