What is crucial to do at the end of your repel rope?

Tying a knot at the end of your rappel rope is crucial for safety and preventing accidents. When you finish your descent, a knot, typically a figure-eight knot or a stopper knot, acts as a safeguard that prevents the rope from slipping through the rappel device or any anchor point. This knot ensures that you cannot accidentally rappel off the end of the rope, which could lead to a serious fall or injury. It also provides a physical marker indicating that you've reached the end of the rope, which is vital for both awareness and safety during a descent.

In this context, leaving the rope unknotted could increase the risk of the rope sliding through, leading to dangerous situations. Simply attaching another rope or securing it to a fixed point without a knot wouldn't provide the same level of security at the end of the rappel. Therefore, tying a knot is the best practice to ensure a safe and controlled rappel.