Pointe Blanche – south pillar (Col de la Colombière) · Aravis · France
Bail not documentedBolting confidence: high
A fine modern line up the pillar that props up the Pointe Blanche, at 2200 m above the Col de la Colombière. Sustained 6a+ to 6b with one violent bulge of 6c+ at the start of pitch 3, then two pitches of perfect runnels, a short down-climb and two more steep 6a+ pitches. The approach and descent are alpine in feel.
The route
L'échelle de Jacob is the hardest of the new Aravis additions here and the highest, finishing a short walk from the 2438 m summit of the Pointe Blanche. The first three pitches are the business: a sustained slab on small, sometimes fragile edges, an athletic pillar with an awkward traverse, and the crux bulge followed by a chimney. Every party quoted pulled on a draw or two at the bulge, which is closely bolted. Above, two easier pitches on superb runnelled rock lead to a short descent of a pitch of the old Amy route, then two more steep 6a+ pitches. The grades are considered stiff.
The climbing
| Pitch | Grade | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| P1 | 6a+ | 'Nathalie's slab': sustained and steeper than it looks, not easy to read, with flakes and edges that sound hollow and need gentle handling. |
| P2 | 6b | A fairly athletic start up a steep little pillar on good holds, then an awkward but well-protected traversing move onto a ramp below the belay. One party grades it 6b+. Manage the rope drag. |
| P3 | 6c+ | 'Bruno's overhang': a violent bulge straight off the belay, well bolted and easy to aid, then a chimney that is not so easy either. At the top of the chimney traverse well right to a belay on a promontory in a fine position. |
| P4 | 5b+ | A very attractive pillar on excellent rock. |
| P5 | 4c | Runnels: easy, on magnificent rock. |
| P6 | 5a | Climb down one pitch of the Amy route, protected by a mix of pegs and a bolt. Short and unusual. |
| P7 | 6a+ | 'Guillaume's runnel': a fine slab and steep wall, then a physical rising traverse that depends on one key hold. |
| P8 | 6a+ | A hard move to start, then a few steps to the top. |
Getting there
The Jallouvre routes start from a small quarry car park two hairpins below the Col de la Colombière on its Le Grand-Bornand (Le Chinaillon) side; it is more convenient than the car park at the col, which is often full in summer. A shuttle runs from Le Grand-Bornand to Le Chinaillon, from where a path or the road climbs to the col. The col road is closed in winter. For this route you can also start from the car park of the Jallouvre via ferrata, which adds a little height but is just as direct.
About 1 h 30 min and 550 m of ascent. From the Col de la Colombière take the path to the Col du Rasoir. Shortly after the junction with the path coming back from the Jallouvre via ferrata, go right up the crest of a grassy hump (traces). From its top descend a few metres to the scree below the south face of the Pointe Blanche; spare kit can be left here and collected on the way down. Climb the scree and, almost at its top, go left along a ramp of grass and stones at the foot of the cliff. The start is almost at the highest point of the ramp, with the name in discreet, faded blue paint. A 2025 party adds: ignore a three-bolt start at the beginning of the ramp, keep along the cliff past a resurgence, and the bolts then come into view.
Loading map
The point marks the crag, not the exact start of the route.
Parking
Col de la Colombière (camptocamp waypoint 135395); the quarry car park used for the routes is two hairpins below on the Grand-Bornand side
Point from camptocamp waypoint 37849 (Pointe Blanche summit); the route is on the south pillar below it
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: 45.99895, 6.46012 (crag) · Parking: 45.99222, 6.47556
Getting down
Two options, both alpine in character. Either continue from the last belay to the summit and go down the normal route to the Col du Rasoir and the return path; or, 20 m above the last belay, go down left into a small notch and traverse to the right along the rocks, first down and then slightly up, to join the normal route's path. The second is much quicker, but the slopes are steep and above cliffs. Parties report 1 h 30 min to 2 h back to the car.
Retreat
Bail not documented
No source describes abseiling the route or retreating from it. Reports say nearly every belay has a chain, which suggests abseiling the first five pitches is feasible, but this is not confirmed and rope lengths are not published. Above the down-climbed pitch 6 the top is two pitches away and the walk-off is the logical exit.
Partly inferred from the route facts
Safety
Sun and weather
South facing between about 2200 and 2438 m. Even in heatwaves parties found it pleasant thanks to a constant breeze, and one needed long sleeves under cloud; in early October it was about 5°C in fog. After heavy rain resurgences run on the face, but only the crux bulge was affected for an August 2026 party. Storms build quickly on this chain.
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 (usual season) | Jul (usual season) | Aug (usual season) | Sep (usual season) | Oct (usual season) | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean daily high °C | −7 | −5 | −2 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 5 | −2 | −6 |
| Mean daily low °C | −16 | −15 | −12 | −8 | −4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | −1 | −5 | −11 | −15 |
| Rain days 1 mm or more | 13 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 |
● marks the usual climbing season. Averages for 1991-2020 at about 2371 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
The sources give no quickdraw count or rope length; the descent is on foot. A sling to pull on at the crux. Helmet. Approach shoes that cope with steep grass and scree.
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 L'échelle de Jacob.
Worth knowing
Open questions
Provenance
Same area
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The classic easy ridge of the Aravis: three bolted slab and chimney pitches, then a long, airy limestone crest with Mont Blanc in view all the way. Most of it is grade 3 and is often climbed moving together. The steep scree of the approach and descent is the hard part of the day.
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Italy · Arco & Valle del Sarca
Eight sustained pitches up the wall opposite the Laterna restaurant, rarely easier than 6a. The crux is a short overhanging wall on pitch 5 that can be pulled through on the bolts. Less cleaned than its neighbours, with some broken rock on pitch 6.
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Read the cautionsCommitting
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.
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