Page 117 - 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.