Summer mountain sports, like swimming and water sports, can lead to accidents that are sometimes fatal. The number of fatalities—about 100 each year—is lower than the annual average of 344 accidental drownings recorded between 2002 and 2003. However, the number of people affected—an average of 1,839—deserves attention, as it is not far from the annual average of 1,990 accidental drownings. More than half of the victims of accidents or medical emergencies are hikers, often over the age of 50, who are three times more likely to be involved in a mountain accident than mountaineers. The main public health issue posed by mountain sports therefore concerns hiking. (R.A.)