From what I recall, it seems that you mostly hike/climb with yourself. Which is good for the soul but inherently dangerous.

I have thought I had more than a 50/50 chance of dying on two occasions. First was coming within yards of a black bear cub on an Algonquin Park trail. Second was off the summit of Whistler in the Flute Bowl at c. 6,500 feet. Got off the lift just as they shut the hill down because of the weather. The strongest wind I have ever felt and a blinding snowstorm with deep powder, no tracks and maybe ten yards visibility. It did not take long before my partner and I stopped and asked each other what the fuck are we going to do. No one around. Neither of us knew the Bowl well and had to go very slow and stick very close together. No possible way ski patrol would have found us if something happened. It was both terrifying and exhilarating. Us alone against nature.

I am almost certain that we were only saved by a group of German/Swiss/Austrians that stopped and let us join them down to the treeline.