Page 96 - Peter Randall - The Craft of the Knot
P. 96

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.
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