Page 96 - Peter Randall - The Craft of the Knot

Chapter 8

CLIMBING KNOTS

In May 2012, a British mountaineer was practicing his techniques on a climbing wall in
Gloucestershire. He attempted to tie a bowline, his usual knot, but either failed to do so
or did so improperly. The knot failed, and he fell thirty feet to his death.

That such an accident could happen in the controlled environment of a climbing wall
was unusual. Sadly, it is more frequent when climbers are in the open, particularly in
extreme conditions of high altitude and freezing cold. In such places, a climber’s life lies

in her or his mastery of the craft of the knot. Experienced climbers learn to double- and
triple-check their knots and to make sure the knot will do precisely what it is supposed
to do.

One reason climbers often choose certain kinds of knots is that it is easy to tell at a
glance if they’ve been tied correctly. Nonetheless, it must be stressed that climbing is a
sport in which climbers rely upon one another, and thus they must be able to trust that

their fellow climbers are expert knot tyers.
Here are some of the more commonly used climbing knots.

CLOVE HITCH

This hitch ties quickly, but should not be considered a permanent connection or be used
for safety or heavy loads.

STEP 1 Pass the running end around the object, cross over the standing part, and then
pass the running end around the object again; then tuck it under the last crossing.