The well-trafficked trails are typically cleaner since people often pick up litter, he said. The couple frequently explores in the deep backcountry, which is where they find the balloons, James said. “I would say it’s probably a 50/50 chance on every single trip that we end up finding some Mylar balloons,” James said. Courtesy Alyssa JohnstonĪlyssa and her husband, James, who live in Alameda, have seen balloons in Yosemite and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. Two discarded Mylar balloons were collected by Alyssa Johnston while she was hiking in the Sierra Nevada.
In Yosemite National Park, a Wilderness Restoration crew found six Mylar balloons in the backcountry during an eight-day trek, according to a Facebook post last month from the park. Often, she said, “they’ll just disintegrate and I’m just trying to pick up all the little pieces because it’s this beautiful, pristine lake and then now you have this ‘Happy Birthday’ balloon.” Johnston has pulled balloons out of lakes numerous times.
Their ability to travel long distances in the air means they are polluting extremely remote areas, although responsible balloon shops are working to educate customers on safe disposal. Mylar balloons, which have a metallic coating and are filled with helium, have become a concern for biologists and nature lovers, disrupting the enjoyment of outdoor spaces and posing harm to wildlife. She approached the bright colors and realized they were Mylar balloons - and did not belong in the wilderness. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle Show More Show LessĪvid hiker Alyssa Johnston was exploring a trail in the High Sierra when something in the distance caught her eye. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle Show More Show Less 4 of4įoil balloons for sale are displayed on a shelf at the Sacramento Balloon Company. Some customers bring back balloons to be inflated again and again.
Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle Show More Show Less 3 of4įloating foil balloons are displayed at the Sacramento Balloon Company on Friday. Although Mylar balloons can end up in the wilderness or entangled with power lines, balloon shops like the Sacramento Balloon Company urge customers to dispose of them safely. Tracy Barbutes/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of4Ī foil balloon from a store display is reinflated by Ray Smith, president and CEO of the Sacramento Balloon Company in Sacramento. Mylar balloons have been found in the backcountry of the national park. Visitors take photos of Yosemite Fall in Yosemite Valley in May.
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