Winter diving in Lake Tahoe

[dagrath]

Has anyone here done any mid-winter diving in Lake Tahoe? Several diving buddies and I will be at a company retreat at South Tahoe in late January. We are kicking around the idea of doing a dive or two for adventure. (I was going to say fun, but that remains to be seen )

We should be able to put together cold water capable regulator/octo setups (my primary is capable, my octo probably isn't... so that requires switching stuff out). We are all experienced in drysuit diving, etc. And one of the guys is an exceptionally experienced ice diver/cave diver/solo diver... etc etc.

Are there any semi-local shops that do any sort of ice diving training? Tahoe doesn't freeze of course, but I assume that the same sort of training is very highly recommended. I am in the South Bay, were we don't get freezing water, so closest to that would be ideal.

Anyways, advice would be highly appreciated. It sounds like quite a crazy adventure, but like most crazy adventures I do... I would probably like it more if I live through it.

 

[Anti-Hero]

I don't want to discourage you, but diving Lake Tahoe was one if the most boring dives I've ever done. If you like great visibility with nothing to see but rocks, wood and crawdads then Tahoe is the place to be.

 

[dagrath]

Yeah, reading the description of dive sites, I figured as much. It is definitely not a dive trip to Lake Tahoe, but since we are all going to be up there... we thought it might be a fun adventure to go down and blow bubbles in somewhere we have never been, in conditions that are.... interesting.

 

[rhlee]

Try Sierra Dive Center in Reno. AFAIK, it's not "ice diving" proper as the lake itself doesn't freeze over, but it is cold (especially topside).

Getting gas is a pain; the closest dive shops that I know of are in Reno and Carson City.

 

[dagrath]

yeah, I figured getting gas would be a pain. I will probably just bring my tanks, and I doubt we are doing more than 2 dives anyways.

 

[bbianchi]

I would suggest an altitude diver class over an ice diver class. And really warm under garments!

 

[dagrath]

I would suggest an altitude diver class over an ice diver class. And really warm under garments!

At this rate, I am going to be collecting an awful lot of specialty cards. Something tells me, I won't use altitude and/or ice diver much after this dive either.

 

[jumsted65]

I dove Tahoe in November...once. Enough said?

 

[diveguy1]

You'll have a great time. I dove the Rubicon Wall last month (D.L. Bliss State Park - very close to S. Lake Tahoe) and had a blast. It's a relatively easy entry, a bit of a surface swim, and a very dramatic wall. Do some searches on scubaboard and you'll find more information. (An advanced dive due to the extreme drop-off at the wall).

Cold, yes. But you'll be fine in a drysuit and it's worth it for the scenery and even just the novelty of it.

 

[Noboundaries]

Here are some useful Lake Tahoe websites:

Real-time air and water temps: http://remote.ucdavis.edu/tahoe_allsite_engresult.asp

Dive sites and descriptions (click on the flags): Map

Facts and figures: Lake Tahoe - Facts and Figures About Lake Tahoe

Sierra Dive Center (Reno) website: Sierra Diving Center. Your gateway to Lake Tahoe.