America’s deadliest mountains revealed – and the terrifying risks all hikers, climbers and skiers must know

America’s deadliest mountains for hikers, climbers and skiers have been revealed, with the country’s tallest peak topping the list.

Changeable weather conditions, unstable terrain and high altitudes make the peaks dangerous and unpredictable, no matter how well-prepared visitors are.

The most dangerous is Denali, Alaska, with 96 fatalities and 341 accidents since 1947, according to the new study by Dr. Emma DeLoughery for High Altitude Medicine and Biology.

In second place is Mount Rainier in Washington with 87 deaths and 167 accidents, followed by Mount Hood in Oregon with 47 deaths and 93 accidents.

In all mountains, the majority of people died after falling while hiking, but some were killed by falling rocks or avalanches.

DeLoughery’s study collected and analyzed the number of incidents at each peak between 1947 and 2022, looking for seasonal and demographic trends.

They found that the most dangerous mountain in the US was Denali, which at more than 20,000 feet is the highest peak in North America.

Accidents include falls, frostbite, injuries from avalanches, slipping in crevasses and altitude sickness.

DeLoughery told The Boston Globe, “An accident can happen to anyone at any time.”

She said she was most surprised by how well prepared many of the victims were.

“We didn’t collect data specifically on this, but after reading literally thousands of these reports, I was struck by how often those involved in the accidents were described as experienced, knowledgeable and very well prepared.”

Most of the victims, 82 percent, were men and the majority of them were young.

Last month, a mountain climber in Denali National Park died and his companion was seriously injured after falling nearly 1,000 feet from the summit of Mount Johnson.

The two-person team had climbed the 8,000-foot peak in Denali National Park.

Both individuals were tethered and climbed a summit route known as “the escalator,” a steep, technical climb on the southeast side of the mountain.

Another climbing party witnessed the fall and alerted the Alaska Regional Communication Center shortly before 11 p.m.

The climbing party that saw the fall then descended to reach the two climbers and confirmed that one of them had died.

Mount Washington in New Hampshire, located just 6,000 feet above sea level, had the fourth most fatalities.

The extreme cold and wind make the climb treacherous even for experienced climbers.

“During early summer, winter conditions exist on Mount Washington,” Lt. Robert Mancini Jr. said. from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department to the Boston sphere.

Nearly every season, the summit experiences approximately 90 inches of snowfall, with wind-blown snow accumulating to a depth of 10 to 40 feet in the east-facing canyons.

Temperatures as low as -46°F have been recorded at the summit, and in January 2004 an estimated wind chill of -102°F was recorded.

In March 2024, 20-year-old Madison Saltsburg died after falling about 600 feet into Tuckerman Ravine on the mountain in New Hampshire.

Two other skiers were seriously injured after falling and hitting rocks and ice. And there were a number of other falls throughout the day that did not result in serious injuries, according to the US Forest Service.

The day of the accidents led to searches that continued for hours in the dark as teams worked to rescue the injured skiers and remove Saltsburg’s body from the mountain.

The night before, heavy, wet snow began to fall and winds began to pick up, forcing rescuers to continue fighting in the deteriorating conditions.

“The snow rangers and rescue personnel were there late last night. They are exhausted,” said Colleen Mainville, a spokesperson for the US Forest Service.

Tuckerman Ravine is especially popular in the spring, when the sun begins to soften the snow.

On some days, hundreds of skiers and snowboarders make the three-mile hike to the canyon, resulting in a festive atmosphere. From there it can take another hour of climbing stairs into the wall to reach the top.

But the risks – including open canyons, avalanches and rocks – have led to several deaths over the years.

The Forest Service said Saltsburg and its ski partner encountered hard and icy snow surfaces due to cold temperatures and a lack of recent snowfall.

There were also open holes in the mountain crevices, the agency said, and conditions were brutal.

Forest Service rangers and a team from the Mount Washington Avalanche Center also responded to two other skiers who suffered serious injuries that were not life-threatening, Mainville said.

But despite the weather and high risks, Mount Washington is known to draw thousands of adventurers every year for hiking, mountaineering and ice climbing.

Those wishing to access the summit are advised to check real-time observations from the staffed summit observatory, as well as the daily avalanche forecast published by Forest Service snow rangers.

Hikers are also advised to contact the hut caretakers of the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Harvard Mountaineering Club.

Many new hikers are also advised to climb with experienced mentors, join groups or hire professional guides in the area to avoid accidents.