Quote :

"Fort Collins has an elevation of 5003 feet above sea level. So he's at 15,003 feet if it gets that high."

Well, it depends on whether they're giving the number in AGL or ASL. Have they stated this yet?

Either way, over 10k feet ASL is getting into bad territory for a small child who is not normally living in such environments IMO.

10/15/2009 3:03:33 PM

kids got brass balls....eh..or ignorance

nice

10/15/2009 3:03:43 PM

Oh he's in a world of trouble either way. No doubt.

10/15/2009 3:04:10 PM

thinking about balloons saving balloons makes me laugh

10/15/2009 3:05:19 PM

i blame larry walters

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Walters

10/15/2009 3:05:27 PM

Quote :

"aside from a helicopter possibly creating enough disruption in the air to cause it to go down, helicopters only operate below certain altitudes. Same reason they can't be used for search operations on mt. everest (dont know what altitude that is though)"

yeah, everest is 29,029ft. a helicopter has touched down on the summit. hell, bear grylls flew one of those big fans on his back w/ a parachute over it. it's not easy, but it's been done. there's a 1/3rd of the oxygen up there than at sea level.

i'm on my 4th book about everest

[Edited on October 15, 2009 at 3:06 PM. Reason : ]

10/15/2009 3:05:29 PM

Your options are, hot air balloons latching onto the craft in an attempt to save the kid....

OR

Do nothing and see what happens.

10/15/2009 3:06:09 PM

how will the hot air balloons "latch" on

can they go up that high (honest question)?

10/15/2009 3:07:22 PM

I loved into thin air...the last page, about the guy feeling the womans small hands on his bicep, slowly fall away as he leaves her was SAAAADDD

[Edited on October 15, 2009 at 3:08 PM. Reason : ^yes....certain baloons can go extremely high..Red Cross balloon?]

10/15/2009 3:07:56 PM

Superman will be along shortly.

10/15/2009 3:08:00 PM

20 feet wide; 5 feet high... and a simple plywood structure he would be sitting on... He's over Keenesburg (?), CO.

10/15/2009 3:08:16 PM

Just get some snipers to put holes in in.

10/15/2009 3:09:02 PM

HE COULD. GO. ALL. THE. WAY.!!

he needs a governing valve....holes would be horrible

[Edited on October 15, 2009 at 3:10 PM. Reason : d]

10/15/2009 3:09:21 PM

just saw this on the news

10/15/2009 3:09:41 PM

yeah

this kid's f'd

10/15/2009 3:09:44 PM

They can refuel a plane at like 30000 feet but they can't save this kid

sounds funny to me

10/15/2009 3:10:28 PM

Kid might have already fallen out

10/15/2009 3:10:58 PM

[Edited on October 15, 2009 at 3:12 PM. Reason : dfghjk]

10/15/2009 3:11:06 PM

they arent sure hes even in it. they just said he may have loosened it and then knew he was in big trouble and is hiding

10/15/2009 3:11:36 PM

kid at least thought ahead and brought some provisions:

Quote :

"The father said he realized something was up when he noticed his son's pellet gun was missing. Upon further inspection, his CB radio, camera, and two beers were also missing. Sandwich items were laying out on the counter in the family's kitchen, so he assumes his son also made himself a sandwich before his trip."

[Edited on October 15, 2009 at 3:12 PM. Reason : .]

10/15/2009 3:11:47 PM

RIP kid...

[Edited on October 15, 2009 at 3:12 PM. Reason : and sounds like he was planning on tiein one on]

10/15/2009 3:11:49 PM

I win 350 if he dies and lose 150 if he lives, so you know what I'm pulling for

[Edited on October 15, 2009 at 3:13 PM. Reason : oh and 50 if he lives but is unconcious]

10/15/2009 3:12:03 PM

what channel is everyone watching?

10/15/2009 3:12:21 PM

Did they find a body, or is this CNN being gossip whores again?

10/15/2009 3:12:43 PM

Quote :

"Seriously though, 10k feet is around where you want to start thinking about using some oxygen if you're going to be there for prolonged time periods."

Dude I worked at 11,000 feet out at a high adventure base in NM all summer.

Oxygen - not necessary.

10/15/2009 3:13:04 PM

Hmm, so now apparently the "might have fallen out" is possibly BS.

10/15/2009 3:13:08 PM

he has to be dizzy as fuck the way that thing is rotating.

10/15/2009 3:15:30 PM

social darwinism

10/15/2009 3:16:03 PM

so what the hell was the dad doing with a flying saucer helium balloon with a compartment to hold people?

'cuz if he was going to tether it to the ground and give flying saucer rides, that'd be cool as shit - until, of course, this happens.

10/15/2009 3:16:12 PM

Quote :

"I loved into thin air...the last page, about the guy feeling the womans small hands on his bicep, slowly fall away as he leaves her was SAAAADDD"

you should read the climb. it's not as well written but a different perspective on the story is good. krakauer is not a great of a guy as he makes himself sound.

also, high crimes is really good. it's closer to present day and shows how much the whole thing has changed since 1996.

Quote :

"Seriously though, 10k feet is around where you want to start thinking about using some oxygen if you're going to be there for prolonged time periods."

this may just be everest related, but they don't typically start using oxygen until camp four/8000m. 10,00ft is like 3000something meters.

[Edited on October 15, 2009 at 3:18 PM. Reason : ]

10/15/2009 3:16:42 PM

Case in point, intelligent people that are indeed, not smart at all.

10/15/2009 3:17:21 PM

wlel maybe it is good if it SLOWWWWWWWWLY deflates?

10/15/2009 3:17:27 PM

This looks bad now... one side is all but gone. It's going to flip.

^ lol, not if it's only on one side...

[Edited on October 15, 2009 at 3:18 PM. Reason : x]

10/15/2009 3:17:49 PM

gotta love prop bets

we're all throwing in 20 as to what kind of sandwich it was

i got pb&j

10/15/2009 3:18:22 PM

I don't think his landing will be soft...

10/15/2009 3:18:42 PM

duly noted ^x6

[Edited on October 15, 2009 at 3:19 PM. Reason : d]

10/15/2009 3:18:46 PM

are there any windows where the boy could potentially be? Its hard to tell from the vid.

it looks like part of the balloon deflated.

10/15/2009 3:18:57 PM

ham and cheese

10/15/2009 3:19:18 PM

where's the live feed?

10/15/2009 3:19:26 PM

Something tells me this kid reads Calvin and Hobbes.

Tuna sammich.

10/15/2009 3:19:52 PM

oh god so he is just breating in gas

10/15/2009 3:20:01 PM

^yeah no, don't be silly

[Edited on October 15, 2009 at 3:21 PM. Reason : k]

10/15/2009 3:20:41 PM

We don't know what he's breathing in, we cannot tell, but I'd assume not.

10/15/2009 3:20:49 PM

that is what the balloon instructor on CNN said! haha

10/15/2009 3:21:40 PM

fox news

watch out for planes kid

10/15/2009 3:21:40 PM

LOL...flip? you cant be serious

10/15/2009 3:21:44 PM

is there a video somewhere? can someone post it?

10/15/2009 3:21:59 PM

turn you tv to fox news

10/15/2009 3:22:29 PM

cnn.com

10/15/2009 3:23:05 PM

fuckers hauling ass!

10/15/2009 3:23:36 PM