Mountain Safety

The Safety Committee evaluates current practices and equipment as they might interest or concern Canadian climbers. Formal and informal networking, publication review and active testing are complemented by participation in various conferences and international efforts, including Accidents in North American Climbing.

Safety Committee members:

David Roe, Committee Chair – Calgary Section
Helen Tsai - Ottawa Section
Andrew Osinski- Vancouver Section
Kate Snedeker - Calgary Section 
Rob Chatfield- Rocky Mountain Section 
Greg Locke - Newfoundland Section 

Contact

David Roe, Chair - [email protected]

Terms of Reference (PDF)

• These are currently being updated.

In the event of an accident on any ACC-sponsored activity, it is essential that the ACC National Office be notified.

Medical Accident Report Form – Recording information to be passed to medical professionals. Trip leaders should always carry this with them on trips.
Accident/Incident Reporting Guidelines – ACC guidelines on accident/incident reporting.
Accident/Incident Report Form – use this to report accidents /incidents to National Office. Read the Accident/Incident Reporting Guidelines for information about what is required.
Online Accident/Incident Reporting – fill out this form if you would like to report an incident online.

Any participant in activities sponsored by the Alpine Club of Canada is required to sign the Release of Liability, Waiver of All Possible Claims, and Assumption of Risk (“the Release”). The importance of this document to the Alpine Club of Canada cannot be over-emphasized. ACC waiver forms are available on the  ACC Trip Waivers page .

Accidents in North American Climbing (ANAC) is an annual compendium of climbing accident reports in the United States and Canada. Since 1948, the American and Canadian alpine clubs have provided an annual summary of the year’s most significant and teachable climbing accidents. The Alpine Club of Canada (ACC) started contributing material in 1977.

Now, Accidents in North American Climbing has a new name (previously Accidents in North American Mountaineering), a new Facebook page, and a new podcast.

The Facebook page contains recent accident reports, near misses, and tips for staying safe while climbing.

The Sharp End podcast  provides free, in-depth, monthly interviews with survivors and/or rescuers of serious mountain accidents.

Find out more, including how to buy a PDF or hard copy of Accidents in North American Climbing.

The objective of the ANAC series is to learn from other climbers’ mistakes. Each book contains detailed reports and analyses of what went wrong. Over time a pattern in common mistakes, objective hazards, and route specific hazards become apparent. Far from macabre, the information contained within ANAC contains valuable safety lessons for all climbers, whether a beginner or a seasoned veteran.

There was an absence in Canadian content from the ANAC for a few years while the ACC located a new content editor. The success of the ANAC is dependent upon the contributions of climbers, like you, and various park and rescue agencies.

For more information regarding the ANAC, please contact the ANAC Canadian Content Editor, Rob Chisnall, at [email protected]

Submit your accident report for inclusion in the next ANAC by January 30, each year by filling out this online form:

en français:

Contact:

ANAC Editors, Dougald MacDonald: [email protected]
Purchase Accidents in North American Climbing from our online store.