Knots for Climbers

Knots for Climbers

Knots are the key to safely enjoying higher adventures. A climber need not know every last knot in existence, but should understand all of the basic knots (how they work, what they are used for, limitations, etc) and be able to tie them quickly and routinely from memory. The following passage will provide information on a wide variety of knots. Some of the more advanced knots will probably not prove necessary for the average weekend top rope climb. They have been provided anyway as a reference. Practicing the basic knots until they become almost second nature is absolutely essential.

Overhand Knot


The overhand knot is most commonly used as a backup knot to tie off loose ends of rope after tying a knot such as a double fisherman’s or ring bend.

Bends: Bends are knots that join two free ends of rope.

Double Overhand Knot



The double overhand knot is the same as the overhand but uses two ropes. It is often use to attach two ropes together for a rappel. It is not the most secure knot used for joining two ropes together, but it has a low profile which keeps the rope from getting caught when being pulled down after rappelling. It should not be used by the weekender as a primary method for attaching two ropes. Nevertheless, it is worth knowing should you leave the Berkeley Crags for the East Face of Lhotse Shar.

Square Knot




The square knot is also used to join two free ends together for rappel or to finish off a coil of rope. The square knot is often finished off with two overhand knots to secure the loose ends. This is still not the preferred method, as a Figure Eight with Fisherman’s Backups is the most bomber and worthy knot for attaching two ropes together for a long top rope, but is good to know nonetheless. (Note: Figure Eight w/ Fisherman's Backup is pictured below. The reason this is not typically used for dobule rope rappels, etc is because of the large size of the knot. The larger the knot, the greater the likelihood that the rope will become stuck or lodged in a crack when trying to pull the ropes down. Regardless, if double rope top-roping, this is the preferred not (at least in my humble opinion.)




Fisherman’s Knot



The fisherman’s knot is used to join to ropes together. It is seldom used now that the double fisherman’s knot has taken its place, but it helps to first understand the single fisherman’s knot before tying a double fisherman’s. To tie, simply create two overhand knots that encircle the other rope and pull the two ropes tight.

Double Fisherman’s Knot



The double fisherman’s knot is the most common way to secure two ropes together for rappelling and is also the preferred knot for creating a loop of cordelette. To tie a double fisherman’s knot, simply pass the loose end of rope twice around the other rope before tying the overhand knot.


Water Knot (or Ring Bend)



The water knot is used to create a loop in webbing and is used very frequently to construct top rope anchors. To tie a water know, simply make an overhand knot in the end of piece of webbing and then re-thread the other end back through the overhand knot in the opposite direction of the first. After pulling tight the water knot, make sure to put a back up knot on each side. This is particular important as water knots can come loose. When climbing on webbing that is tied off with a water knot, periodically check to make sure that the knot has not loosened in any way.



Bights: Bights are loops of rope that do not cross themselves. A bight is gained by pulling a loop of rope from the standing end or middle of the rope.

Figure Eight on a Bight



The Figure Eight on a Bight is very useful for tying into anchor points and has the advantage of being easy to untie even after weighted.

Hitches:Hitches are knots that grip other objects such as a tree or another rope. Without the object that the hitch knot grips, the hitch knot would not exist.

Clove Hitch



The clove hitch is a quick and simple knot for clipping into a carabiner attached to an anchor. The advantage of a clove hitch is that it makes it easy to adjust the length of the anchor rig or rope without having to untie a knot or unclip from the anchor.

Girth Hitch

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The girth hitch is a very simple knot that is commonly used to secure webbing around a tree, horn or flake of rock (careful with this!), or to any other object.

Munter Hitch



The munter hitch can be used to belay another climber with just a carabiner, although it requires a pear shaped or HMS carabiner. The munter hitch is a reasonably secure way to belay or rappel in the case that a belay device is lost. This will likely only come into play on longer climbs and is not often necessary for beginning climbers. An ATC or GriGri is preferred.

Prusik Knot



A prusik knot is made up of a girth hitch followed by several wraps of the cord around the rope the prusik knot is hitching to. Once tied, the smaller diameter cord used for the prusik knot creates friction against the climbing rope. Two prusik knots clipped into by two slings provides a climber with a very effective way to climb up the rope. The prusik knot is frequently used during rescues to lower or raise injured climbers. Metal jumars have largely taken the place of prusik knots for jugging lines during big wall climbs or multi-day ascents and during solo climbs.

Joshua Tree - Bouldering

There are literally thousands of boulder problems in Joshua Tree National Park. There are a number of guidebooks covering this vast array, including some of the less expensive self-published variety available at the climbing shop located at the corner of Park Boulevard and CA-__ on your way into the Park via the West Entrance.

In the meantime, the below suggestions are personal favorites of the author and also some of the more popular and better known Joshua Tree classics. Print this out with you on your next trip and use it as your guide to find some of the true gems. This will get you into the right areas and then from there, why not forget about the ratings, and spend the day discovering and exploring the embarrassment of riches that is JTree Bouldering.

Sharp and large grained, Joshua Tree's monzonite granite will rip your fingers to shreds but also provide great smearing and the feeling that you won't slip off unless you blow-out or decide to let go. Save bouldering for the end of your trip if you plan to do a fair amount of lead climbing on your visit, as your fingers may take several days to recover.

Hidden Valley Campground Area:

1. Caveman 2. Stem Gem 3. Hensel Boulder 4. Direction of The Outback 5. To Pinhead

Located in the campground itself are a dozen or more classic bouldering problems. Note however that it is customary to ask permission before trying Boulder problems located within others' campsites. This is an issue even with such classics as the appropriately named Stem Gem (V4), an improbable and shallow corner that sits in the back of a popular campsite.

Other favorite problems in HVCG include:

Caveman

Caveman (V6): This route tunnels under a boulder providing honey-combed rails along its roof. It is long and pumpy, but fun even for beginning boulders to play around on considering the jug-like holds. Try working different sections for an enjoyable workout even if sending the whole thing in a push is out of your range.

Hensel Boulder: Offers several different micro-hold problems on a steep slab. Routes range from V0-V3. This boulder is located along the main one-way road through the campground in the vicinity of campsite 18.

Pinhead Boulder:

Pinhead Boulder viewed from The Wall

Located on the other side of The Wall (outer loop of HVCG), the Pinhead Boulder sits in the open desert approximately 50 yards from the Wall. Its main feature is a fantastic 15' thin crack to mantel problem called Pinhead (VO) that is a great way to learn fingerlocks. The downclimbs for this boulder are located on the easy backside allowing those newer to bouldering a nice introduction to medium height problems without the difficult descent. Other problems here that are enjoyable include Holenoid (V0+) which climbs out of and above a large circular hole in the rock, the arete to the left of Pinhead, and also the face just right of the arete left of Pinhead. There are V-easy problems on the blocky and patina face to the right of Pinhead.

Pinhead (VO)

The Outback


Behind HVCG to the East lies The Outback. A five minute walk from the campground leads out into a rectangular opening surrounded by larger rock formations. In its midst are dozens of really fun bouldering problems. Look for patina faces, aretes, and cracks. Great problems of all difficulty abound in the Outback. Rather than detail each specifically, below are a few photos to whet the boulderer's appetite. This is one of those places where a guidebook might only distract the pad-carrying wanderer from finding his or her personal problems (...or solutions as the case may hopefully be!)

Hobbit Hole Offwidth (V0-)

Dino's Egg

Chuckawalla (V1 or V6 w/SDS)

The Manx Boulders:

Meat Substitute (V2)

Located behind the Cyclops Formation which lies 1/4 mile South of HVCG, the Manx Boulders consist of two large rectangular blocks of rock with a variety of problems on all sides. Approximately 15' tall there are a number of arete and face problems. Downclimb by using the notch chimney located between the two formations.

Quail Springs

Located at Trashcan Rock there are a number of fun problems located around the backside next to the large parking area. Additionally, there is a very popular boulder traverse low to the ground called The Gripper Traverse (V0). The Gripper is a personal favorite way to end a trip to Joshua Tree as its right next to Park Blvd and is a nice way to get a good final pump on before driving the 9+ hours back to the Bay Area.

The Chocolate Boulders

The Chocolate Boulders

Located directly below The Negropolis sit a collection of chocolatey-brown boulders offering a number of easy routes that make for a great warm up bouldering circuit upon arriving in Joshua Tree. Park in a small dirt pullout across the road from The Negropolis. There is a faint trail marked with a sign for The Chocolate Boulders. Locate this before trudging across the fragile desert leaving braided trails while unsuccessfully searching around this area. The marked path will lead you right to these beauties. Problems here range from V0-V4. Note: If unfamiliar, you can identify The Negropolis from the road by its large smooth brown faces which stand out in contrast to the rubble surrounding them high up on a ridge. This area is approximately 3 miles from the Park's West Entrance.

Goat Rock - Sunset Boulders - Sonoma Coast

Located just off Hwy 1 near the town of Jenner at the mouth of the Russian River lies Goat Rock State Beach. Here sits the iconic Goat Rock which is a massive formation located just off shore, connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of sand and rock. The rock strikes most new visitors as being somehow familiar, and if you have seen the movie, The Goonies, it should be as this beach is the location of the film's final scene.

Another prominent formation off this beach is Arched Rock , a beautiful soaring arch that is the result of waves collapsing out a section of this sea stack. Both it, and Goat Rock, make for excellent photos so remember to bring your camera!

Turning off into Goat Rock State Beach find a large dirt pullout on the left and park here to hike down and left into a large meadow. Here, high above the ocean sit two 30' rocks called the Sunset Boulders. The area offers mostly top-rope routes with several climbs rated in the 5.10 range as well as a few more easier routes including one 5.2, a 5.7, and a 5.8.

The rocks sit in an open meadow perhaps 60 feet above the Pacific Ocean and the location is simply stunning. It can be windy so make sure to layer up, but catch it on a sunny day and it is blissful.

Approach the anchors for all climbs by soloing up a 30' 5.2. It is replete with ledges and is often performed with nary a mention by experienced climbers. Those new to top-roping though should be advised that reaching the anchors is non-trivial and should either bring along a more experienced partner, or should factor in the possibility that a visit here with the intention to rope up may end up resulting in just a bouldering trip (so be sure to bring along your crashpad!)

Favorite Routes:

Pelican Arete (5.10a TR): Pelican Arete is the prominent arete located on the boulder nearest the parking area on the sea facing side. This route is perhaps the most popular at this crag and is sometimes bouldered (I would not advise this!) The crux is approximately 10' off the ground and the sequence is somewhat tricky. Some climbers find good holds around the right side of the arete that are used to supplement what can be slippery footwork and limited hands on the face.



Sunset Face (5.9ish, 3 bolt anchor TR): Climb up the slabby North face of Sunset Rock. There are several variations here and this is fun to run laps on - try eliminating certain holds or taking the route more right or left.



Bouldering:

The bouldering is really fun albeit somewhat limited. There are nearly a dozen problems, mostly in the easy to moderate range with the standout being Sunset Traverse (V2) which is located on the opposite rock next to The Pelican Arete. It is a long and pumpy traverse that can be climbed in either direction (I find the right to left variation easier for whatever that's worth.) Even if coming to top rope, plan to take a few extra minutes trying out this areas various boulder problems.

Directions: From San Francisco, cross the Golden Gate Bridge and follow 101 North Hwy 1 North towards Sonoma. Take exit 479 for Railroad Avenue and head W. Take your 2nd right onto Stony Point Rd, left onto Roblar Rd, right onto Valley Ford Rd which becomes CA-1 N/Shoreline Hwy. Follow this until you reach Goat Rock Rd. Make a left and find the dirt pullout on the left with the rocks visible from the road. Approximate driving time is 1 hour and 45 minutes. Alternatively, climbers can take Hwy 1 for the entire duration and see the coast and stop of in Point Reyes. That said, if only going to climb at Goat Rock State Beach, the 101 is much more efficient.

Lake Tahoe

Nestled in the Sierras at 6,225 feet, Lake Tahoe is a virtual paradise of gray-white granite and crystal blue waters. The lake itself is the largest alpine lake in North America with a depth of 1,645 feet - second only to Crater Lake which is just 300 feet deeper - offering visibility down some 65 feet. The water, while chilly, never freezes, and the surrounding mountains which reach 10,000 feet in some instances offer some of the best skiing in the United States.

The climbing includes thousands of boulder problems (many still yet to be discovered!) as well as an abundance of both trad and sport routes. There is continuous development and new-routing by both locals and visitors alike. The 'golden age' of Tahoe climbing indeed may be in the here and now.

The granite in Tahoe tends to be larger grained and thus more rough on the fingers and hands, but provides better texture for smearing, than that found in Yosemite.

Favorite Areas:



Pie Shop Boulders: Just south of South Lake Tahoe in a town called Meyers sit the Pie Shop Boulders. These boulders offer a wide array of difficulty and height and hours, if not days, of fun can be had climbing here. There is a fine collection of easy and moderates that will suit even beginner climbers. Directions: To reach the Pie Shop Boulders, head North towards the Lake on Hwy 89 past the agricultural checkpoint in Meyers. Make a left turn after approximately 3 miles onto Sawmill Road. Park at a dirt pullout on the left and the boulders will be visible to your right.

Another great boulder with five or six great moderates is located at the end of Sawmilll Road at the intersection with Lake Tahoe Blvd. Use the dirt parking area directly in front of the boulder. Problems range from VB-V4 on this 20 foot boulder. (Pictured below).



Lover's Leap: Visible from the Hwy 50 while passing through the town of Strawberry (just before Meyers), Lover's Leap offers a very high concentration of easy to moderate multi-pitch trad climbs. Camping is available at its base behind the Strawberry Lodge. There are 30 campsites here with a 14-day limit. The campground is spread throughout a thick and beautiful forest and is typically full of friendly climbers who are usually more than willing to share beta and stories around nightly campfires. The climbs here range from 250-500 feet with horizontal dikes throughout which offer face holds in additional to the traditional jamming found on the crack routes.

Lover's Leap above the Strawberry Lodge

DL Bliss State Park: Located along the west side of Lake Tahoe, DL Bliss offers fun (if not slightly highball) bouldering. The high nature of most of the routes is somewhat offset by flat sandy landings. Its a very good idea though to have one or more spotters and several crash pads for this area. That said, its a great setting with a wide variety of problems and usually completely crowd free.

Donner Pass: A wide variety of trad, sport, and bouldering routes cover the Donner Pass area. Favorite areas include Grouse Slab for both trad and sport climbs, Schoolhouse Rock for easier trad lines, and Snowshed Wall for top-roping.

90 Foot Wall: A very popular area located in Eagle Creek Canyon near Emerald Bay, this is a great area to top-rope cracks ranging from 5.6-5.11. Most climbs have bolts at the top but climbers are advised to back the bolts up with trad gear where possible due to the older nature of some of the bolts.

Skiing & Snowboarding

Gondola at Heavenly, South Lake Tahoe

In terms of skiing and snowboarding, there are more than a dozen prominent resorts, with the majority being located along the Northern shore in both California and Nevada. The Southern side of the lake is home to several casinos, the largest of which are Harrah's and Harvey's, and also Heavenly Mountain Resort which is the region's largest and highest in elevation ski area. A brief list of resorts and descriptions below:

Donner Pass Area Resorts:

Sugar Bowl: This is a largest resort in the Donner Pass Area with 1500 acres
Donner Ski Ranch: A small ski area located near Donner Pass on the North west side with 400 skiable acres. Also offers night skiing.
Boreal: A small ski area near Donner Pass with a snowboard pike with half-pipes, barrels, etc. 380 skiable acres.
Soda Springs: Another small ski resort in the Donner Area with 400 skiable acres. Day lift tickets at Soda Springs are good for night skiing at Boreal.

North East Side Resorts:

Diamond Peak: A small area near Incline Village, NV which offers great views of Lake Tahoe and a terrain park. 655 skiable acres.
Mount Rose Ski Resort: a medium sized area on Slide Mountain (above Incline Village) with 900 acres of skiable terrain.

North West Shore Resorts:

Squaw Valley: Host of the 1960 Olympic games. This is the largest resort in the north Lake Tahoe area. Its well known for very advanced runs and has 4000 skiable acres. Also one of the few resorts to offer night skiing.
Alpine Meadows: On the North Shore near Squaw Valley, this is about half the size of Squaw but offers a good variety of terrain over 2000 skiable acres.
Northstar: Located on the north shore, this resort is very popular and offers really long runs and is a favorite of intermediate skiers. 2000' skiable acres.
Homewood: Located on the West shore, Homewood is very popular with snow-boarders. 1260 skiable acres.

South Lake Resorts:



Heavenly Mountain Resort: The largest ski area in the Lake Tahoe Area with 4800 skiable acres. Incredible views of Lake Tahoe and the gondola is walking distance from the casinos.
Sierra-at-Tahoe: A large resort, but slightly smaller than Kirkwood and Heavenly. With 2000 skiable acres, its still plenty large, and has the advantage of being both near the South Lake Tahoe casinos and less crowded than Heavenly.
Kirkwood: A large resort popular with snow-boarders covering 2300 skiable acres located approximately 30 minutes south of South Lake Tahoe.

Water Sports

Swimming: The surface temperature in summer can warm up to 68 degrees, but the water averages around 50F for most of the year. If you aren't averse to chilly temps, then swimming in Lake Tahoe offers a real thrill with crystal clear views down to the rocks below and up to the surrounding mountains. There are many different competitive swimming events in the summer, including a relay across the entire width of Lake Tahoe!



Kayaking: Kayaking is marvelous on the generally flat Lake Tahoe and provides a great way to explore Emerald Bay, look up at Cave Rock, or any number of boulders along the coast lines. Rentals are available through a number of outfitters and tend to range from about $15/hr to $65/full day. Its also fun to try out stand-up paddleboards which are increasingly popular in Lake Tahoe.

Water Skiing: Available through a number of outfitters and is of course a total blast!

Harrah's Casino, South Lake Tahoe

Gambling: There are several large and reasonably fancy casinos across the Nevada Line in South Lake Tahoe. Additionally, one can find a more toned-down gaming experience on the North East side of the Lake at Incline Village and surrounding locations.

World's Tallest Man-Made Climbing Wall, Reno:



Opened on October 1, 2011, this 164' tall climbing wall features 40 top-rope routes, several multi-pitch routes, and a 2,900 square ft indoor bouldering area. The walls are mostly overhanging and provide a great deal of exposure. The wall is located on the outside of the old Fitzgeralds Casino, now re-opened as CommRow - an urban adventure destination. An outdoor bouldering area is planned for 2012. Also of interest is the bar located inside the facility called 'V15'...no word yet on whether or not you need to be Daniel Woods to drink there.