A Comparison of Climbing Accidents on Mount Rainier over Two 10-Year Periods

Abstract

The popularity of rock climbing and mountaineering has seen explosive growth since the 1970s. The incidence of climbing Mount Rainier has increased from 74 821 from 1977 to 1986 to 104 866 between 1997 and 2006. We compared injuries encompassing two 10-year periods, 1977 to 1986, and 1997 to 2006, hypothesizing that injury characteristics may reflect both a growth in involvement in these activities as well as changes in technology. To evaluate incidence and epidemiology of climbing injuries and fatalities sustained on Mount Rainier. We hypothesized that we would identify an increase in overall injuries. However, given advances in safety technology and education, we hypothesized that types and rates of injuries would decline. We performed a retrospective data analysis of all reported injuries and environmental-related illnesses sustained on Mount Rainier encompassing two 10 year periods from 1977 until 1986 and 1997 to 2006. We identified 159 climbing accidents during the 20 year interrupted timeframe. We separated the evaluated timeframes by 10 years to allow for changes due to technological advances in climbing to manifest themselves. Data were extracted from Accidents in North American Mountaineering journal and an internet search of National Park Service websites and were analyzed using the proportional Z test and chi square method. All of the data collected were public record; all HIPPA information was removed from the extracted data. From 1977 to 1986, 70 incidents were identified, and from 1997 to 2006, 89 incidents were sustained by climbers on Mount Rainier. There was a significant decrease in fatalities as compared to total injuries over these time periods (29 vs. 18; p < 0.05), accidents caused by avalanches declined (0.012%; p < 0.05), and injuries by falls incurred on snow, ice, and rock decreased (0.026%; p < 0.05). There was a significant increase in reports of falling snow, ice, and rock (6 vs. 36; p < 0 .05). In spite of increased climbing rates the injury rate remained stable between the compared time frames. There were no significant differences found in other injury patterns. With the ever-increasing popularity of rock climbing, mountaineering, and ice climbing, one would expect to see a corresponding increase in overall injuries and incidents sustained within the National Park system to coincide with this increased number of climbers. The data available to this study actually revealed accident rates have remained stable accompanied by a significant decrease in fatalities sustained by climbers on Mount Rainier. The significant increase in reports of falling snow, ice, and rock likely reflects an increase in accessibility and interest in these environments corresponding with increasing climbing rates and the effects of global climate change. However, this also exposes an area on which wilderness providers may want to focus future prevention and education efforts.