Hi,

A number of years ago (ten years?) I read an article by a prominent climber about how safe climbing may or may not be. It was an interesting analysis, comparing climbing to different sports, and considering various aspects of the issue. Unfortunately, I do not remember who the writer was, or where I saw the article. I want to say that the climber was from the Rocky Mountains states, but that's not much to go on! In any case, does this ring any bells for people? Do you know of any good articles or essays on the dangers and risks of climbing? You can reply to brunoschull@hotmail.com. Thanks.

Bruno

...Every so often somebody on here trots out the old adage that, "the drive to the crag is the most dangerous part of the day." I invariably respond with, "I don't think it is, unless you're toproping perhaps." My logic, false though it may be, is that the likelihood of experiencing a car crash in your lifetime is higher than the liklihood of experiencing a climbing accident only because you spend so much more time driving than climbing...

There's not really an answer for that question. Climbing can be very safe or very dangerous (usually for most of us, it's somewhere in the middle).

These are just some of the factors which play a part in relative safety:

1) Type of climbing
2) Climber's experience
3) Climber's competence
4) Climber's intelligence
5) Climber's confidence
6) Climber's humility
7) Climber's state of being at any given moment (tired, dehydrated, etc.)
8) Weather
9) unknown hazards (i.e. rockfall, wild animals, etc.)
10) Amount of risk climber accepts

and so on and so on...

Just to name a few.

Josh

Interesting point: I was reading an article from a British source not too long ago that stated female climbers had a far better chance of dieing during child birth in their life than from climbing...

Almost certainly true, if you normalize the data per unit of time.

Curt

I think the reasons you listed are why climbing can be safer than other activities one participates in; the safety of a climb is almost entirely in the climbers hands. 8 and 9 can be mitigated or avoided to an extent, and 7 can be mitigated/avoided through adequate preparation and planning.

climbing is as safe as you want it to be, and as dangerous as you let it become.

Interesting point: I was reading an article from a British source not too long ago that stated female climbers had a far better chance of dieing during child birth in their life than from climbing. By some significantly higher factor too. If I can find it again, I'll post the link. It also listed a number of other common activies and the risk of death compared to climbing. Climbing deaths were quite low on the list. The problem is, I believe the article was written in the 90s with older stat data. Since then, climbing has certainly become far more popular, however, the equipment has also gotten better....however, there also seems to be a higher number of knuckle-heads entering the sport as well.

Impossible question to answer really

Yes climbing is damn dangerous. There's a thousand ways to get the chop and that's no joke! It takes men of iron backbone and chromium balls, women with titanium tendons and diamond hard muscles, to dare even attempt it. Lessor suitors fall by the wayside on a routine basis, their broken bodies lined up like chord wood at the entrances of climbing gymnasiums nationwide, as mute but effective testimony... the weak need not apply.

Seriously.

DMT

Of course most people have more climbing outings than maternities. The chart says there's one death every 320,000 climbs or one death every 8,200 maternities.

So if you climb more than 39 times (320,000 / 8,200) then your chance of dying climbing becomes greater.

All of this also ignores the slow death that is parenthood. :)

Of course most people have more climbing outings than maternities. The chart says there's one death every 320,000 climbs or one death every 8,200 maternities.

So if you climb more than 39 times (320,000 / 8,200) then your chance of dying climbing becomes greater.

All of this also ignores the slow death that is parenthood. :)

How safe is climbing = How clean is your box of Karma

I thought it was a bag..... DAMN