Here are a couple of sources that are worth while reading to learn about high elevation diving.
Diving above Sea Level by Bruce Weinke. The first half is full of sophisticated jargon. The latter half is very useful.
http://deepadventurescuba.net/assets/uploads/files/Ascent to Altitude After Diving.pdf
http://deepadventurescuba.net/assets/uploads/files/altitudecombined2.pdf
I dive almost exclusively at elevations above 3000 feet up to 8500 feet. Here are some things that I have learned:
-slow your ascent, make it slow
-I recommend at least a five minute safety stop
-don't underestimate water temps, especially below the thermocline.
-don't overestimate yourself, especially when it comes to dealing with cold, poor visibility and handling additional equipment
-acclimation. I did a bunch of research on the topic of high elevation diving when I first moved to MT and starting diving mountain lakes, such as Yellowstone Lake @7700'. The Indian and Bolivian military noted that acclimation to elevation was essential
-use nitrox. Be aware that your MOD is different than when diving at sea level. Both fresh water and elevation have an affect on what the MOD will be.
-make sure you use gear that can handle cold fresh water lakes
-stay off the bottom. Silt is not your friend - stay well off the bottom and be mindful of your kicking style. Meaning, a flutter kick will stir up the bottom if you are close enough. The modified frog kick is much more suited for close to the bottom diving.
-Make sure you know how to navigate using natural navigation and a compass. Always keep the exit point in the back of your mind. Trust the compass, not your gut feeling.
-Be aware of boaters. The dive flag is magnet for them to screw around with.
-Make sure your computer is ready for high elevation diving.
-Sea Level Equivalent Depth does not mean you dived at that depth. 100 feet is 100 feet. SLED refers to NDL when planning and executing the dive. Or, use your computer. Be sure the settings are set correctly (fresh instead of salt water, correct elevation range if you have to set it manually) and you know how to use it.
-There are charts for flying after diving. There is very little (no published empirical research) study regarding driving to higher elevations after diving at elevation. For example, when I dive in Yellowstone Lake I have to drive over a pass around 9000. I deal with a similar situation in Glacier National Park, but not quite as high in elevation. There is nothing out there to state how long we have to wait. Therefore, we came up with our own guidelines.
There might be more which I can't remember off the top of my head since diving at higher elevations is just another day of diving for us. If I think of additional info I'll post again.
Again, keep your ascents in shallow water very slow, don't overestimate yourself, don't underestimate the water, allow your body to acclimate to elevation and know your gear. In the mean time have fun.
Diving above Sea Level by Bruce Weinke. The first half is full of sophisticated jargon. The latter half is very useful.
http://deepadventurescuba.net/assets/uploads/files/Ascent to Altitude After Diving.pdf
http://deepadventurescuba.net/assets/uploads/files/altitudecombined2.pdf
I dive almost exclusively at elevations above 3000 feet up to 8500 feet. Here are some things that I have learned:
-slow your ascent, make it slow
-I recommend at least a five minute safety stop
-don't underestimate water temps, especially below the thermocline.
-don't overestimate yourself, especially when it comes to dealing with cold, poor visibility and handling additional equipment
-acclimation. I did a bunch of research on the topic of high elevation diving when I first moved to MT and starting diving mountain lakes, such as Yellowstone Lake @7700'. The Indian and Bolivian military noted that acclimation to elevation was essential
-use nitrox. Be aware that your MOD is different than when diving at sea level. Both fresh water and elevation have an affect on what the MOD will be.
-make sure you use gear that can handle cold fresh water lakes
-stay off the bottom. Silt is not your friend - stay well off the bottom and be mindful of your kicking style. Meaning, a flutter kick will stir up the bottom if you are close enough. The modified frog kick is much more suited for close to the bottom diving.
-Make sure you know how to navigate using natural navigation and a compass. Always keep the exit point in the back of your mind. Trust the compass, not your gut feeling.
-Be aware of boaters. The dive flag is magnet for them to screw around with.
-Make sure your computer is ready for high elevation diving.
-Sea Level Equivalent Depth does not mean you dived at that depth. 100 feet is 100 feet. SLED refers to NDL when planning and executing the dive. Or, use your computer. Be sure the settings are set correctly (fresh instead of salt water, correct elevation range if you have to set it manually) and you know how to use it.
-There are charts for flying after diving. There is very little (no published empirical research) study regarding driving to higher elevations after diving at elevation. For example, when I dive in Yellowstone Lake I have to drive over a pass around 9000. I deal with a similar situation in Glacier National Park, but not quite as high in elevation. There is nothing out there to state how long we have to wait. Therefore, we came up with our own guidelines.
There might be more which I can't remember off the top of my head since diving at higher elevations is just another day of diving for us. If I think of additional info I'll post again.
Again, keep your ascents in shallow water very slow, don't overestimate yourself, don't underestimate the water, allow your body to acclimate to elevation and know your gear. In the mean time have fun.
