Munter Mule Overhand

The Munter-Mule-Overhand knot (also called the "MMO") is a primary component of rope rescue systems. This video provides a detailed demonstration of how to tie the munter hitch, mule hitch, and overhand knot in combination so they work together in a single load-releasable system.

[@eonblue46]

Best MMO video I've seen. Could have addressed how to release the knot for lower but the mule hitch explanation was bang on

[@treeoflifehiking1807]

Thanks for the attention to detail provided in this video. I've watched several MMO videos and yours is the best since you explain things so well with the extra details needed for a full understanding.

[@booger5514]

10 years from now, yer gonna be the AMGA TD!

[@jacqueslamontagne6890]

Question: why not just two half hitches instead of the mule? Easier to learn, harder to get wrong, faster to do, easier to undo.

[@skillsforclimbing]

This is a great question @jacqueslamintagne6890! In some countries a "slippery half-hitch" is used as the initial block that prevents the munter hitch from lowering. The slippery-half-hitch (or slippery-hitch for short) is similar to a mule-hitch, in that it can be pulled out and released under load. Like you mention, it is much easier to tie than a mule-hitch. The slippery hitch is then followed by a series of half-hitches to prevent the hitch from being accidentally pulled-out. In most cases this system works perfectly well- especially in the context of recreational climbing where the loads on anchors tend to be small (just the weight of one climber). However, there are a few specific scenarios when a slippery half-hitch might become difficult to release. If there is very little friction of the load strand running over rock, and you have a constant large force pulling on the locked-off munter, then the loop that the slippery-hitch is passed through can become very, very snug. This makes it exceptionally difficult to release the hitch while under load. This is sometimes the case when docking heavy haul-bags at anchors on multi-day big-walls, and it can also happen in rescue scenarios when you have a climber hanging in space after falling off a traverse above a roof for example. I have used both techniques for locking-off crevasse rescue systems (where a climber was lowered into a crevasse on a munter initially) and I found both lock-offs worked fine.
The use of multiple half-hitches instead of a single overhand-on-a-bite to lock-off the remaining tail/loop is largely one of preference I think. Both work great. Perhaps the half-hitch series requires more rope and is a greater tripping hazard, but I can't think of any strong argument for or against either method.

[@wolverinekut]

👍💯