The Judge | Scrambling in Invermere - soistheman Digital Diary

01 The Judge | 2010-05-24

The Judge

Location: Invermere
Activity: Scrambling
Height: 2,739 m (8,987 ft)
Elevation Gain: 1,610 m (5,282 ft)
Distance: 19.9 km / Loop (12.4 mi)
Avg Steepness: 9.2°
Estimated Time: 7-10 hrs
Technicality: Intermediate
Fitness Level: Athlete

Download GPX: [Trail] The Judge.gpx
OpenStreetMap: See track recorded by GPS
Print: Display in printer-friendly format
Conditions:
- Weather

The last day of May long weekend, and the best weather of the 3 days and the main event I was waiting for. The Judge!!

Again I used the book Hikes around Invermere by Aaron & Matt for my reference. The access road is very confusing and if you don't have GPS, it will be hard to figure out the correct way. If you download my GPX, it includes access road route as well. For those of you who doesn't have GPS, you can still see the access road route from Google Map with my track. You can change Google map type to "Map" to show normal road map. The access road is called Kindersley Creek Forest Service Road just before Luxor Creek RV Park coming from Radium. This road is very rough and poorly maintained. After 24 km of driving this road ends and Diana Lake hiking trail starts, but this 24 km takes 70 min. Yes it was the slowest driving I had for a long time until on the way back I got stuck in traffic on HW1 for construction near Banff town site. It was even slower driving.

First 1.1 km of tail was more like an extend road. At waypoint "Turn Right" (GR539360) you can find hiking trail, so don't miss the turn. After the turn trail stays and goes along west side of a creek until waypoint "Bridge 2" (GR550380). However I have to tell you my track doesn't follow the trail because it was converted with snow. I was on and off trail. After this point, trees thin out and a pretty green valley appears that is if it's summer. For me I had a pretty white field. Unfortunately I couldn't see pretty Diana Lake I saw in the book as it was still frozen... To The judge wise way is to go farther to NW from Diana Lake and go to the col. Then get on the east ridge which leads to the peak. The last 150 m of elevation became very steep. It was about 40 to 50 degrees range, the hardest part of this trip. For descent, I took south ridge instead. The ridge is steep and would be hard for ascent but for decent it's nice, especially snow covered, I could go down very fast.

02 The Judge | 2010-05-24

There were a lot of bear foot prints. I wasn't sure if those belongs to a bear or bears.

03 The Judge | 2010-05-24

Crystallized hot dogs.

04 The Judge | 2010-05-24

Crystallized mountain goat poop.

05 The Judge | 2010-05-24

As many good looking peaks in this area, only this peak Mount Norman and The Judge are officially named.

06 The Judge | 2010-05-24

Now this is what I call sunny, unlike the last two days of rubbish "sunny periods" forecast really meant flurries.

07 The Judge | 2010-05-24

The valley. I love to come back in summer too.

08 The Judge | 2010-05-24

Going toward The Judge.

09 The Judge | 2010-05-24

From the bottom, The Judge and the approach ridge looked shorter than Norman and connecting ridge to Norman, but once on the ridge it was obvious The Judge is taller as the book says it's the tallest around this area.

10 The Judge | 2010-05-24

This is official hello to Mount Goodsir for me. I am not sure about the tall peak behind. Hungabee or Deltaform?

11 The Judge | 2010-05-24

My buddies often don't bring crampons, but I always carry them. Again crampons made my ascent safer and easier.

12 The Judge | 2010-05-24

Just before the summit.

13 The Judge | 2010-05-24

Looking at Kootenay in the Rockies.

14 The Judge | 2010-05-24

Looking at the Columbia Mountains.

15 The Judge | 2010-05-24

There are too many peaks there and they look so impressive too. I could only indentify few.

16 The Judge | 2010-05-24

Of course my favorite, Assiniboine.

17 The Judge | 2010-05-24

Time to go home.

18 The Judge | 2010-05-24

It would be a nice crazy carpeting.

19 The Judge | 2010-05-24

Mark, the ridge walker who went back to UK gave me map of Kootenay. I noticed on the map, he marked a peak "Markie's Mount". That's your mountain buddy.