Ice diving is careful an advanced type of diving some would say tremendous – because it means diving in a blocked environment with only one entry or exit point. This kind of diving without a direct, vertical ascent or access to the surface is called penetration diving, which also includes cave along with wreck diving.

Needless to say, this makes ice diving more dangerous than recreational diving and requires special training. Ice divers need to know about different types of ice and how it forms; they need to be able to recognize and avoid unsafe ice conditions, and they need to know how to prepare a dive site and what special equipment they will require.