Mountaineers carry a short accessory cord to hitch around their main rope, so forming a loop that aids in climbing. It can be slipped up the rope but will not slip down. For whom is the cord, the "knot," and the action named?

purrrr

The term Prusik is a name for both the loops of cord and the hitch, and is the verb to prusik. More casually, the term is used for any friction hitch that can grab a rope. The Prusik hitch is named for Austrian mountaineer Dr. Karl Prusik. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prusik May 12 09, 1:07 AM

queproblema

Yes, Purrrr! There's not a great deal of information on the internet about the good doctor; clicking on his name in your reference is the best I've found. Here's a so-called animation, actually a slide show, of the seven steps in making the knot. http://www.animatedknots.com/prusik/index.php May 12 09, 11:43 AM

zbeckabee

Prusik knot, named for its inventor Dr. Karl Prusik, an Austrian mountaineer in the 1920s, is a sliding friction knot or hitch that is used by climbers to ascend a fixed rope. The knot, tied with a loop of cord attached onto the rope, is clipped to the climber's harness and then pushed up the rope by the climber. When it is weighted by the climber, the knot grips the rope, allowing the climber to ascend upward. Prusik knots have advantages and disadvantages: Usually used in pairs. Are easy to tie. Don’t damage the rop Can slide down as well as up the rope. Can be tied with either a thin cord or a nylon sling. Are ineffective on icy ropes. Are prone to tighten up after being weighted or loaded. Are commonly used in emergency situations such as escaping a belay after an accident or ascending the rope after falling into space below an overhang. http://climbing.about.com/od/dictionaryofclimbing/a/prusikknotdef.htm Nice close-up of the knot: http://www.lasr.cs.ucla.edu/geoff/prusik_knot.html The Prussik Knot is used where a very secure knot is required that will not slip along a tight rope. The knot is commonly used by climbers as a foot hold to climb a vertical rope and can be used in emergencies in a sit/stand rope climbing scenario. The prussik knot is clever in that it locks in place under load but can be easily moved when the load is relieved. http://www.webclimbing.com/knotprussik.html May 12 09, 11:36 PM

queproblema

Good info, Zb. Climbers typically carry three prusiks: two to use and one spare. That's found at the very end of the Wiki article. May 13 09, 11:43 AM