http://mountaineers.org/NWMJ/10/101_Rescue.html

more climbing focused but still very relevant

interesting that climbing only represents ~6% of SAR incidents ... hiking the "safe" sport is 48%

Backpacker's Survival issue, released recently, has way different stats. I don't have it in front of me, but they claim hiking is only about 10% of SAR cases. They state that hunters are the almost the majority of rescues. What gives?

I think theres more probably to get lost when your stalking something than staying on a trail, theres more chance of injury when your sitting in a tree stand, theres more chance of injury when you have heavier gear for hunting as well.

likely because i dont think theres hunting in national partks .... id take the stats from national parks over what backpacker gives anyday unless they list the source

national parks likely dont have too many "wanderers" ... lol

you are there to do something more serious



In 2005, only 5.5% of SAR incidents in National Parks resulted from climbing, which was divided into rock climbing (3.5%) and mountaineering (2%). Hiking (48%), boating (21%) and swimming (6%) were the activities most frequently associated with SAR incidents. In the Pacific Northwest, Oregon Emergency Management reported that climbing accounted for only 3.8% of rescues in 2003, behind hiking (18%), motor vehicles (15%), hunting (10%), wandering (9%), boating (6%), and aircraft (4%).