Reported Mountaineering Accidents, Table III
1951–99
1959–99
2000
2000
USA
CAN.
USA
CAN.
Terrain
Rock
3759
455
85
11
Snow
2138
324
61
6
Ice
207
112
4
6
River
13
3
0
0
Unknown
22
8
0
0
Ascent or Descent
Ascent
3345
483
93
18
Descent
2023
337
57
5
Unknown
247
5
0
0
Immediate Cause
Fall or slip on rock
2611
245
67
8
Slip on snow or ice
844
171
30
7
Falling rock, ice, or object
523
118
14
4
Exceeding abilities
453
28
14
0
Avalanche
262
111
2
3
Exposure
241
13
2
0
Illness1
300
22
15
0
Stranded
280
40
8
0
Rappel Failure/Error2
228
40
9
1
Loss of control/glissade
171
16
11
0
Fall into crevasse/moat
141
44
4
0
Failure to follow route
134
28
8
0
Nut/chock pulled out
124
4
14
0
Piton/ice screw pulled out
87
12
0
0
Faulty use of crampons
74
5
4
0
Lightning
40
7
2
0
Skiing3
50
9
0
0
Ascending too fast
46
0
1
0
Equipment failure
11
2
0
0
Other4
269
32
19
0
Unknown
60
8
0
0
Contributory Causes
Climbing unroped
919
153
15
2
Exceeding abilities
847
194
13
2
Inadequate equipment/clothing
567
75
19
0
Placed no/inadequate protection
553
79
27
5
Weather
400
58
9
0
Climbing alone
338
60
7
1
No hard hat
269
28
7
0
Nut/chock pulled out
189
17
5
0
Inadequate belay
144
22
8
2
Darkness
123
19
5
0
Poor position
126
15
9
3
Party separated
105
10
0
0
Piton/ice screw pulled out
84
10
1
1
1951-99
1959-99
2000
2000
USA
CAN.
USA
CAN.
Contributory Causes, cont.
Failure to test holds
80
19
1
3
Exposure
56
13
0
0
Failed to follow directions
68
11
1
0
Illness1
33
4
4
2
Equipment failure
10
7
1
0
Other4
239
85
4
5
Asre of Individuals
Under 15
117
12
1
0
15-20
1175
199
18
2
21-25
1199
236
26
2
26-30
1095
193
20
7
31-35
740
102
21
5
36-50
937
124
44
7
Over 50
154
22
8
1
Unknown
999
622
44
7
Experience Level
None/Little
1554
291
39
1
Moderate (1 to 3 years)
1386
346
15
1
Experienced
1510
371
41
22
Unknown
1630
443
80
6
Month of Year
January
193
16
3
2
February
184
41
2
2
March
256
55
5
1
April
349
29
12
3
May
762
50
20
1
June
912
59
29
2
July
962
230
23
1
August
905
155
26
4
September
1086
58
12
3
October
364
30
9
0
November
166
10
3
1
December
75
19
6
2
Unknown
12
1
0
0
Type of Injury/Illness (Data since 1984)
Fracture
875
165
63
13
Laceration
476
59
29
4
Abrasion
240
65
10
3
Bruise
303
64
20
5
Sprain/strain
215
23
8
1
Concussion
163
20
11
1
Hypothermia
127
13
2
1
Frostbite
93
9
2
0
Dislocation
82
10
8
0
Puncture
30
5
3
4
1951-99
1959-99
2000
2000
USA
CAN.
USA
CAN.
Type of Injury/Illness (Data since 1984), cont.
Acute Mountain Sickness
23
0
4
0
HAPE
52
0
4
0
HACE
19
0
0
0
Other5
210
35
12
1
None
141
76
24
0
'These illnesses/injuries, which led directly to the accident, included: AMS (3), HAPE (4), exhaustion (3), ataxia, snow blindness, respiratory distress, acute abdomen, fatigue, dehydration, and hypothermia.
2This includes rappelling off the end of the rope, anchor(s) inadequate, lowering a climber (from above or below).
This category was set up originally for ski mountaineering. Backcountry touring or snowshoeing incidents—even if one gets avalanched—are not included in the data
4These included: failure to turn back (5), hand-hold broke off (3), haste (4), improper haulrope technique, improper tie-in, dislocated shoulder during self-arrest, old webbing broke when weighted, failure to disclose medical condition, webbing parted—ends held together by masking tape, high wind blew person over, slack in belay rope—wrapped around leader’s leg and pulled him out of position, route underrated in guide book, anger and frustration.
5These included: pneumothorax (2), rope burns on hands (2), lightning burns (4), lost consciousness—lightning (3), exhaustion/fatigue (5), lost sensation in lower legs temporarily, collapsed lung, torn rotor-cuff, respiratory distress, acute abdomen, snow blindness, and ruptured kidney
(Editor’s Note: Under the category “other;” many of the particular items will have been recorded under a general category. For example, the climber who dislodges a rock that falls on another climber would be coded as Falling Rock/Object, or the climber who has a hand hold come loose and falls would also be coded as Fall On Rock.)