Driving up a mountain?

[swimmer_spe]

I live in British Columbia.

Beautiful diving. Excellent mountainous scenery. Can those 2 mixed together equal DCS?

So, if I were diving today in the ocean, and the drive up over mountains, lets say 1500m or 4500 feet. Would there be a risk of DCS?

 

[Bonuss]

Yes it can presents risks similar to flying. I have not done math, but there is a regional dive area (Rocky Mountains) we wait 2-3 hours before leaving prior to going over a small pass.

Bob in CO

 

[farsidefan1]

I live at 4,500 feet, drive over an 8,000 pass to dive the crater (about 5,500. feet) have lunch in Park city )7,000 feet) then drive up over the pass coming home. About a 1 hour drive. I have never heard of anyone having an issue with or without the lunch break.

Items of consideration. Living at 4,500 feet means we are acclimated to some altitude. If you live at sea level the difference between sea and 4,500 feet is MUCH greater than the difference between 4,500 and 8,000. I'd suggest talking with divers at your local dive shop and find out what the normal protocol is for the trip. Local experience is your best guide.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

farsidefan1 is right as far as minimal risk after a single dive or a couple of dives in a single day, but altitude changes do increase DCS risk in every case. FLying usually involves altitude change of 5000 feet as fasr as air pressure changes inthe plane go. Driving over changes less than that present lower risk, but risk. Also the altitude changes in driving are sometimes more gradual ( but not always) than airplane cabin pressure changes. My LDS does a summer dive event at a Mountain lake at 10,000 elevation. The trip back to Denver involves driving a pass at just about 11,000 feet and then descent to 5300 feet. The increase in altitude is minimal. Decrease in altitude is not a factor in DCS risk enhancement. There. That is all I know about it as a Colorado diver. Being a local and getting "acclimated to altitude" is real, but it means nothing as far as the physics of pressure changes and release of dissolved gasses.
DivemasterDennis