Rock Lake Closing--this time might be for real

[boulderjohn]

We have just been told that after our early March trip, Rock Lake will be closed to all diving. This is apparently a decision of the relatively new owner, who was only allowing it as a benefit to the old ownership family, who ran the operation. I don't know the full explanation, but it was well known that the owner himself had no interest in the diving, seeing it as more of a nuisance than a benefit.

This will have an immediate, huge impact on the technical diving in the Rocky Mountain region. That is a small group, but that group has no other options for many hundreds of miles. I was supposed to start a trimix class there this spring, but now I have nowhere to go for it. For even the beginning tech courses, we have to go deeper than the Blue Hole, and for full trimix certification, we have to go deeper than 250 feet. I don't know of anywhere else that comes close to that, unless we travel far away.

 

[broncobowsher]

Never been there. But have heard about it for years. Just saw the Blue Hole for the first time last summer.
That will be a real loss.

 

[Ulfhedinn]

Well that sucks. Is this Rock Lake Colorado? Maybe get a group of people to send letters or ? to the new owner and see if they might concede? I would love to take a trimix class in a lake vs ocean just for the uniqueness alone. You mentioned small group. So maybe a bigger group...

 

[broncobowsher]

Rock lake is on private land in New Mexico. Privately owned.

 

[inquis]

Maybe the new owners don't realize they are helping to fulfill dreams? Truly saddened by the news.

 

[broncobowsher]

Not dealing with people on there land may be fulfilling the new owners dreams as well. And they own the land and the lake.

 

[boulderjohn]

When he bought the property, we were emphatically warned that he would not react positively to any attempt to contact him directly about the diving.

 

[Marie13]

It’s a real shame when you lose access to a good dive site.

 

[michael-fisch]

When he bought the property, we were emphatically warned that he would not react positively to any attempt to contact him directly about the diving.

Thats OK, so anything you do now CANNOT MAKE MATTERS WORSE, and just might make him reconsider.
You have nothing to lose by contacting him now.

Michael

 

[scubadada]

Are there any other recreational activities going on at Rock Lake? For instance, fishing, picnicking, swimming?