Yosemite Bowline
Also known as: Yosemite Finish Bowline
loop knot
Life-safety notice
TyingPoint's illustrations are for learning. For any life-safety use — climbing, rope access, rescue, or load-bearing rigging — seek qualified in-person instruction, and always inspect and test every knot before you trust your weight (or anyone else's) to it.
Climbers who prize the plain bowline's biggest practical advantage - how easily it unties after being loaded, compared with a figure-eight loop that can jam solid after a hard fall - still have to reckon with the bowline's biggest practical weakness: its tendency to work loose over the repeated slack-and-shock cycles a day of lead climbing produces. Climbers based out of Yosemite Valley are widely credited with popularizing the fix that bears the location's name: an extra wrap and tuck added to the standard bowline that locks the tail into the knot's own body rather than leaving it as a free tag.
The extra step is a straightforward extension of tying the plain bowline - once the standard loop and first tuck are complete, the tail gets one more wrap around the loop's standing part and is tucked back through the original hole a second time, following the same path as before. Properly dressed, this traps the tail against capsizing in a way the plain bowline's finish doesn't.
It remains a minority choice compared with the figure-eight follow-through as a tie-in knot, largely because the figure-eight's resistance to capsizing is better documented and more universally taught, and because a poorly dressed Yosemite finish can look adequate while providing little real benefit. Where it does see genuine use is among experienced climbers who specifically value fast, easy untying after a long day of repeated falls and are confident in tying and checking the extra tuck correctly every time.
Because the Yosemite finish only adds real security when it's tied and dressed correctly, most gyms and guide services that permit bowline tie-ins at all still require the same kind of partner check used for a figure-eight - specifically verifying the extra tuck is present and snug, not just glancing at the main loop. That extra scrutiny is part of why the figure-eight remains the default taught to beginners: it fails more visibly when tied wrong, where a poorly finished Yosemite bowline can pass a casual glance while still carrying real risk.
How to tie the Yosemite Bowline
Tie a standard bowline loop around the harness tie-in points, leaving a long tail.
Strength & security
Approx. strength retained: 65-70%
The extra Yosemite finish tuck locks the tail through the body of the knot rather than leaving it free, which meaningfully reduces the plain bowline's known tendency to capsize and work loose under the repeated fall-and-hang loading of lead climbing.
Cautions: The extra tuck must be dressed correctly to actually add the security it's meant to provide - a sloppily finished Yosemite tuck can look secure while offering little real benefit over a plain, unbacked bowline.
Alternatives
- Figure-Eight Loop
Still the more universally trusted tie-in knot; the Yosemite bowline exists specifically for climbers who prefer the plain bowline's much easier post-fall untying and want a documented way to shore up its main weakness.
FAQ
What does the 'Yosemite finish' actually add to a plain bowline?
An extra wrap and tuck that locks the tail into the knot's body, meaningfully reducing the plain bowline's tendency to capsize and loosen under repeated fall-and-hang loading.
Is the Yosemite bowline as trusted as a figure-eight for climbing tie-ins?
It's a legitimate, used technique, but the figure-eight follow-through remains the more universally taught and trusted default, partly because a poorly finished Yosemite tuck is harder to catch on a visual check than an obviously wrong figure-eight.
Why would a climber choose the Yosemite bowline over a figure-eight?
Mainly for how much more easily a bowline unties after being loaded repeatedly through a day of falls, compared with a figure-eight that can jam solid.
Does the Yosemite finish need a stopper knot too?
Many climbers still tie one for extra insurance, though the whole point of the Yosemite finish is that the tail is already locked into the knot's body rather than left as a loose tag - it's a genuine improvement, not a full substitute for good judgment about backup.
Can the Yosemite finish be added to other bowline variants?
Yes - the same extra wrap-and-tuck can be applied to a bowline on a bight or a water bowline in principle, though it's overwhelmingly associated with the plain climbing tie-in bowline, which is where the technique was popularized and where it's actually taught.