Every year, novice climbers and experts alike are injured or killed by inadequate preparation and errors in judgment. Since 1948, the American Alpine Club has documented the year’s most teachable climbing accidents, providing invaluable lessons to climbers. In Accidents in North American Mountaineering, each significant incident is carefully analyzed so climbers can avoid similar situations in the future. In the “Fundamentals” section, professional mountain guides detail the best practices for placing solid climbing protection. “Fundamentals” offers in-depth instruction and copious illustration to help prevent avoidable rock climbing accidents. This year’s “Danger Zones” section covers El Capitan in Yosemite Valley. Analyzing 30 years of accident history on El Cap, we detail the most frequent locations and causes of accidents on the world’s most famous big wall.