High Diving at Mowich Lake

[Pinkpadigal]

It was a beautiful day on Mt Rainier today! My dive buddy Rod and I drove up to dive in Mowich Lake, on the north side of the mountain.

We checked out the lake and relaxed for about an hour before suiting up so we could get used to the altitude. Mowich Lake is at 4929 feet. We geared up and went into the lake. It was so clear!

We dropped down to 30 feet and looked around. There is NOTHING in the lake. We found 2 golf balls, and a few fishing lures but no fish. I watched Rod swim by me. I then saw his shadow on the floor of the lake. I have only had that happen in warm water. It was truly amazing. We had about 45 feet of vertical and at least 100 horizonal feet of vis.

Rod had some reg problems so 15 minutes into the dive we surfaced. He fixed it and we dropped back down. Something happened that I never had happen before. I got a little vertigo...the bottom was so flat and boring that I could not focus on anything. As we dropped to about 50 feet, I had to focus on Rod so I would not get dizzy. Once we were down, I was fine, except for the incredible "face freeze" I got. It was 39 degrees in that lake. I stayed pretty warm, (DUI 450, with dry gloves and heavy undergarment) but Rod's hands were in wet gloves and got pretty cold.

We dropped down to about 75 feet. The bottom seemed to change, almost like there were black spots, and brown patches. At one point, I touched to see how much silt was down there. I put my entire arm on the bottom and it sunk into the silt. We dove to the middle of the lake and worked our way around the edges, where there was more to see.

35 minutes into the dive, we turned back and headed to shore. We surfaced, at 30 feet and Rod and I snorkeled the rest of the way in. He found a small crawldaddy pot, that had been down for at least 5 years. That is where we found the only life in the water up there: freshwater crawldaddies. There were 5, all about the size of my thumb. We let them go and brought the pot and other garbage we found in and tossed in the trash.

I noticed walking back up I was winded. I shore dive all the time and it caught me by surprise. We broke down our gear and then headed home. I am looking forward to doing some more lake diving. It is very scenic and it got my gear exceptionally clean.

[Tangfish]

We let them go and brought the pot and other garbage we found in and tossed in the trash.

You are a good person

Thanks for the thorough dive report, doesn't sound like there's much to see down there, but what great vis!

[DiverDown]

Thanks for the dive report!! next time you want to altitude dive let me know, I would like to tag along..

[thelawgoddess]

too bad there wasn't much to see in there. i think it's really cool that you went and looked, though! and i don't think you could beat the scenery for an approach drive. :-)

[Zen Diver v1]

I noticed walking back up I was winded. I shore dive all the time and it caught me by surprise.

Amazing, isn't it, what altitude will do? I found myself tired too, and no doubt that's why they recommend no more than two altitude dives in one day.

Sounds like a great time Amy!

-Valerie

[Tom Nic]

Great report Amy! Much appreciated...

The silt in lakes can be pretty weird. My buddy and I did a night dive at a local small lake. At about 25 ft I saw what looked to be slime covered rocks. They were actually suspended mud clouds. When I put my arm in them holding my light canon everything completely disappeared. Very weird.

I take it that the maximum depth in the lake was 75 ft.?

I would love to dive Clear Lake in Oregon sometime.
http://www.nwdivenews.com/?q=node/233

Thanks again for the report!

[Pinkpadigal]

I think the lake is deeper than 75 feet. We turned around because my buddy was low on air. I am thinking the lake bottoms out around 90 feet. I am wanting to dive it again to see.

The silt at the bottom was perfectly preserved...it was just like the ash from Mt St. Helen's right after she blew in 1980.

The next lake I would like to do is Bumping Lake. I don't know much about it, except there is a campground there. I may go and check it out tomorrow evening and then if it looks good, plan to dive it later next week. I will keep you posted and if any of you would like to join me, let me know.

There are a lot of cool lakes in Washington to dive but I am looking for easy access, and clear water. I have no desire to dive in a mud hole.

[Maverick]

there is a sunken city in Rattlesnake lake in North bend. the city was called Moncton. I guess a damn seeped and flooded the city in the real early 1900's Jim1 and i have been talking about diving it.

[Pinkpadigal]

I'm in. Let me know when you want to dive it!!!!!!!!!!

[Dave]

That sounds pretty interesting. My open water cert dive was in a quarry that had several buildings that made for some interesting diving...

[Jeff Pack]

Thought I would correct this dive report, as I just finished diving with Tacoma UWS on Erins wall, and while recreational depth, it was a fun dive. Very much like diving the walls around the Warren Car in Lake Crescent. Nice big walls, nice structure.

Supposedly if I'd have kept going further up the lake, there are some deeper walls down to 150, so I think a repeat of this dive is warranted. But bring the scoots next time.

[johndo88]

there is a sunken city in Rattlesnake lake in North bend. the city was called Moncton.

I live within walking distance of Rattlesnake Lake. Allow me to adjust your expectations for diving there. The city is more of a small town. All that is left are some foundations, at least that's all there was left some 10 years ago. The lake is nearly dry now. As the water level behind the dam drops, so to does the water level in Rattlesnake Lake. The lake might dry up this year and if it does, you'll be able to visit Moncton sans your dive gear. I can say that breakfast at the Riverbend Café is worth the drive out (Exit 32 on I90).

[CaptnJack]

Yea there's nothing really to dive there. Barely even any foundations.

But Mav hasn't been diving in quite a few years (this thread started in 2006), so this is more of an FYI for the next generation of intrepid explorers.

[Jeff Pack]

Thought I would correct this dive report, as I just finished diving with Tacoma UWS on Erins wall, and while recreational depth, it was a fun dive. Very much like diving the walls around the Warren Car in Lake Crescent. Nice big walls, nice structure.

Supposedly if I'd have kept going further up the lake, there are some deeper walls down to 150, so I think a repeat of this dive is warranted. But bring the scoots next time.

We were never able to find any other wall, and we pretty much scooted the entire lake. Found some smaller structure at around 170ft out towards the middle of the lake, but that was about it.

Overall I think its a much overlooked FW dive site.