Knots

“Every Scout ought to be able to tie a knot. To tie a knot seems a simple thing, and yet there are right and wrong ways of doing it, and Scouts ought to know the right way.  Very often it happens that lives depend on a knot being properly tied.”

-  Robert Baden- Powell, “Scouting for Boys”, 1908.

Knowing how to tie some basic knots is an integral part of your backcountry skill set.  Equally important is being able to recognize which knot is appropriate for which task. It comes down to repetition and experience in different situations. For diagrams and more detailed descriptions, click on the knot in which you are interested.

• Reef (square) Knot: Used to tie two rope ends of the same diameter together. Useful for first aid, as it lies flat against the injured area.
• Sheet Bend: Used for joining two ropes of different diameter together.
• Bowline: A fixed loop knot that is handy for lowering packs, hanging food or in an emergency, lowering a companion.
• Clove Hitch: Suitable for tying off to tent pegs.
• Two Half Hitches: Ideal for securing a rope or guyline directly against an object (eg. log, tree, post, rock).
• Taut Line Hitch: An adjustable knot, useful for guying out a tarp or tent. Can be adjusted without releasing the rope/cord’s tension.