1951-10
1959-04
2011
2011
USA
CAN.
USA
CAN.
Terrain
Rock
4735
528
103
Snow
2461
355
49
Ice
282
15
4
River
15
3
0
Unknown
22
10
0
Ascent or Descent
Ascent
3790
587
104
Descent
1123
371
49
Unknown
256
13
1
Other N.B.
12
0
2
Immediate Cause
Fall or slip on rock
3745
290
83
Slip on snow or ice
1071
207
23
Falling rock, ice, or object
653
137
6
Exceeding abilities
557
32
7
Illness 1
420
26
17
Stranded
368
53
8
Avalanche
304
127
8
Rappel Failure/Error 2
315
47
12
Exposure
278
14
1
Loss of control/glissade
215
17
9
Nut/chock pulled out
254
9
7
Failure to follow route
219
30
7
Fall into crevasse/moat
169
50
5
Faulty use of crampons
115
6
3
Piton/ice screw pulled out
95
13
0
Ascending too fast
72
0
1
Skiing 3
64
11
2
Lightning
47
7
0
Equipment failure
16
3
0
Other 4
549
37
24
Unknown
61
10
0
Contributory Causes
Climbing unroped
1031
165
10
Exceeding abilities
955
202
20
Placed no/inadequate protection
813
96
17
Inadequate equipment/clothing
717
70
7
1951-10
1959-04
2011
2011
USA
CAN.
USA
CAN.
Weather
495
67
16
Climbing alone
420
69
6
No hard hat
359
71
4
Inadequate belay2
249
28
4
Nut/chock pulled out
209
32
6
Poor position
211
20
4
Darkness
165
21
3
Party separated
118
12
6
Failure to test holds
105
32
3
Piton/ice screw pulled out
86
13
0
Failed to follow directions
70
12
0
Exposure
65
16
1
Illness1
40
9
0
Equipment failure
13
7
0
Other4
282
100
17
Age of Individuals
Under 15
1247
12
0
15-20
1307
203
7
21-25
1455
257
25
26-30
1373
211
28
31-35
2057
114
25
36-50
1374
143
46
Over 50
323
31
13
Unknown
2070
530
27
Experience Level
None/Little
1852
304
20
Moderate (1 to 3 years)
1677
354
27
Experienced
2173
440
69
Unknown
2249
559
56
Month of Year
January
245
25
5
February
222
55
2
March
336
68
10
April
431
39
11
May
961
62
16
June
1153
70
29
July
1199
254
24
August
1107
184
23
September
1199
75
12
October
480
42
9
1951-10
1959-04
2011
2011
USA
CAN.
USA
CAN.
November
214
20
9
December
116
24
4
Unknown
18
1
2
Type of Injury/Illness (Data since 1984)
Fracture
1409
223
66
Laceration
756
71
31
Abrasion
378
76
11
Bruise
537
83
13
Sprain/strain
414
33
9
Concussion
274
28
12
Hypothermia
169
16
2
Frostbite
136
12
4
Dislocation
146
16
6
Puncture
53
13
0
Acute Mountain Sickness
46
0
2
HAPE
81
0
2
HACE
28
0
2
Other5
357
49
23
None
295
188
11
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: HAPE/HACE (4); AMS (2); cardiac (3); frostbite; pneumonia; abdominal; fatigue/exhaustion (7); dehydration.
These 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.
This category was set up originally for ski mountaineering. Backcountry touring or snowshoeing incidents—even if one gets avalanched—are not in the data.
These included: lowering/rappel: miscommunication—includes climbers not knowing each other; (4); unable to self-arrest (4); haste (3); pulled rock off (3); dislodged rock—fell on party below; complacency/ overconfidence (2); lost one crampon; dropped ascending device; rope not secured to harness; not familiar with route; failure to assess conditions (avalanche).
These included: dehydration; fatigue/exhaustion; thumb amputation; hyperextension; back spasms; internal injuries; chest trauma; cardiac; 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-hold 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.
Data change: The 1986 and 1997 editions had some repeat data from previous years. The corrections are reflected in the cumulative data.)
