Diving at the crater - Utah

[PaulSmithTek]

98° ?!?

Wow.

Does it smell like sulfur?

Actually No it doesn't. I dive there about once or twice a month. Really easy to get a spot. It is really nice in the winter months to be able to do check out dives, Practice some valve drills. If anyone is intreasted let me know I am always willing to go three times a month . Any other questions let me know. By the way DO NOT WEAR A WET SUIT.

 

[scubajb]

Not bad smell at all - unless you eat, well nevermind... Water clear and warm...

 

[DiverBizz]

My skin felt great for days after the dive. I was in my bathing suit and t-shirt. It was warm and great for working on basic skills or just getting wet.

 

[SterlingDiver]

The Crater is interesting for about one dive. It is like a 60' deep cylinder with very warm water. The operators have hung up a wagon wheel, and couple other odds and ends or there would be nothing to see in there.

The skiing here in Utah is great, diving, well, if you have dove around the world in salt or fresh water nothing here is too great at all, especially the Crater or Bonneville Seabase (another poor site).

So my advice, come here for the greatest snow on earth. If you want to break up your trip drop by the crater, rent some gear and get wet for an hour. Don't worry about dive computers, fish id cards, etc.

Utah is a great place to visit, ski, mountainbike, hike, etc.. Diving, well that is why I travel to your neck of the woods.

Dave

 

[Clanggedin]

I'm doing my first OW dive at the crater today. We had it planned for last Saturday, but because of the big storm that hit, the roads into the canyon were pretty bad so we called the dive off.

Maybe its different for classes, but the soonest were were able to reschedule our 2nd dive trip there was Feb 1. I start AOW on the 21st. So we will finish up OW and do an advanced dive that same day (probably night diving).

You can always check out Bonneville seabase while you are here in Utah. It's definately not as warm as the Crater. You should be fine in a 7 mil suit though. I heard the vis is clearing up too.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Got a "ski" trip to Park City planned this winter and was considering diving the Crater instead. Any advice for an out-of-towner? Do you need reservations or can you just show up with your dive gear and go? Is it a guided/escorted dive? Any issues for my UW camera in the heat? Is there even anything to take a photo of?!?!

We made this a stop on our honeymoon tour of the west. It's definitely a fun "been-there-done-that" addition to your dive log but I wouldn't do it "instead" of skiing. We made reservations ahead of time since we were coming from Ohio but we too dove mid-week so probably could have just walked in and dove.

I dove it in an unlined dive skin and was ROASTING and I'm the queen of cold. I whine for my drysuit in the Florida springs for a 20 minute dive and I prefer to wear a 5mm suit in 80 degree water so if I'M hot you can probably just about boil lobsters in the water.

The site is 60 feet deep and about 60 feet across. You basically go down and swim in a circle along the wall, come up a few feet, swim in another circle, come up a few feet, swim in another circle...until the dive is over.

I got out of the water and asked the guy to hose me down. He said the water was cold out of the hose but the blast of cold water felt SOOOO good after that dive. I think I stood there and let him hose me down for 2 or 3 minutes.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Desert_Diver]

Got a "ski" trip to Park City planned this winter and was considering diving the Crater instead. Any advice for an out-of-towner? Do you need reservations or can you just show up with your dive gear and go? Is it a guided/escorted dive? Any issues for my UW camera in the heat? Is there even anything to take a photo of?!?!

The Crater is heavily used on weekends for certification dives. Reservations are probably a necessity. My guess is that weekday schedules are more flexible but I would give the Homestead Resort a call to be on the safe side.

The isn't a whole lot to photograph at the Crater. The pioneers used it as a garbage dump so if you drop down to the bottom there are some planks (and lost dive gear) but not much else. The bottom is heavily silted so if you disturb anything, viz will go in the toilet quickly.

Remember that the Crater is about 5000 feet altitude. Be sure to use the Altitude Tables. And remember if you go to the bottom (about 65 feet) for any length of time, do NOT go back to Salt Lake via Parley's Pass (I-80). You do a significant altitude climb if you go home that way (think flying after diving). If you go home via Provo Canyon, your altitude steadily drops so you're OK.

Have fun. Dive safe.

Art

 

[DiverBizz]

If you are new to u/w photography and want to test out a new camera and equipment then you can bring it to the Crater. You can take pictures of the wall or wagon wheel or the plastic fish that are around. If you are a seasoned photographer leave it in the suitcase.

 

[Scott]

I'm doing my first OW dive at the crater today. We had it planned for last Saturday, but because of the big storm that hit, the roads into the canyon were pretty bad so we called the dive off.

Ahh no wonder we had the place to ourselves.

 

[PaulSmithTek]

If you are new to u/w photography and want to test out a new camera and equipment then you can bring it to the Crater. You can take pictures of the wall or wagon wheel or the plastic fish that are around. If you are a seasoned photographer leave it in the suitcase.

You can take your camera but need to get permission to take it into the crater do to the flash can be distracting if there is a class going on. It is different for classes at the crater. If you are doing it as a individual dive I usually call the day before and get right in. No questions asked. Once in a while (very rarely) Do I not get a spot.