Basic Knots & Hitches Every Arborist Should Know

We Arborists rely heavily on a variety of knots in order to safely, and efficiently, climb and rig tree sections down. Mastering said knots is a foundational skill that ensures safety and enhances productivity on the jobsite. A well-tied knot can mean the difference between safety, danger, and frustration. Here’s a guide to some of the most fundamental knots every arborist should know!

Before we embark on this journey involving essential knots and hitches, we begin with these factoids; the earliest fragments of ropes and knots date back 15,000 to 17,000 years; with the earliest evidence of ropemaking dating back to over 25,000 years ago! The Inca Empire and many ancient Andean cultures used “quipu”, also referred to as “the talking knots”, and consisted of knotted cordage. This was their way of record keeping and conveying information. As you can see knots have been well applied all throughout history and not just to haul, lift, or trap.

The Most Commonly Used Knot

I bet you too guessed the Bowline Knot! In the earliest documentation regarding the Bowline knot; it was discovered in Egypt on Khufu’s ship, which was discovered inside a sealed pit in the Giza Pyramid! The Bowline is often referred to as the “King of Knots” and for good reason. In the world of tree climbing, tree removal, tree rigging – the Tree Care Industry, this knot is always being applied in one way or another. In tree climbing applications, the Bowline knot is sometimes used in lieu of a splice but is not recommended to do so, as it is not a cinching knot and can move around freely in the carabiner. The point is, whenever the Bowline is used in life support configurations, it MUST be finished with a Yosemite Tie-Off. But why you might ask!? The Bowline, when unloaded frequently, tends to come loose which creates a safety hazard. For those climbing on a Stationary Rope System, the Bowline with a Yosemite proves to be a quick way to canopy but without retrievable capabilities.

In tree removal and tree rigging applications, this magnificent knot reigns supreme for it is easy to untie, even when loaded heavily! In these applications, rather than tying a Standard Bowline, a Running Bowline is preferred. In a Running Bowline, the rope is passed around the log or the tree limb and then a Bowline is tied onto its own standing leg, resulting in the creation of an adjustable loop. It is said that a proper Bowline finishes with the working end of the rope to the inside of the loop so a Yosemite Tie-Off can be tied when needed, and it is said that a Cowboy Bowline cannot be finished with a Yosemite… but it can, just looks goofy. Having come up in residential and without formal training, I was taught to only do the Cowboy Bowline but later instructed that it was wrong and when asked why, I was only told that it was an inferior version of the Bowline. Through my research, I was unable to obtain a clear answer whether one proved to be weaker than the other.

Knots EVERY Arborist Should Know

Alpine Butterfly

The Alpine Butterfly is also known as the Lineman’s Loop, Butterfly Loop, Lineman’s Rider, and as the Queen of Knots – that one is new to me. An early presentation to the Alpine Butterfly was in A.A. Burger’s 1914, Rope and Its Uses. It was later mentioned in the Ashley Book of Knots as the Lineman’s Loop. In the year 1928, in an Alpine Journal by C.E.I. Wright and J.E. Magowan, the Alpine Butterfly was associated with mountaineering.

An Alpine Butterfly knot can also be applied in various ways and in the world of tree climbing, it creates an excellent canopy anchor that requires minimal (if any) climbing gear when it comes to SRT (retrievable) and when it comes to working down the spar, tying the end-of-line Alpine Butterfly makes for a bomb proof anchor.

In rigging applications, the Alpine Butterfly can be used in lieu of the Trucker’s Hitch when a basic 3:1 mechanical advantage system is being applied. The loop of the Butterfly has a high breaking strength and is able to take strain in any direction. This also means the loop created can be used as an anchor point, making it a valuable knot in rope rescue operations. Though the Alpine Butterfly reads as simple to untie, do be warned; after a heavy to extremely heavy load, the knot may not come undone. We recently participated in a class where mechanical advantage systems were the topic and well, we not only tested the Alpine Butterfly, but we may also very well have pushed it past its limit; for we had a hell of a time trying to untie the knot!

Munter Hitch

In the world of Alpinism and Rock Climbing the Munter Hitch is considered as one of the most valuable knots – although it is a hitch. During the 1950’s, it is speculated that a few Italian gentlemen invented the Munter, however it was Werner Munter who popularized it and is why it bears his name. It is uncertain as to who invented the Munter hitch but it is greatly appreciated.

As an instructor, this is one of my favorite hitches to teach, it’s super versatile! In rigging scenarios, when multiple ropes need to be run through friction brakes and there aren’t enough Port-a-Wraps around, and taking wraps around the tree isn’t ideal; I’ll show how easily the Munter hitch can be used to aid in lowering tree limbs or logs and if more friction is desired, add an extra wrap to the Munter and make it a Super Munter hitch! This works up to medium heavy loads, anything after that, I would advise a Port-a-Wrap.

In rescue training, when the victim has a compromised system and you must pick them off onto your existing climbing system, additional friction must be added to the system in order to keep your (the rescuer) system working properly. And how do you do that?! A stitch plate can be created using the forward or hip D’s to add friction but the size of the plates did matter. That’s when the Munter proved to be above the stitch, all you need is a pear-shaped carabiner. Another instance, rappelling from a long distance with a Munter would alleviate some of the excess friction the hitch or device would see and help elongate the lifespan. The Munter can also be combined when working a spar. Even if someone was not an SRT enthusiast, the climber could still create a cinching anchor and rappel from their hitch-based system so long as they introduced friction into the system and how would they do that!? The Munter of course!

Blake’s Hitch

I believe everyone should know how to tie a Blake’s hitch with their eyes closed! That might just be because of how I came up in the Tree Care Industry but over the years, I have seen the value in knowing how to tie the Blake’s and how to operate while on the Blake’s hitch. Countless times I have encountered people leaving equipment behind and playing the “I forgot my gear and can’t” card, it’s ridiculous! Or, in the event of hitch/ mechanical prussic failure, a Blake’s hitch can be tied, safely rappel and/or get the tree done. This is a staple of how to work with the basics and you might hate me for this, I think everyone should spend AT LEAST a week minimum before moving forward. My thoughts.

Cow Hitch and Timber Hitch

Even with the loopie slings, whoopie slings, and ultra slings removing the need to tie a Cow or a Timber hitch, they too fall under the staples of tree work. These are at the helm of attaching slings to trees for rigging operations. Personally, the Cow hitch is my favorite to tie for attaching any sling, just remember to back it up with two half hitches. When the Cow hitch is all tied up, pay close attention to it, it’s a Girth hitch. Moving on to the Timber hitch; this is even easier to tie up, throw the sling around the tree, make a bite and begin tucking the tail onto the portion of the sling contacting the tree. A minimum of 5 wraps (I will use the entire length of the sling to ensure peace of mind) are needed to ensure enough friction is against the surface to prevent slipping. If the flare of the tree is wide and odd and a wrap does not make contact with the surface, then that wrap does not count – it is also important to spread the wraps evenly. The Timber hitch should not be used on a moving load and pay attention where you stand, when running ropes when running ropes during a rigging operation, ensure the bight of the Timber hitch is being loaded. 

These are basic knots, and Hitches I firmly believe we should all know how to tie. I didn’t mention any other climbing hitches because they are heavily based on preference, followed by diameter, rope construction, length, static, and dynamic, so it’s hard to pin point which one is key. However, the International Society of Arboriculture has some listed as fundamental hitches, such as the Distel, Schwabisch, Valdotain Tresse, Michoacan, and I do believe the Knut is also on that list. Find two or three you like and learn how to tie them with your eyes closed, upside down, behind your back; the point is, engrave it in your memory.

Always pursue knowledge and keep an open mind – knowledge is power! What knots and hitches do you say are essentials?