Yosemite Bowline
Also known as: Yosemite Finish Bowline
loop knot
Life-safety notice
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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
- 1Tie a standard bowline loop around the harness tie-in points, leaving a long tail.
- 2Instead of finishing there, take the long tail around the near leg of the big loop, outside the knot.
- 3Bring the tail back up through the body of the bowline so it exits alongside the standing part - not back down the way it first came through. Routed the wrong way, this tuck does not lock the knot.
- 4Pull the tail snug so the extra wrap seats firmly against the main knot body.
- 5Dress every strand so nothing crosses awkwardly at the finished tuck.
- 6Leave at least 10-15cm of tail beyond the final tuck.
- 7Have a partner visually check the extra tuck specifically, since it's easy to skip under time pressure.
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 tuck must be routed and dressed correctly, and the main bowline must be tightened BEFORE the Yosemite tuck is pulled snug - tighten the tail first and you destroy the bowline underneath it. Tightened in the wrong order, or tucked the wrong way, the knot can collapse into a slip knot, which is a worse outcome than a plain bowline rather than merely a less useful one. Because that error is easy to make and hard to spot, many instructors prefer a standard or double bowline with a stopper knot instead.
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.
Gear that pairs with this knot
- Dynamic climbing rope (UIAA / EN 892 certified)
This loop is only as trustworthy as the rope it is tied in. A tie-in or anchor loop belongs in a fall-rated dynamic rope carrying a UIAA or EN 892 mark — never in utility rope from a hardware store, whose breaking strength is unrated.
- Locking carabiner (CE / UIAA rated)
Whatever clips into this loop has to be a certified climbing carabiner with a locking gate. An unrated snap clip has no published strength and is the wrong side of the line for any knot on this page.
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