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Diana Lake and The Judge
Invermere, B.C.
August 16, 2008
Distance: 20.8 km (12.9 mi)
Cumulative Elevation Gain: 1250 m (4101 ft)
North of Radium, a 24-kilometre forest service road ends at the trailhead for Diana Lake, and presiding over the lake sits The Judge. Although the lake appears to be a popular destination, few people seem to scramble up the mountain.
After an hour-long drive up the rough road, we parked alongside a few cars at the trailhead. At the start, the trail had deteriorated in spots, having been badly eroded by water. Unwittingly, we passed the turnoff and continued hiking for a couple hundred metres before realizing it. Given the boot prints we saw, this is probably a common error. The guidebook gives little detail as to where to leave the main trail but if you reach a broad, stony drainage, you've gone too far. We retraced our steps to a cairn and headed up a side trail.
The trail gradually gains elevation as it winds through the forest. It crosses a few avalanche slopes and meadows where we saw fresh signs of bear activity. We learned later, five bears were in the area, although we saw none.
After hiking 6.2 km, we reached Diana Lake. However, we inadvertently took a trail that leads to a cabin. The owner immediately confronted us and asked us to leave the area. He directed us to the trail that runs along the lakeshore.
Past the lake, the trail is less defined and even with flagging, we had trouble staying on it. Once we reached Whitetail Pass, however, there was no chance of getting lost: we needed only to follow the ridge to the summit.
The grade steepened when we hit orange talus. The white rock above it is great for scrambling but ends too soon. Although the view from the summit was fine, there are no nearby major peaks. The Bugaboos were too far away to study.
After a half-hour stay on the summit, we came back down the trail. At the lake we stopped to talk to three guys who had camped there. Two of them had tried to climb The Judge but turned back at the summit block. As one explained it, he was “chicken.” They said two other guys tried as well, but turned back when they reached the gully below the summit. The Judge is likely to rebuff hikers, but for scramblers, it is an enjoyable moderate scramble with no exposure.
MOVIE
The trailhead
Rabbit
A recent washout forced the trail to be rerouted below it
After hiking through trees, we finally had an open view
We saw signs of recent bear activity, so we were especially vigilant on
avalanche slopes
like this one
This meadow, "The Bend," winds around Mount Norman
The trail passes through trees and crosses a stream
The route takes in a boardwalk
Avoid the cabin or risked getting yelled at
Diana Lake
After the lake we made our way to the pass
Mount Norman behind us
Looking down at Pinnacle Meadows
Heading to Whitetail Pass (on the right, out of sight)
Starting up the ridge from the pass. The Judge is on the left.
Easy walk along the ridge
Most of the ridge crest is gentle, but this section juts out unexpectedly
The ridgewalk is surprisingly long
Unnamed ridge behind us extends north
Alpine Hawksbeard
The scramble begins at the orange rock
Looking back along the ridge
White rock caps the mountain
The grade steepens
We're able to see farther away as we ascended, but it's hazy
Mount Norman and Diana Lake in the background
Talus slope below the summit
The large, white boulders provided interesting scrambling
Almost on the summit
On the summit
Heading back to Diana Lake
A close-up of the summit from Diana Lake. It's best to
avoid the gully and scramble up the rock on the left.
Ruffed grouse near the trailhead
We noticed a black bear on the drive back down the road
82 K/16 Spillimachen
