Alpine Butterfly
Also known as:Butterfly Knot, Lineman's Loop
Description
The alpine butterfly creates a secure, fixed loop in the middle of a rope that can be loaded from three directions without deforming. It is well-known for being able to take strain in any direction and is easy to untie after heavy loading. The knot has a distinctive symmetrical appearance.
Common Uses
Used by climbers and mountaineers to isolate a damaged section of rope, create a central anchor point, or provide a clip-in point on a rope team.
How to Tie
- 1Wrap the rope around your hand three times, forming three parallel coils.
- 2Take the middle coil and fold it over the outer two coils.
- 3Pass the folded coil under the outer coils and up through the gap.
- 4Pull outward to form the loop while holding the standing ends.
- 5Tighten by pulling both standing ends and the loop separately.
- 6Dress so the knot shows a symmetrical butterfly pattern.
