Reported Mountaineering Accidents Table III
TABLE III
1951–95
USA
1959–95
CAN.
1996
USA
1996
CAN.
Terrain
Rock
3369
398
95
Snow
2000
297
38
Ice
180
84
2
River
12
3
1
Unknown
22
6
0
Ascent or Descent
Ascent
2969
422
91
Descent
1843
286
48
Unknown3
247
3
0
Immediate Cause
Fall or slip on rock
2324
212
68
Slip on snow or ice
754
152
20
Falling rock, ice or object
467
105
12
Exceeding abilities
381
27
18
Avalanche
249
105
4
Exposure
231
12
3
Illness1
255
20
14
Stranded
249
48
9
Rappel Failure/Error
188
33
8
Loss of control/glissade
164
15
2
Fall into crevasse/moat
125
38
4
Failure to follow route
113
20
8
Piton pulled out
84
12
0
Nut/chock pulled out
88
3
9
Faulty use of crampons
60
5
5
Lightning
39
6
0
Skiing
45
9
3
Ascending too fast
43
0
0
Equipment failure
7
2
0
Other2
166
18
15
Unknown3
59
8
0
Contributory Causes
Climbing unroped
875
143
14
Exceeding abilities
819
154
9
Inadequate equipment/clothing
531
68
10
Placed no/inadequate protection
417
51
46
Weather
362
46
7
Climbing alone
307
53
9
No hard hat
216
22
11
Nut/chock pulled out
160
16
9
Darkness
110
15
4
Party separated
95
16
2
Piton pulled out
82
10
0
1951–95
USA
1959–95
CAN.
1996
USA
1996
CAN.
Contributory Causes (cont.)
Poor position
103
13
4
Inadequate belay
100
18
7
Failure to test holds
65
18
1
Exposure
54
10
1
Failed to follow directions
56
5
4
Illness1
32
4
0
Equipment failure
9
4
0
Other2
220
79
7
Age of Individuals
Under 15
112
11
0
15–20
1123
196
19
21–25
1392
222
30
26–30
995
186
28
31–35
654
93
15
36–50
800
105
24
Over 50
124
18
4
Unknown
836
466
52
Experience Level
None/Little
1440
269
31
Moderate (1 to 3 years)
1303
334
29
Experienced
1286
350
50
Unknown
1375
241
62
Month of Year
January
173
12
5
February
175
37
2
March
236
44
82
April
320
28
8
May
683
43
22
June
804
51
26
July
895
209
16
August
811
119
29
September
1035
46
13
October
323
29
12
November
149
5
3
December
60
16
1
Unknown
4
0
0
Type of Injury/Illness (Data since 1984)
Fracture
633
120
58
Laceration
332
46
32
Abrasion
182
37
21
Bruise
208
50
16
Sprain/strain
165
18
13
Concussion
109
12
6
Frostbite
76
6
1
Hypothermia
83
10
14
1951–95
USA
1959–95
CAN.
1996
USA
1996
CAN.
Type of Injury/Illness (cont.)
Dislocation
64
6
3
Puncture
25
4
2
Acute Mountain Sickness
14
0
3
HAPE
47
0
2
HACE
14
0
2
Other1
173
27
10
None
82
31
21
1These included: AMS (3), HAPE, HACE (2), exhaustion (4), frostbite, appendicitis, twisted/strained back, allergic reaction—bees, hemo/pneumothorax, punctured lung, slight hangover.
2These included: multiple stings, distraction, unable to self-arrest (5), inadequate food (2), inadequate fuel, failure to turn back (3), bolt broke when loaded, route selected had extreme objective dangers (2), unable to extricate—crevasse, rope jammed—rappel device, late start, haste (3), carabiner broke (loaded with gate open), carabiner lock gate jammed shut, miscommunication, psychological (2), misperception: rappelled into deep pool—unable to ascend rope (drowned—exhaustion/hypothermia), dead cell phone battery.
(Editor’s Note: Under the “other” category, many of the particular items will have been recorded under a general category. For example, the climber who fell into his unanchored partner knocking him off would be coded as Fall on Rock, Falling Rock/Object, and Placed Inadequate Protection. The point in this category is to provide the reader with some added detail. It should be apparent that many of these details can be translated into a few basic categories.)