[Philmont]: Molded Plywood Packboards & Diamond Hitches

Ahhhhhhhhhh, dem were da days!
 
Yep, I too fastened my Yucca pack by the D rings. Only mine was old and worn enough and soft enough to get it off without cutting it.
 
Used a modified diamond hitch. Can still tie that thing blindfolded, with one hand tied behind my back and under a poncho in a rainstorm and keep load and self DRY!
 
Try that in a Gore Texas slicker suit.
 
But remember ponchos are dangerous! Yeah, right!.
 
Have used the modified diamond hitch many times since first learning it at Philont 45 years ago.
 
Even showed a couple of crew members in 2002 how to tie it to cinch down a flooping pack to make it carry better.
 
Here's how to tie it.
 
Take about 10-12 feet of 3/16 cotton cord. Small sash cord works best. You can use 550 cord, (that's parachute cord to the uninitiated) but it cuts the hand and is difficult to knot and even more difficult to untie.
 
Plus nylon stretches and loosens and must be retied occasionally, especially after it gets wet hile hiking.
 
Cotton on the other hand does not stretch and actually gets tighter when it rains.....a big plus factor on the trail.
 
Anyway, use whatever you have available.
 
Pput the two ends together. Grab the middle of it and push the loop under the top bar of the frame at the center. Run the tag ends through and you have a cinch hitch tied.
 
Now run the two tag ends across the load to the center of the bottom bar and go around the bar.
 
Split the two ends apart and go around the side bar about 1/3 up from the bottom..
 
Take the two original vertical lines and twist them about 4-6 times and pull a diamond in the center about 3-5 inches square.
 
Run each tag end through the closest part of the diamond and back to the side bars about 2/3 the way from botton to top, around the side bar and back to the starting point at the center of the top bar. Tie off temporarily.
 
Now go back to the starting point and snug up all the lines following the same path you originally tied them.
 
Re tie the tails in a more secure fashion and there you have a Modified Diamond Hitch, Philmont style circa 1959.
 
It's simple to tie and it works.
 
John LeBlanc
 

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Received on Thu Jan 29 22:26:24 2004