Difficulty: Moderate to lake, difficult to the Judge
Access: Moderate
Time: 2.5 hours to the lake, 4.5 hours to the Judge
Distance: 5.7 km to the lake, 9.5 km to the Judge
Change in elevation: gain 630 metres to the lake, 1050 metres to the Judge
Map reference: 82 K/16 Spillimacheen or Gemtrek Kootenay NP map
Synopsis: A relaxed hike through forest and up an avalanche path to a tranquil lake below a rock face. The Judge trail is a meander through an alpine bowl before climbing a ridge and scrambling up a rocky peak.
Access: From the lights in Golden, drive south on Highway 95 for 86.6 km. When you get to Spur Valley, the highway drops to cross the valley and then rises on the other side. Halfway up the rise on the left is the Kindersley FSR. Turn left and set your odometer to 0 here.
Drive for 24 kilometres on this road to the end. At 5.0 km, you will see the beginnings of the irrigation aqueduct that supplies the orchards in Edgewater. At 7.1 km, stay left. At 8.6 km, stay left. At 14.9 km, stay right. At 17.1 km, stay left. The road ends at 24 km. Park so you don't block access for anyone else.
Trailhead: Head north past the Diana Lake Forest Rec Site sign. Head for the aluminum bridge across the creek.
Trail: Cross the creek on the aluminum bridge and head up the road for 100 metres. When you reach the Y, take the right hand branch, where the worn path goes. Follow the old road for 300 metres, which includes crossing a creek by rock jumping. When you get to a spot where a log is blocking the path, that's a clue. The trail turns right and heads into the forest at this point.
The trail climbs easily through the forest and crosses a number of avalanche paths on its way. At 3.5 km, the trail breaks into yet another slide path and turns up the hill. Once you reach the top of this hill, the slope lessens and it is an easy 45 minute walk to the lake.
From the lake, it is possible to gain access to the upper bowl and ridges, including the Judge. From Diana Lake, take the trail to the right. The trail is now blocked just past the lake by piles of logs. That's because the trail has been rerouted to give the occupants of the cabin some privacy. Follow the new trail along the lakeshore to the north end of the lake, and then follow the wooden posts (somebody has done a lot of digging) through the thin forest of larch to the point where the posts reconnect with the old trail. When you regain the old trail, follow the faint path north along the creek. When you reach the Y, take either path, because they both peter out. Mosey through the bowl towards the north end for 1.5 kilometres, and then cut over to the pass and the base of the ridge.
Once at the ridge, turn right and pick up the trail right on the ridge top. Follow the edge of the ridge and soak in the views for the next 1.5 kilometres.
There is a bare shaly col just before the Judge. If you are not up to a scramble, this is the place to stop. The route up the Judge is an exposed scramble with some loose rock.
Cautions:
- Watch for bears in the slide paths.
- Don't expect to be alone at the lake.
- On the route to the Judge, there is an extreme dropoff on the east side of the ridge.
