So this is interesting and actually brings to mind the conversation we recently had regarding the varying safety of different commercial operators. You had suggested that US based carriers were objectively superior in safety, which I vehemently disagree with. That question aside though, we could likely agree that commercial bush flights in Africa are inherently dangerous. So when they say one death per ten million flight hours what does that even include?
Similarly, I frequently engage in both nordic and alpine skiing. But I would not say I engage in "backcountry" skiing. I think of "backcountry" as people telemarking down unmaintained mountains, but it could include my geriatric sojurns into Grant Teton National Park with my nordic skis. While the equipment used is virtually identical, these two varying ways to engage in the same sport seem to entail very different micromorts (granted at my age and weight I might be more likely to just have a heart attack on nordic skis) Similarly, when alpine skiing, I do not ski off-piste or ever really venture from well maintained trails. Perhaps famous last words, but it seems like the risk factors of these activities relate more to how you do them, e.g. wreck diving with mixed gas vs. shallow depth open water diving or urban cycling vs. rural bike path.
