Dent de Jaman – south face · Vaud Alps · Switzerland
Easy to bailBolting confidence: high
Six short pitches up the west edge of the pillar on the Dent de Jaman, the limestone tooth above Montreux, with Lake Geneva at your back. Slopers low down, a delicate traverse, then a fine slab and two good corner pitches. Hugely popular, a short walk from a mountain railway halt.
The route
The Dent de Jaman is the sharp limestone summit above Montreux, reached in minutes from the Jaman halt of the Rochers-de-Naye rack railway. Ace of Spades follows the west edge of the pillar in the centre of its south face and is one of the most-climbed easy multipitches in the Vaud Alps, with dozens of logged ascents each year. Since the 2015 rebolt the line avoids the old 6b overhang and stays at 5c, with close bolts and belays rigged for abseiling. The rock is stratified and still sheds holds low down, and there is a seasonal request not to climb it while jackdaws nest on the last pitch.
The climbing
| Pitch | Grade | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| P1 | 5b+ | Turn the overhang below the first belay on the right. Sloping holds, and the rock is at its worst here: a foothold broke on one leader in 2025. |
| P2 | 5a | A slightly loose passage, then grass towards the end. |
| P3 | 5c | A delicate traverse, a few metres up, then down to the right to the belay. Uncomfortable for the second because it descends before the stance. The original line instead attacks the overhang here (marked '6b' in red; 6b, or 5c with two points of aid) and joins the route higher, well protected. |
| P4 | 5c | A fine slab, with very good handholds in the upper part. |
| P5 | 5c | A good chimney-corner. The belay is 1 m to the left (red arrow). The hardest move has the one older, more distant bolt, and a newer leader found it a little committing. Jackdaws nest beside the belay. |
| P6 | 5c | A slab, then a fine corner and crack to the top of the difficulties. |
Getting there
Take the Montreux to Rochers-de-Naye rack railway and get off at Jaman (1739 m), ten minutes from the route. In October 2025 engineering works replaced the upper section with a bus to Haut-de-Caux, so check before you go. By car, a very narrow and steep road leads from Montreux through Les Avants to the Col de Jaman (1550 m), where you can park; one party walked from Haut-de-Caux instead.
From the Jaman halt take the path towards the Dent de Jaman. Where it forks at the signpost to climb to the summit, drop into the combe on the left to reach the foot of the face above the pines; a track runs along the base. Pass the first route, descend a little, and you reach Ace of Spades on the west edge of the pillar. The start is just after a metal post with horizontal bars and is marked 'ACE', with one bolt. 10 to 15 minutes from the halt, about 30 minutes from the Col de Jaman by the normal summit path to the same fork.
Loading map
The point marks the crag, not the exact start of the route.
Parking
Jaman halt of the Montreux – Rochers-de-Naye railway (camptocamp access waypoint 196326); drivers park at the Col de Jaman instead
Point from camptocamp waypoint 137811 (Dent de Jaman summit; the route is on the south face just below)
Contains the route point and parking. Opens in most mapping apps and GPS watches.
Points are compiled from published sources, with the precision stated above. They were not surveyed on the ground: check them against a current topo.
Coordinates: 46.44502, 6.97483 (crag) · Parking: 46.44190, 6.97668
Getting down
By abseil: all belays are equipped (linked with slings or cord whose condition you should check). With 2×50 m, three abseils from the top via the belays above pitches 3 and 2; with 2×60 m, two abseils. Stonefall is possible. Or continue to the summit: about four rope lengths of steep grass and scrambling with fixed ropes, one or two bolts between belays of two unlinked bolts; follow the topo, not the yellow slings. From the summit the tourist path leads back to the Jaman halt in about 15 minutes or to the Col de Jaman.
Retreat
Easy to bail
Every belay is equipped for abseiling and going down the route is one of the two normal descents. With 2×50 m you can retreat from any stance; check the slings or cord linking the belay bolts and watch for loose stones.
Safety
Sun and weather
South-facing limestone at 1700 to 1820 m. The SAC topo note attached to the route recommends not climbing it between 1 March and 30 July because alpine choughs nest on the last pitch and defend the nest; the months listed here follow that. Outside the nesting period it is climbed from spring to late autumn and is very hot on summer mornings; late afternoon is more pleasant. Cloud often sits on the tooth while Montreux is clear.
Sun on the wall · S-facing
Working out the sunlit hours for this month.
Sun on the wallDaylight, wall in shade● Usual season
Estimated from the wall's aspect only. Ignores surrounding terrain, gullies and the wall's exact shape. Clock times are local to the wall (Central European time), for the 15th of each month.
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug (usual season) | Sep (usual season) | Oct (usual season) | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean daily high °C | −6 | −4 | −1 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 6 | −1 | −6 |
| Mean daily low °C | −15 | −14 | −10 | −7 | −3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | −4 | −10 | −15 |
| Rain days 1 mm or more | 13 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
● marks the usual climbing season. Averages for 1991-2020 at about 2182 m. Area climate from Open-Meteo reanalysis. Temperatures are adjusted to the height of the crag; rain comes from a grid cell of about 10 to 25 km, and summer highs on sea cliffs can read a few degrees low. The wall and valley can differ. Data: Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0.
What to carry
15 quickdraws including those for the belays. Two 50 m or 60 m ropes if you plan to abseil. Slings or cord to back up the belay links. Helmet essential.
Derived from the route data; check it against a current topo
From climbers
Reader reports are not being collected yet. Until they are, check a current topo and the local club or guidebook publisher for recent changes to Ace of Spades.
Worth knowing
Open questions
Provenance
Same area
Switzerland · Vaud Alps
The bolted way up the Miroir d'Argentine: fourteen pitches of compact limestone slab, with the difficulties in the first four pitches and long, easy, run-out friction above. A big day out at a modest grade with a mountain walk-off. Do not underestimate it.
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Switzerland · Vaud Alps
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Switzerland · Vaud Alps
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Around 5c · about 6 pitches
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Italy · Lecco & Valsassina
A 1979 Ivan Guerini line up the big slab of the second spur: friction climbing on compact limestone with a few steeper steps, a fine third pitch and a corner to finish. Grades are even, around 5a to 5c, and the bolts are far enough apart that slab confidence matters. You abseil off.
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Read the cautions
Spain · El Chorro
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France · Vanoise (Grand Bec)
A short, sunny high-mountain route at 2800 m in the Vanoise: five 25 to 30 m pitches of 4b to 5b with one or two moves of 5c that can be pulled through, then an easy scramble. The bolting is generous enough that parties with little experience enjoy it. The setting, below the south-west face of the Grand Bec, is the reason to walk up.
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Compiled from published sources and last verified October 2026. Bolts, anchors and access change. Climbing is dangerous and you are responsible for your own decisions: check a current topo and read the disclaimer.