Reported Mountaineering Accidents, Table III
TABLE III
1951-91
1959-91
1992
1992
USA
CAN.
USA
CAN.
Terrain
Rock
2925
354
120
7
Snow
1835
277
44
3
Ice
151
62
11
7
River
12
3
0
0
Unknown
22
6
0
0
Ascent or Descent
Ascent
2634
365
125
12
Descent
1652
252
49
5
Unknown
241
1
1
0
Immediate Cause
Fall or slip on rock
1896
183
92
3
Slip on snow or ice
668
134
24
4
Falling rock or object
410
101
13
1
Exceeding abilities
324
27
16
0
Avalanche
237
94
6
1
Exposure
211
12
3
0
Illness1
201
17
12
0
Stranded
188
39
13
2
Rappel Falure/Error
154
22
5
2
Loss of control/voluntary glissade
149
13
5
1
Fall into crevasse/moat
113
34
5
2
Failure to follow route
96
18
5
0
Piton pulled out
69
12
1
0
Nut/chock pulled out
56
3
9
0
Faulty use of crampons
51
4
0
1
Lightning
37
6
2
0
Skiing
37
9
3
0
Ascending too fast
33
0
0
0
Equipment failure
5
2
0
0
Other2
101
13
15
1
Unknown
48
8
1
0
Contributory Causes
Climbing unroped
807
125
15
5
Exceeding abilities
771
142
14
2
Inadequate equipment
477
60
13
3
Weather
308
35
18
3
Placed no/inadequate protection
343
39
34
2
Climbing alone
278
48
6
2
No hard hat
166
18
12
1
Nut/chock pulled out
141
12
7
0
Darkness
100
12
2
1
Piton pulled out
79
10
2
0
Party separated
85
15
4
0
1951-91
1959-91
1992
1992
USA
CAN.
USA
CAN.
Contributory Causes (cont.)
Poor position
73
9
11
1
Failure to test holds
58
14
3
0
Exposure
52
9
0
0
Inadequate belay
56
5
11
4
Failed to follow directions
49
3
0
2
Illness1
27
4
0
0
Equipment failure
8
3
0
1
Other2
184
49
6
14
Age of Individuals
Under 15
99
11
7
0
15-20
1065
192
11
1
21-25
1258
216
37
1
26-30
842
172
39
4
31-35
482
82
32
3
36-50
614
92
59
1
Over 50
91
12
5
2
Unknown
719
321
32
33
Experience Level
None/Little
1347
252
25
4
Moderate (1 to 3 years)
1218
284
20
21
Experienced
1071
295
58
16
Unknown
1125
210
99
4
Month of Year
January
151
9
8
0
February
155
31
8
1
March
214
35
4
1
April
281
25
7
2
May
572
37
33
1
June
701
41
32
1
Jnly
802
192
30
4
August
704
199
26
3
September
979
39
12
3
October
271
29
12
0
November
138
4
2
1
December
53
16
1
0
Type of Injury/Illness (Data since 1984)
Fracture
546
69
82
9
Laceration
234
26
32
3
Abrasion
145
19
20
3
Bruise
147
22
21
5
Sprain/strain
130
12
14
0
Concussion
68
7
9
3
Frostbite
57
4
9
0
Hypothermia
49
7
9
0
1951-91
1959-91
1992
1992
USA
CAN.
USA
CAN.
Type of Injury/Illness (cont.)
Dislocation
34
5
9
0
Puncture
19
2
1
0
HAPE
34
0
6
0
Acute Mountain Sickness
11
0
0
0
CE
5
0
1
0
Other1
118
20
7
1
None
34
3
15
0
lrThese include: a) flail chest; b) pneumothorax (2); c) atrial fibrillation; d) severe dehydration; e) fatigue (3); f) infection; g) renal failure; h) snow blindness; i) pre-existing conditions (e.g., knee spontaneously dislocates); j) cardiac arrest; and k) ear detached.
2These include: a) belay rope end went through belay device while lowering; b) rappel brake system inadequate; c) failure to clip into both loops of an anchor sling; d) belay anchor system came away; e) 9mm poly pro fixed rope, used to rappel on, broke; f) rope frayed through—rubbed on edge while jumarring (also “inadequate protection”); g) pulled various size rocks off, causing falls and crushing injuries (3); h) knots “came undone’’(3); i) harness “came undone”; j) patella spontaneously dislocated causing a fall; k) rappel ropes froze; 1) ascenders “detached” from rope; m) miscommunication (4); n) not understanding ice conditions, i.e., history of snow/ice formations (2); o) late start (lightning in afternoon); p) euphoria—beautiful weather, ideal ski condition—but in avalance terrain.