Diana Lake Lodge

 14-16 August 2022

7.4-8.4 km, +700 m of altitude gain, 4 hours

Diana Lake Lodge is a rustic accommodation in Columbia Valley, BC. Diana Lake Lodge is accessed off Highway #95 north of Radium Hot Springs, BC. Driving time from Radium Hot Springs is about 1 hour to the trailhead, or 1 hr 40 minutes south from Golden BC. It involves driving 24 km on Kindersley-Pinnacle Forest Service Road, followed by about 4 hours of hiking (our GPSs were showing between 7.4 to 8.4 km). For the costs of staying there and all the other information, please, visit dianalake.ca

The trip was suggested by one of the most active members of our club - Ewa, the resident of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort near Golden. 

Should you be interested in renting Ewa's condo for some skiing and experience this kind of view from her hot tub, please, contact Ewa at skiaspen56@gmail.com 

Having experienced Ewa's famous hospitality for one night, we drove the next morning to the trailhead, where we met the rest of our group. 

As "Magnificent Seven," we were a party big enough to have the whole lodge rented just for ourselves. From the left: Piotr, Dusia, Ewusia, Adusia, Boris, Mike and Sabusia. 

Though the lodge owners were denying any problems with the racoons (going after rubber), on recommendation of Boris, we wrapped our cars in chicken wire. In a sense, a peace of mind for about $40.

Our party consisted of a few young people, like Boris and Ada, capable of carrying heavy loads ...

... and some aged veterans, like Mike, carrying bare essentials, such as macaroni & cheese and ... but of course, alcohol!

Some very sexy ladies joined this time!

 We crossed the "iron bridge" ...

... and then, for about 900 meters, we followed this old forestry road ...

 ... adored with the most beautiful flowers!

At this board, as directed, we turned right ...

... and started gaining altitude.

As we started around 1:00 pm, we were afraid of the afternoon sun. However, for the most part ...

... the trail was leading through shaded areas ...

... with a couple of accesses to mountain creeks. 

Don't get me wrong - there were also a few open alpine meadows ...

... and a few "technical difficulties."

This series of footbridges was a sign that we were not too far from the lodge. 

The last kilometer was really hard on everybody, especially me and Mike. 

That is why, right after reaching the lodge in 4 hours, ...

... we rushed to Diana Lake ...

... to wash out our sweats. Brave Adusia managed to do three strokes in this very cold water!

Cold water seemed to invigorate Boris' and Ada's love. Don't misinterpret Boris' right hand ... he is just protecting Ada's leg from a horse fly!

Mike, but of course, went all the way through!

However, not being quite satisfied with his accomplishment, he went "Full Monty" the next day.

A sexy lady just stepped in front of my camera! Couldn't resist a click!

At the same time, Sabusia stated that she would rather fight in Afghanistan than to go into this cold water. However, she promised me that if I make to the top of the Judge next day, she will do "skinny dipping" next time we hike together! (If you are familiar with the concept of "confabulation," this photostory is full of it). 

Back at the lodge, while sipping iced wine so generously carried by Mike, we had to decide who will sleep where, even if not who will sleep with whom. 

Sabusia made the middle level looking quite attractive ...

... while Adusia made the upper level looking very inviting ...

... in spite of involving a ladder. 

Not surprisingly, Boris rushed to join her ...

... and they both enjoyed having an "upper hand" over everybody else.

Mike initially planned to sleep with a dog, but eventually he ended up sleeping with next to Ewusia.

Then it was time for supper. 

Having bad memories from this kind of food on Mt. Willingdon trip (fotoreportaż), I decided to order a half-board. However, unlike in Europe, instead of breakfast, it included ...

... appetizers! Combined with a reasonably priced wine - 

$6 per glass - it was a nice intro ...

... into the main course. After the supper ...

... we explored the vicinity of the lodge, including strategically important ... out-house!

Being powered by solar panels, the lodge offered some comforts typically hard to find in this kind of facilities, including warm showers! However, as Mike would testify, the first few drops were rather cold.

Thanks to having electricity, we could charge up our phones and watches. We were also able to play some card games, including the famous Pickle (Ogórek) - the game played in Polish prisons! 

Boris played some guitar (next to the fridge we had access to). 

We also had access to a small, but sufficiently equipped kitchen. 

From the sunbed, which, as Mike discovered, was easier to sit in than to get up from ... 

... we made first observations of the Judge - the prominent mountain we planned to tackle the next day. (I'll cover this adventure in a separate photostory). 

Dusia, not planning to go on account of an old ankle injury, explored the lodge's library. 

The owners of the lodge - Pat and Michael - were so nice to us that they even shared with us Pat's birthday cake!

Not surprisingly, we wished we stayed longer when the time to leave came. 

We bid farewell to the beautiful Diana Lake ...

... where we experienced so much love ...

... and excitement!

Inspired by Pat's and Michael's stories about the local grizzly bears, leading the pack with Adusia, we went over our extensive singing repertoires. However, while mine were mostly naughty Polish songs, Ada sang Russian songs in Mandarin and Cantonese ...

... which impressed Mike a lot! Yes, these meadows, reportedly, were the favorite grazing habitat of the grizzlies. 

Perhaps thanks to our loudness, we didn't encounter any, but we saw this very fresh poop, which, Boris was convinced, was a bear poop. Don't get too scared - just carry a bear spray ... and work on your repertoire!

It took us 3.5 hours to get down to our cars. The timing was consistent between our watches, while distances and altitudes not so much. 

It was so nice to cool our feet in the stream.  Diana Lake Lodge - we should definitely visit you again!

(Thanks to Ada, Boris, and Mike for permission to use their photos)

PR.