To ensure you don’t descend past the rope end, what should you tie?

• A. A bowline
• B. A clove hitch
• C. A stopper knot at the rope end
• D. A figure-eight knot

Answer: (C)

Tying a stopper knot on the end of the rope is the way to ensure you don’t descend past the rope end. The bulky end created by a stopper knot catches and prevents the rope from sliding through the descent device or through an anchor, giving you a hard stop at the end. Other knots shown serve different purposes—bowline forms a fixed loop, which can loosen or pull through in this situation; clove hitch relies on friction and can slip under load; a figure-eight knot can act as a stopper knot, but the explicit action needed here is to place a stopper knot at the rope end to create that protective barrier.