Going to Montana soon ...

[airsix]

Don't know about dive sites, but it's definitely beautiful country. Drop over Lolo into the Salmon River valley to see some of the greatest country you'll ever experience. That's where I saw my first mountain goats. And mountain sheep. And elk. And deer. And cougar (just one). And caught my first steelhead.

-Ben M.

 

[Spragg01]

Thanks for all the recommendations. I've only heard good things about that area of the country, and once I get the drysuit, I think the diving will work out just fine. If not, there's always that other expensive hobby, skiing.

 

[CuriousRambler]

I live in Whitefish, about 2 hours north of Missoula. While I'm just trying to get back into diving (never been locally..) I do know of several locations around here. A couple of the local divers I've talked to just rely on 7mm wet or semi-dry suits, though I imagine that gets pretty chilly.

A dry suit's a little out of my price range, so I'm looking to be freezing in a semi-dry suit soon enough .

Flathead Lake is probably 45 minues north of Missoula (huge lake, it's only about a half hour from Whitefish, but I've never paid attention to how far it is between the far side of the lake and Missoula) and the water's generally pretty clear, though I'm not aware of any great sites to be seen.

Glacier Park has a couple spots to dive in Lake McDonald, I've heard endless stories about an underwater cedar forest, but again, haven't been..and actually haven't even seen any pictures haha. Like I said, I'm hoping to get back into it, so hopefully I'll be able to give you some better, first had information!

 

[Spragg01]

Awesome Cheetah. My dry suit will be arriving here (Austin, TX) in the next few weeks, but I won't be in MT until Aug sometime. My dive buddy and I will be looking to dive soon thereafter, so we'll have to touch base then. Until then, have fun getting back in the water.

Regards,

 

[Footslogger]

I'm going to be moving to Missoula, Montana this summer (trading in my Texas Swamp Diver membership to become a Rocky Mountain Oyster) and would love for someone to tell me that there are decent dive sites around there before I start to panic about going into bubbles withdrawl.
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Not sure about Montana ...but we live in Laramie, WY and there ain't no diving. OK though because our second addiction is backpacking. For our diving we now do liveaboards and try to get our fill in 1 - 2 trips a year.

'Slogger

 

[dherbman]

I'm going to be moving to Missoula, Montana this summer (trading in my Texas Swamp Diver membership to become a Rocky Mountain Oyster) and would love for someone to tell me that there are decent dive sites around there before I start to panic about going into bubbles withdrawl. As a note, a "decent dive site" is currently Lake Travis, Texas - 55 degrees, 5 ft. vis, big catfish. (they bite your ears!)

p.s. I hope at least one person gets the Zappa reference.

Good luck with the pygmy ponies.

 

[landlocked]

....I won't be in MT until Aug sometime. ...

Yup. You can still dive in August but you had best get to it quick! Message us and we would be happy to introduce you to the Firehole River (West Yellowstone) sometime. I think that you will find most of the Lakes have multiple thermoclines and are extremely cold at depth, muddy on the bottom and rather boring except at night. The rivers however, can be very charming.

 

[Spragg01]

I'll take you up on the offer. What does vis tend to be in the lakes up there?

Yup. You can still dive in August but you had best get to it quick! Message us and we would be happy to introduce you to the Firehole River (West Yellowstone) sometime. I think that you will find most of the Lakes have multiple thermoclines and are extremely cold at depth, muddy on the bottom and rather boring except at night. The rivers however, can be very charming.

 

[landlocked]

Depends on the Lake. I think 20 to 30 feet is excellent with most around 10 feet.

 

[Spragg01]

Sounds about right. Lake Travis down here tends to run the same. A bit warmer though . . .