THE LODGE

INFO

Diana Lake Lodge Facilities

The Lodge/Teahouse: Holds our kitchen and entryway in front, eating and common area in the back. In summer running cold water is available in the lodge. Power is supplied by a PV electrical system, with enough electricity for phone/camera chargers.

The Bunkhouse: Contains 10 beds in 3 bedrooms with a loft. Propane heaters help keep the lodge & bunkhouse warm during cooler summer nights and winter months.

The Hot Outdoor Shower: Water is heated by propane for the outdoor shower and is carried to the lodge for washing dishes.

The Sauna: Is available to guests during inclement weather in the summer.

The Composting Outhouse: Clean and comfortable with a beautiful view of Mt. Norman.

Protect the Alpine Meadows

Please Stay on the Marked Paths: This year we will continue to work on meadow reclamation, and will be fencing off certain areas. Please respect the low fences, and use only marked paths.

Dogs: We love well-behaved, friendly dogs. Experienced backcountry lodge users will recognize and appreciate that we are one of the only backcountry lodges that allows dogs. Please:

Put dogs on leash while you are in the immediate vicinity of the lodge/Teahouse.
Bring your own poop bags and use them to clean up after your dog. Carry out and dispose of them at a transfer site or garbage dump in the Columbia Valley.
Do not bring unfriendly dogs up to the Lodge.
Overnight dogs are subject to a “pet fee” of $20 and are strictly not allowed on any furniture, especially beds.

Stay Overnight in the Bunkhouse

The Kitchen (in the Lodge): is fully stocked with all the cooking/baking ware you could want in the backcountry. Self catered groups have access to coolers located in our exterior cooler building. The large propane range and oven can accommodate meals for large groups of people.
Beds: 3 bedrooms each with a queen and a twin XL bed; loft with 2 double and 2 twin XL beds. Mattresses provided.
Linens: bring a light sleeping bag or equivalent and pillowcase. Pillows available.
Shower: Don’t forget a towel for our wonderful hot outdoor shower.
Hut shoes and a headlamp are also highly recommended.

Add Catering to Your Stay

Catering: We cater to a variety of diets, given enough notice. However our kitchen is small, and storage is at a premium, so things are crowded together. We regularly cook with dairy products, wheat & grains, meat and fish, vegetables, spices, spreads, and a variety of sauces and condiments. We wash and sterilize all dishes using best practices.

NOTE: Although we offer some Gluten Free options for meals, please be aware that we cannot guarantee that ingredients and utensils may not be cross-contaminated. If you are very concerned please bring all your own food.

There is a caretaker present at the lodge nearly full-time during the summer season, and they are always in residence when we have guests staying with us. This way we can make sure the lodge is maintained and supervised during our busiest season, as well as ensuring we can host our Teahouse guests.

TEAHOUSE MENU

We accept Teahouse payments by cash and Interac e-transfer. Forgot your wallet? We run by the honour system, so if you give us your word you will pay us at some point, we give you our word that we will make you a meal that you will enjoy.

Beverages

Nibbles

Daily Lunch

AREA INFO

The highest mountain in our area, The Judge presides over our valley at a height of 2752 m (9029 ft). From the lodge, the trail climbs to Whitetail Pass. From here you turn SE and follow the breathtaking ridge all the way to the peak. This wonderful ridge walk ends with a moderate scramble for the last couple hundred meters to the peak. The views from the Judge are amazing, as you are able to see Mt. Assiniboine, the Beaverfoot valley, the Kootenay River valley, and lots more. Keep an eye out for the numerous different alpine wildflowers up on the ridges, as well as grizzlies and mountain goats.

Known as the Darn Tarn to us here at Diana Lake, this is a small body of water located in a deep valley just SW of Diana Lake Lodge. Due to the shadows, ice and snow usually stays in this area all year round, which in combination with the large boulders and rocks scattered through the water offers a great place to take pictures. From the tarn, you can climb the ridge located just to the north for a great view of Diana Lake and the Pinnacle valley. Or scramble up the knob above to the top of one of the peaks of Mt. Norman.

Another spectacular ridgewalk follows the ridge on the north end of The Pinnacle valley. From Whitetail Pass, the trail turns north and disappears as it heads up the ridge. At this point the group can make their own way, following the ridge. The ridge heads north and then turns to the west, ending in a small peak overlooking the Columbia valley. From here you get great views of the Bugaboos and Lower Bugaboo falls. You can see all the way to Invermere and Windermere Lake and look down on the small hamlet of Spillimacheen. Observant explorers can carefully scout out the fossils found below the ridgeline (to view, not to take away).

The meadows of Pinnacle valley are a wonderful place to slowly meander through. With some interesting rock formations and numerous natural small creek beds, the mix of evergreens including pine, spruce, and larch, as well as the abundance of wildflowers, it is an area full of nature to explore. Search for ptarmigan among the rocks, watch the hawks and eagles scouting for ground squirrels, hunt down wild strawberry and blueberry plants, and look for mushrooms in the open meadows. On nice days, a dip in the lake with a nap beside it is a wonderfully relaxing experience.

ACCESS

1. Driving to the Trailhead

Diana Lake Lodge is accessed off Highway #95 North of Radium, BC. Driving time from Radium Hot Springs is about 1 hour to the trailhead, or 1 hr 45 minutes south from Golden BC. Note that this summer there may be active logging in the Pinnacle valley before the Diana Lake trailhead. If you have a radio, please bring it and follow all call instructions. Please obey all logging instructions on the road, respect all trucks and machines. Wait to pass active logging equipment until you have a clear signal from the operators.

You can enter Luxor Corrals Trail Rides into Google Maps for driving directions to the start of the Forest Service Road.

Highway Directions:

From Radium, turn North towards Golden, drive 18.5km. Just after blue and white highway sign for Luxor Corrals, turn East (Right) onto the Kindersley-Pinnacle Forest Service Road.
From Golden, travel South 85 km. Cross Spur Valley on the highway bridge, drive 500 m and turn East (Left) onto the Kindersley-Pinnacle Forest Service Road.

Forest Service Road Directions:

Stay Left at 7.3km….This is the Pinnacle FSR, right is Kindersley FSR (Do not go South past yellow Kindersley FSR sign).
Stay Right at 8km.
Stay Left at 8.5km.
From here, follow the main road all the way to the Diana Lake trailhead. Do not turn onto any marked Branch Roads. Do not cross Pinnacle Creek. There are 3 Diana Lake trail signs along the way.
Trailhead parking is located at 24km just as the road ends. There is a small area for turnaround for cars and trucks only, not big enough for trailers.

Forest Service Roads can have extremely marginal conditions. Please check these publications from the Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations on FSR safety. Vehicles with moderately high clearance are recommended

2. Trail Directions

The Diana Lake Trail is classified as a Hiking and Horse trail. Recreation Sites and Trails BC has posted sign posts at the trailhead stating that NO vehicles are allowed on the trail, including bicycles. Trail directions from trailhead (approx 4900 ft elevation).

Trail Directions (from trailhead - 1500 m elevation)

Follow trail over aluminium foot bridge to the inactive logging road.

Turn right onto the road and follow it for 0.9 km.
Trail leaves the road at the Diana Lake information sign, and climbs to the right, marked with orange flagging and stone cairn.
After 3 km, trail turns north through the Big Bend Meadows and mellows out as it reaches the higher valley elevation (approx 6400 ft elevation).
Follow trail for 2 km crossing 3 bridges to reach Diana Lake and the Recreation Sites and Trails BC campsite.
To reach the Lodge, either:

continue to follow trail directly up from Diana Lake to the Lodge (300m)
follow the lower trail around east edge of Diana Lake, up into meadows at the north end of the lake, turn right at Diana Lake Lodge sign (1km)

Infectious Disease Management at Diana Lake Lodge & Teahouse

DIANA LAKE LODGE