Reported Mountaineering Accidents, Table III
1951-09
1959-04
2010
2010
USA
CAN.
USA
CAN.
Terrain
Rock
4607
528
128
Snow
2408
355
53
Ice
278
15
4
River
15
3
0
Unknown
22
10
0
Ascent or Descent
Ascent
3668
587
122
Descent
1068
371
55
Unknown
251
13
5
OtherN.B.
9
0
3
Immediate Cause
Fall or slip on rock
3648
290
97
Slip on snow or ice
1050
207
21
Falling rock, ice, or object
636
137
17
Exceeding abilities
555
32
2
Illness1
409
26
11
Stranded
351
53
17
Avalanche
299
127
5
Rappel Failure/Error2
303
47
12
Exposure
278
14
0
Loss of control/glissade
215
17
0
Nut/chock pulled out
243
9
11
Failure to follow route
213
30
6
Fall into crevasse/moat
167
50
2
Faulty use of crampons
115
6
0
Piton/ice screw pulled out
95
13
0
Ascending too fast
67
0
5
Skiing3
58
11
6
Lightning
46
7
1
Equipment failure
16
3
0
Other4
522
37
27
Unknown
61
10
0
Contributory Causes
Climbing unroped
1021
165
10
Exceeding abilities
917
202
38
Placed no/inadequate protection
794
96
19
Inadequate equipment/clothing
701
70
16
Weather
481
67
14
Climbing alone
408
69
12
1951-09
1959-04
2010
2010
USA
CAN
USA
CAN
No hard hat
354
71
5
Inadequate belay2
228
28
14
Nut/chock pulled out
201
32
8
Poor position
188
20
16
Darkness
150
21
15
Party separated
117
12
1
Failure to test holds
105
32
0
Piton/ice screw pulled out
86
13
0
Failed to follow directions
73
12
0
Exposure
64
16
1
Illness1
40
9
0
Equipment failure
11
7
0
Other4
271
100
10
Age of Individuals
Under 15
1246
12
0
15-20
1288
203
6
21-25
1439
257
35
26-30
1327
211
41
31-35
2006
114
26
36-50
1307
143
43
Over 50
284
31
31
Unknown
2029
530
57
Experience Level
None/Little
1785
304
41
Moderate (1 to 3 years)
1650
354
27
Experienced
2099
440
81
Unknown
2138
559
99
Month of Year
January
241
25
1
February
213
55
9
March
321
68
6
April
421
39
8
May
957
62
23
June
1100
70
40
July
1174
254
24
August
1075
184
27
September
1191
75
24
October
474
42
11
November
203
20
6
December
105
24
6
Unknown
17
1
1
1951-09
1959-04
2010
2010
Type of Injury/Illness (Data since
USA
1984)
CAN
USA
CAN
Fracture
1352
223
57
Laceration
737
71
19
Abrasion
361
76
17
Bruise
512
83
25
Sprain/strain
385
33
29
Concussion
266
28
8
Hypothermia
162
16
7
Frostbite
134
12
2
Dislocation
137
16
9
Puncture
52
13
1
Acute Mountain Sickness
45
0
1
HAPE
74
0
7
HACE
25
0
3
Other5
350
49
7
None
265
188
30
N.B. Some accidents happen when climbers are at the top or bottom of a route, not climbing. They may be setting up a belay or rappel or are just not anchored when they fall. (This category created in 2001. The category “unknown” is primarily because of solo climbers.)
'These illnesses/injuries, which led directly or indirectly to the accident, included: kidney stones; pre-existing atrial irregularity; HAPE (4).
2These included: clipping in to gear loop; rope too short; no knot in end of rope (4); distraction (4); lowered off end of rope; belayer pulled partner off; inadequate back-up; threaded lowering rope through nylon sling which burned through; slack in belay rope; carabiner not closed.
3This category was set up originally for ski mountaineering. Backcountry touring or snow- shoeing incidents—even if one gets avalanched—are not in the data.
4These included: distraction (4); communication problems (3); unable to self-arrest (3); leader broke ice dam, releasing water and ice that hit partner; failure to pay attention to weather patterns; dislodging rock caused fall; cornice gave away; ice column collapsed; “summit fever,” inadequate self-rescue skills; tangled in climbing rope—caused fall; misjudged pendulum swing distance; climber unclipped from team and disappeared.
5These included: dehydration; exhaustion; thumb amputation; hyperextension; back spasms; internal injuries; chest trauma; 1,000 bee stings; dehydration; rope burn.
(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.” A climber who has a hand or foot-bold come loose and falls would be coded as “Fall On Rock” and “Other” — and most often includes “Failure To Test Holds; rappel and belay errors are also recorded as “Fall on Rock,” and so forth.)