Instructions on How to Make Knots for Tree Climbing

Professional tree climbers use a system of knots and gear to ascend, tie into and descend trees. To climb up a tree, you need spikes for your boots and two straps that you can loop around the tree and clip to your harness. These straps don't involve tying any knots. At the top, however, you need to tie in and belay yourself. For this, you need to tie a movable friction hitch known as "Blake's Hitch."

Things You'll Need

  • Climbing rope
  • Climbing harness
  • 2 or more carabiners
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Instructions

  1. Climbing Up

    • 1

      Clip your rope to your harness. A tree-service rope will have a carabiner pre-attached to the rope about an arm's length from one end. If your rope does not have one, tie a figure eight on a bight an arm's length from the end. Clip your carabiner to the loop and onto your harness.

    • 2

      Ascend the tree until you find a solid crotch that you want to tie into. If you're just climbing for practice, choose one that's relatively low down. If you are using straps to climb, make sure you loop your strap over the crotch so that you are stable while you tie in.

    • 3

      Grab some slack and tie another figure eight on a bight a few feet down the rope. Clip your extra carabiner to this loop and onto your harness.

    • 4

      Unclip the first carabiner from your harness. Swing the end of the rope around the crotch of the tree. Clip it back to your harness. You can now unclip the extra carabiner and untie the second figure eight.

    Tying In

    • 5

      Grab the tail of the rope that extends past the carabiner that is clipped to your harness. This is the piece that you will tie your hitch with.

    • 6

      Start with the tail crossed horizontally over the standing end of the rope. Wrap the tail four times around the standing end placing each coil above the last one.

    • 7

      Take the tail and pass it under the first two loops, pulling it out between the second and third coils.

    • 8

      Dress and tighten your knot. You don't want this hitch to be loose.

    • 9

      Tie a safety knot, such as a simple overhand knot, in the remaining end of the tail.

    • 10

      Use Blake's Hitch to rappel down the tree. When you hang with your full weight on the rope, the hitch should hold you in place. To move down, simply squeeze the hitch. To stop yourself, ease off pressure on the hitch.