Oregon Hikers

Don, thanks for the Minion balloon picture. That brings a smile to my face. Too bad it wasn't in the same condition as the Toucan balloon.

And yes, there was quite the pooh-bag count on the PCT near Lolo Pass yesterday. I hope some nice trail angel will pick them up on the way back down (preferably the ones who tied the knots on the bags).

retired jerry wrote: ↑

September 3rd, 2022, 6:35 am

Oh, a happy face mylar ballon:
20220829_095109.jpg

You sure that's not a t-shirt?

nice shirt

I think this is an elevation record for me.
Found at 8150'.

A person much smarter than I am suggested a plausible explanation for why I find rubber balloons higher than biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (Mylar®) balloons:
Mylar® doesn't stretch, so at altitude, where there's less atmospheric pressure, the internal pressure ruptures a Mylar® balloon, while a rubber balloon can expand.

Chip Down wrote: ↑

September 26th, 2022, 4:28 pm

...at altitude, where there's less atmospheric pressure, the internal pressure ruptures a Mylar® balloon, while a rubber balloon can expand.

The FAA quantified this: https://www.balloonhq.com/faq/deco_rele ... study.html

Interesting, but not sure what this tells us about balloons released from sea level (Portland, Hood River) on a warm day.
edit: At minimum, it's a useful comparison of the materials.

Happy Birthday from northern Indian Heaven..

Imagine the odds that I just happened to look in that direction at the right time to spot a little splash of purple that seemed out of place.

Not a balloon, but plastic and filled with air, and found on a hike, so I'm saying it's close enough.