A C182 PLT ENCOUNTERED WX DURING A VFR FLT AND ARTCC ASSISTED THE NON INST RATED PLT SAFELY THROUGH ICING CONDITIONS TO HIS DEST.

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I DEPARTED RENO/TAHOE ARPT; DEST OF REDDING; ON VFR DIRECT FLT. THE DEP TIME WAS ABOUT XA00. THE WX OVER THE SIERRAS LOOKED OMINOUS; BUT THE SKY WAS CLR AND UNRESTR VISIBILITY TO THE S. I ELECTED TO DEPART AND FLY S FAR ENOUGH UNTIL I COULD CROSS OVER THE SIERRAS TO THE W SAFELY. AFTER FLYING S FOR 40-50 NM; WE HAD CLR CONDITIONS TO THE W AND I DECIDED TO HEAD FOR THE VALLEY. AFTER TURNING TO THE W; I TRAVELED FOR APPROX 30-40 MI AND NOTICED THAT THE PREVIOUS BLUE SKIES WERE BECOMING CLOUDY; THE WX WAS RISING UP ALL AROUND ME AND I COULD NOT OUT CLB IT. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED ZOA TO INFORM THEM OF MY SIT AND REQUEST ASSISTANCE AND VECTORING OUT OF THE AREA. WITHIN MINS MY PLANE WAS ENGULFED IN CLOUDS THAT I COULD NOT NAV AROUND OR ABOVE. I CLBED AS HIGH AS I COULD UNDER VFR TO 17000 FT; BUT WAS STILL IN NEARLY IFR CONDITIONS. I TOLD ZOA THAT I WAS NOT IFR RATED AND NEEDED SOME HELP. THE PLANE WAS AT NO TIME UNDER ANY LOSS OF CTL; BUT I WAS TAKING ON ICE AND VERY NERVOUS AS A RESULT OF THAT. THE CTLR VECTORED ME TO 210 DEGS S AND MAINTAIN ALT; WHICH I DID. THIS PLACED ME RIGHT THROUGH SOME HEAVIER CLOUD FORMATION THAT I COULD NOT AVOID. MY WINGS WERE GATHERING MORE ICE AND I DID NOT WANT TO USE ANY SUDDEN NAV CHANGES. I KEPT MY FL182 ON AUTOPLT AND USED MY DIRECTIONAL GYRO FOR HDGS. THANKS TO THE HELP FROM ZOA; I CLRED THE CONDITIONS APPROX 15 MI E OF SAC MATHER; AT WHICH POINT IT WAS CLR VFR TO REDDING. THANK GOD FOR ZOA!