Page 35 - Nate Fitch, Ron Funderburke "Climbing Knots"

bowline as I am, and because ten whippers hopelessly
tighten a figure 8 follow through, I’m probably going
to pick a double bowline with Yosemite finish on my
next lap.
This book is designed to equip climbers to make
these choices quickly. As we explore the context of
every knot, hitch, bend, and rope management tool,
readers should imagine the contexts of their own cliffs,
ropes, and climbing teams. Readers should appreci-
ate that in any given context, there are countless ways
to solve the problem, and the only way to sort one
option out from the next is to have a sound body of
knowledge about each knot. A climber should be able
to quickly parse out the subtle advantages and disad-
vantages of each technique and make an informed and
reasoned choice. Finally, a good climber does not cling
to his/her final decision. A smart climber is always
open to an alternative solution that reformulates the
heuristic. Or, a smart climber is humble enough to
realize that the context can change or it can be mis-
interpreted. Either way, a smart climber is receptive to
the possibility that surviving a task is not a clear indi-
cation that he/she has perfected the task.

22 CLIMBING: KNOTS