WHAT'S SO MAGIC ABOUT MAGIC PLATES? - Glenmore Lodge

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experience – then addressing the ‘How to do it’ – choice of climb appropriate to the client’s aims and abilities; what rope type and system (single Vs half; parallel Vs Series); belay method (Direct belay Vs Semidirect); how to rig the stance and so on. In addition, good and easy to understand communication between all members of the team was vital. In effect the seconds understood what was to happen, how it should happen and when it would happen. Then, as now, the key element was making judgements about all the above variables. So what did they use? Well all the methods used then could be and are still used. You could bring up two people on a body belay if that was appropriate, or you could use your belay plate, alternatively if the situation allowed and it was appropriate you would use two Italian Hitches, one for each client/student’s rope. Off course, all these methods are still in use today, all that guide plates give us is another option. A precursor of the guide plate was the Alpine Clutch. Although it worked it was not in common use, with most instructors and guides preferring to use the other three methods. The following tables outline the pros and cons of the methods listed above when used to bring up two seconds simultaneously: Indirect Belay Using Waist/Body Belay (Image 1) ● Leader tied into belay using rope ● Waist belay using both ropes Note: it is important to have the braking side on the same side as your attachment point to the anchor. Pros: Avoids full impact force on the belay in the event of a fall. (Use of rope, and dynamic belay increases dynamic element in system). Can be quick to arrange. Cons: Difficult to bring two clients/students up at same time if moving at different speeds. If one student weights the rope it is impossible to take in/pay out the other rope. Instructor is in the system, necessitating a potentially complicated escape if required. Semi Direct Using Belay Plate (Image 2) ● Leader tied into belay using rope ● Belay plate clipped into rope loop on harness Pros: Can be easier to give a tight rope in extremis, or hoist. Avoids full impact force on the belay in the event of a fall. (Use of rope, and dynamic belay increases dynamic element in system). Cons: Difficult to bring two clients/students up at same time if moving at different speeds. If one student weights the rope it is impossible to take in/pay out the other rope through the plate. Instructor is in the system necessitating a potentially complicated escape if required. Direct Belay Using Italian Hitch (Image 3) NOTE: Requires bomb proof anchors. Pros: Less strain on belayer. Leader not in the system. Fast method of bringing up second(s). Cons: Difficult to provide tight rope in extremis. Requires bomb proof anchors. I’m sure anyone reading this has used several if not all those methods outlined above. Then, as now, the body belay and the belay plate methods could be awkward to use if both seconds climbed at variable speeds. Likewise with the Italian Hitch method. Good briefings to ensure that the seconds climbed at a suitable speed, thus allowing the instructor/guide to take in the rope, and not develop long loops of slack were essential. One of the issues with using the two Italian Hitches was if one Italian Hitch was loaded it could be pulled flat against the other hitch causing them both to jam (Image 4). A method to avoid this happening used a spacer krab as shown in Image 5. As you can see none of the above methods were exactly easy to use when you had two seconds climbing at the same time. Also all these ▲ IMAGE 3 SPON<strong>SO</strong>RED BY IMAGE 1 ▲ IMAGE 2 ▲ IMAGE 4 (LEFT) IMAGE 5 (RIGHT) ▲ AMInews SEPTEMBER ... 25
IMAGE 6 ▲ The New Alp Magic Plate methods meant that the belayer had to pay attention to holding onto the braking ropes all the time, and they could be tiring to use, especially if their seconds had not heeded the brief about climbing slowly and were attempting to speed their way to the stance. New Alp Magic Plate or Plaquette (Image 6) When the New Alp ‘Magic Plate’ came along it was a very useful piece of kit. It was a lightweight and simple flat piece of alloy with two slots in it, one being longer than the other (the longer one was to be used if bringing up one second as you could rotate the ‘breaking krab’ around and convert it into a lower if need be). It allowed the belayer to easily clip both ropes into the plate, and yard the rope in as the seconds climbed the pitch. Because it would lock automatically in the event of a slip the belayer could relax a bit and have a bit of a rest, maybe eat some food as they took the rope in. However, it was pretty much a device that was used primarily for bringing up two seconds (the 26 ... AMInews SEPTEMBER Figure 1A Figure 1B instructions illustrated how you could use the plate to abseil and belay conventionally with but I’m not sure if anyone actually used them for that. Certainly from my own perspective I still carried a conventional belay plate to do the abseiling/belaying leader bit with). Another downside was if one of the seconds had to get a bit of slack that could be awkward to do, certainly not as easy as using a belay plate or an Italian Hitch. It was possible if you used a krab as the ‘break’ with an angular back bar rather than a rounded back bar, by ‘pumping’ the krab back and forward (Image 7) this allowed some slack to creep into the system. Incidentally it’s a method you can still use with the currently available guide plates which I’ll talk about shortly – although, as they are made of lighter materials, you have to watch you don’t damage your brand new lightweight guide plate. It is worth noting you had/have to use a square section krab to do this, as you need the krab to bite and release (Image 8). Using a square section krab also had the advantage that the krab would bite the rope better if/when it was frozen. Although the above method allows some slack to be introduced it was far more difficult to lower your second(s) back down the pitch should that be necessary. One option was to attach a French Prusik to the loaded rope(s) as shown in Fig 1A, ‘pump’ the ‘break’ krab back and Figure 1C forward to transfer the load onto the French Prusik, then when the load was on the prusik, put the dead side of the loaded rope(s) into an Italian Hitch (Fig1B), remove the Magic Plate and lower (Fig1C). Not very quick but it did give a very smooth and controlled lower. Again this method will still work with current guide plates although as we will see many new plates such as the Reverso 3 and the XTC Guide make this lowering process quicker to do using the plate. So although the Magic Plate addressed the need to have a simple device that allowed two seconds to be belayed up a pitch with the minimum of fuss and effort, it pretty much, all things considered, only did one job well. Subsequent developments were to see the introduction of a new generation of devices which allowed the climber to do more than one job with the device – belay a lead climber, abseil, and of course bring up two seconds. Before all you retro freaks rush out to buy a New Alp Magic Plate it would appear that they are no longer available… Today… There are several devices currently available which allow the belayer to use the same device for belaying a lead climber, abseiling and bringing up two seconds. Figure 2 (above right) shows some examples of the common types currently in use in the UK. The first three models don’t allow ▲ ▲ Attach a French Prusik to the loaded rope(s) as shown in Figure 1A Pump the ‘break’ krab back and forward to transfer the load onto the French Prusik then, when the load was on the prusik, put the dead side of the loaded rope(s) into an Italian Hitch Figure 1B Remove the Magic Plate and lower Figure 1C an easy lower from within the device, whilst the last two are designed to allow the belayer to lower their seconds from the device. Although there are more choices available, I would still suggest the original ways of bringing up two seconds – body belay, belay plate and Italian Hitches – still have a place in our tool kit of techniques. Guide plates just give us another option. Methods All of the above devices have their own unique foibles regarding their use. My top tip – and I know it goes against the grain in outdoor learning – but it might be an idea to read the instructions before using a piece of kit you are not familiar with and maybe even give it a trial run in a controlled situation before experimenting with your new toy with real people. I can vouch that the experiential method of learning how to use a new belay device does not always work effectively, nor does it inspire confidence in your mates as you puzzle how to work your new toy whilst they dangle above the very hard, and far away ground. One time we were ice climbing out in Canada as a rope of three. One of our team, the newbie of our wee group, had never used a guide plate. He was given a few minutes of instruction by one of the others in the team, and then off he went and led the crux pitch (which he did in grand style as IMAGE 7 ‘...using a krab as the ‘break’ with an angular back bar, rather than a rounded back bar, and ‘pumping’ the krab back and forward allowed some slack to creep into the system.’ ▲ IMAGE 8 ‘...use a square section krab to do this, as you need the krab to bite and release.’
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WHAT'S SO MAGIC ABOUT MAGIC PLATES? - Glenmore Lodge

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