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Diagram

Icicle Hitch

Icicle

Gripping a spar, post or pole when the pull runs along it in one direction. It grips smooth spars well and is said to hold even on a taper such as a marlinspike.

Hitch · Advanced · Polyester / Nylon rope / Polypropylene / Natural fibre · 4 steps

ApplicationsHow to tie it
Icicle Hitch, finishedIcicle Hitch, finished

Finished structure

Drawn from a rope model of this knot: which strand passes over which comes from where the rope actually lies.

  1. Take four turns round the spar, laying each one further from the spar's endThe standing part hangs down the front of the spar and the working end goes round it four times, each turn further from the spar's end, then hangs down behind.
    1Standing part
    2First turn
    Move 1 of 1Take four turns round the spar, laying each one further from the spar's endYou should now see: Four snug turns side by side on the spar, the standing part leaving from the turn nearest the spar's end.

    Step 01

    Take four or five turns with the working end around the spar itself, laying each new turn further from the spar's end. The load will pull along the spar toward that end.

    You should now see

    Four or five snug turns side by side on the spar, with the standing part leaving from the turn nearest the spar's end.

    If it goes wrong

    Laying the turns toward the direction of pull instead of away from it. You will see the working end finishing nearer the spar's end than the standing part, and the hitch slides when loaded.

    Fix: Unwind the turns and start again beside the end the load will pull toward, laying each turn further away from it.

    Why: Under load the coil is drawn longer and so grips tighter, much like a finger trap. That happens only when the pull comes from the end where the turns started.

  2. Lead the working end back and over the top, beside the standing partThe working end comes back from the last turn, hanging as a long bight below the spar, and goes over the top to hang down the front beside the standing part.
    1Bight behind the spar
    2Working end
    Move 1 of 1Lead the working end back and over the top, beside the standing partYou should now see: The working end and the standing part side by side at the front, with a slack bight hanging behind the spar.

    Step 02

    Lead the working end back along the spar and bring it round to the front beside the standing part, leaving a long bight of rope hanging behind the spar.

    You should now see

    The working end and the standing part side by side at the front of the spar, with a slack bight hanging behind it.

    If it goes wrong

    Pulling the working end tight so no bight is left behind the spar. You then have nothing to pass over the end of the spar in the next step.

    Fix: Ease the working end back until the bight behind the spar is long enough to reach over both rope parts and past the end of the spar.

    Why: The bight is what locks the turns in place. It needs enough length to go over both rope parts and the end of the spar in one move.

  3. Bring the bight over both ends and pass it off over the end of the sparBoth ends lie along the front of the spar and out past its end. The bight, brought up from behind, is open and tilted across the rounded end, both ends running through it, and is being dropped down over the end.
    1Bight going over the spar's end
    2Standing part through the bight
    Move 1 of 2Bring the bight over both ends and pass it off over the end of the spar
    Slide the bight back along the spar until it sits next to the turnsThe bight, now ringing the spar, is slid back from the spar's end over both ends until it sits beside the turns, pinning the standing part and working end.
    1Bight round the spar
    Move 2 of 2Slide the bight back along the spar until it sits next to the turnsYou should now see: The bight goes right round the spar next to the turns, holding the standing part and the working end down against it.

    Step 03

    Take the bight from behind the spar, bring it over both the standing part and the working end, and pass it off over the end of the spar.

    You should now see

    The bight now goes right around the spar next to the turns, holding the standing part and the working end down against the spar.

    If it goes wrong

    Passing the bight over the two rope parts but not over the end of the spar. It hangs loose instead of encircling the spar, and pulls straight out when you tighten.

    Fix: Lift the bight back up and carry it all the way over the end of the spar so it goes around the spar.

    Why: If the end of the spar cannot be reached, make the same finish with the working end: pass it behind the standing part and over the spar, then behind the standing part and over the spar again, ending beside the standing part.

  4. Pull the standing part and working end together at right angles to the sparBoth ends pulled together at right angles to the spar: the turns pack tight and the collar closes down on the two ends.
    Move 1 of 2Pull the standing part and working end together at right angles to the spar
    Let the load come on the standing part along the spar toward its endThe finished icicle hitch: four tight turns, the collar beside them pinning both ends, and the standing part loaded along the spar toward its end.
    Move 2 of 2Let the load come on the standing part along the spar toward its endYou should now see: Turns packed tight against each other, and a hitch that stays put when the standing part is pulled along the spar toward its end.

    Step 04

    Tighten by pulling the standing part and the working end together at right angles to the spar, then let the load come on the standing part along the spar.

    You should now see

    Turns packed tight against each other, and a hitch that stays put when the standing part is pulled along the spar toward its end.

    If it goes wrong

    Loading along the spar before pulling the hitch tight, or tying it with too few turns. The hitch slides along the spar as the load comes on.

    Fix: Take the load off, retie with five turns, and pull both ends hard at right angles to the spar before loading again.

    Why: The hitch holds a pull along the spar in one direction only, and slides freely when unloaded so it can be moved and reset. It grips smooth spars well enough that it is said to hold on a tapered marlinspike.

Failure modes

When this family fails, it fails as these. The recovered end still outranks the name.

Grip-hitch family

Directional bite on a standing part — slide-test before you trust it.

  • !Turns on the wrong side of the load
  • !Failed slide-test, still used
  • !A clove where a rolling or icicle third turn was the job
Fails when
  • !The turns run toward the pull instead of away from it, so the hitch slides when loaded.
  • !The bight went over the rope parts but missed the end of the spar, so it pulls straight out when tightened.
  • !It was loaded along the spar before being pulled tight, or tied with too few turns, and it slides as the load comes on.
  • !The pull comes from the other direction along the spar, or the load comes off, and the hitch slides.
Geometry

  • Turns toward the pull

    Hitch will not grip and slides off

    Turns must work away from the direction of pull · step 01

  • Bight missed the spar end

    Unfinished icicle — dumps under along-spar load

    The bight must pass over both ends and over the spar end · step 03

  • Never set perpendicular, or too few turns

    Walks on the first along-spar load

    Set perpendicular, then load; add a turn if the slide-test fails · step 04

If you saw this

  • Hitch slides down the standing part

    Check

    • ?Turns away from the pull
    • ?Bight over both ends and the spar end

    Then

    • →Add a turn
    • →Reset perpendicular, then load

  • Turns toward the pull

    Check

    • ?Hitch will not grip and slides off
    • ?Inspect step 01

    Then

    • →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.

  • Bight missed the spar end

    Check

    • ?Unfinished icicle — dumps under along-spar load
    • ?Inspect step 03

    Then

    • →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.

  • Never set perpendicular, or too few turns

    Check

    • ?Walks on the first along-spar load
    • ?Inspect step 04

    Then

    • →Retie. Do not dress a defective structure and call it seated.
Same family

Same failure class, different geometry. Open the plates — Diagnose still starts from the symptom.

This failed — start Diagnose

Why this knot

What it earns its place with, what it costs, and what to reach for instead.

Best for
Load transfer
Not ideal for
  • A hitch you will adjust every minute (rolling hitch is faster)
  • A two-way hold
Common mistakes
  • Laying the turns toward the direction of pull instead of away from it.
  • Pulling the working end tight so no bight is left behind the spar.
  • Passing the bight over the two rope parts but not over the end of the spar.
  • Letting the load come on along the spar before pulling both ends tight at right angles to it.
Alternatives
  • Rolling HitchIntermediate

    Gripping a loaded rope or spar to take a pull along it, such as taking the strain off a line jammed on a winch

  • Trucker's HitchIntermediate

    Pulling a line tight between two fixed points to lash down a load or a tarpaulin, then locking it with two half hitches

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