Paroi de Borderan - Pilier de la pointe 2071

A route with moderate difficulties and in a good situation.

Approach # 45mins to 1h

From the Col de Aravis, go up behind a farm and climb leftwards up the steep alpine meadows in the direction of the descent gully, which is to the right of the pillar.

Route

Start between the line of the ridge and a smooth slab which borders the foot of the gully. An orange mark on the rock.

L# | 4c | 15m 3 pegs, Go to the left of the line of the ridge. Belay on a narrow, grassy platform (2 bolts). L# | 5b | Key pitch, very nice and well equipped. Straight up a series of cracks (pegs and bolts). Belay slightly to the right of the line of the ridge, 2 bolts. L# | 4b | Follow the line of the pillar and exit onto grassy steps (rock friable), until to the foot of the second tier. Belay at the foot with a bolt and a peg. L# | 5a | Slab with small flakes to the left of the line of the ridge. Belay at the foot of a chimney crack with 2 bolts L# | 4c/5a | Climb this to a leaning flake which one climbs by a move to the right. Then in the line of the pillar climb an easy gully/corner on friable rock/ terrain until the summit. Belay with a peg and a bolt.

Descent # 3 possibilities:

• Quickest: Follow the ridge to the north until a small col. Descend 5m down the gully : first abseil point on the true left bank, then a second to reach stepped terrain, (exposed). From there descend the rocks on the true left bank to a third abseil which brings one to near the start of the route.

• Easiest: Use the descent path from the via ferrata. At the end of the climb, descend to the left by a faint path but with discrete red marks. 1h30 to the parking of the via ferrata and another 30mins back up the road to the col.

• It is also possible to descend by the via ferrata, http://viaferratafr.free.fr/via-ferrata.php?via=13 ), which is quickly reached by following the red-marked path. To be avoided if there are a lot of people ascending the via ferrata.

The line taken by the route is basically the pillar and follows the natural weaknesses of the rock.