Mountain Hazards

Hazards can be termed natural (caused by natural occurrence), man-made (caused by an individual, such as lack of preparation, carelessness). There are two kinds of hazards while in the mountains—subjective and objective. 

Subjective Hazards:

1.       Slips and falls
2.       Benightment
3.       Cold injuries
4.       Snow blindness
5.       Sun burn
6.       Acute mountain sickness (AMS): symptom -> Headache
7.       High altitude cerebral oedema (HACO): symptom -> severe AMS and ataxia i.e. inability to walk in straight line
8.       High altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPO): symptom -> dyspnoea (breathlessness) at rest, chest congestion
9.        Hallucination

Objective Hazards:

1.       River in spate
2.       Glacial stream
3.       Avalanche
4.       Landslide
5.       High lateral moraine
6.       Icefalls
7.       Snow on trees
8.       Verglas
9.       Whiteouts
10.   Lightening
11.   Cornice