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Yosemite Bowline A Yosemite bowline is a very secure loop knot and is a version of the Bowline with the free end wrapped around one leg of the loop and tucked back through the knot, commonly known as a "Yosemite finish."
In addition to being more secure than a standard bowline, the Yosemite variant is also easier to untie after a load. Climbers often make use of the advantages it offers over other knots in using the knot as an alternative tie-in to the Figure Eight, and to secure heavy loads such as haul bags.
The only downside to the Yosemite Bowline is that it is more difficult to visually inspect than the Figure Eight. It was a Yosemite Bowline that failed on Lynn Hill in France, causing her to careen 70 feet to the base of the climb. Be sure to practice the Bowline many times before trusting it with your life.

Yosemite Bowline.

1. Lay the rope across your left hand with the free end hanging down. Form a small loop in the line in your hand.

2. Bring the free end up to and pass through the eye from the under side (the rabbit comes out of the hole) and wrap line around standing line (around the tree).

3. Feed line back down through the loop (the rabbit goes back down the hole).

4. Wrap tag end around it’s leg of the loop from back to front and then feed up and out of knot following next to path standing line takes coming into knot.

5. Pull on loop, standing line and tag end to tighten down the knot. Make sure there are two parallel wraps around one leg of loop and the tag end and standing line exit the knot together.

See animated Yosemite Bowline below.

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© Copyright 2013 John E Sherry. All rights reserved

Disclaimer: Any activity involving rope can be dangerous and may even be life threatening! Knot illustrations contained in this web site are not intended for rock climbing instruction. Many knots are not suitable for the risks involved in climbing. Seek professional instruction. Many of these knots have histories of use tracing back hundreds of years. However, many critical factors in their use today cannot be controlled, including: the appropriateness of knots used in particular applications, the age, size, and condition of ropes (knots weaken the rated breaking strength of rope anywhere from 50% to as much as 80%, even more in the case of old and worn rope); and the accuracy with which these descriptions have been followed. No responsibility is accepted for incidents arising from the use of this material.