On calm summer mornings, a massive colorful hot air balloon rises from the middle of Lake Tahoe. It hangs silently in the blue sky, drifting in the breeze, before dropping back down and disappearing on the water\u2019s surface.<\/p>\n
Operated by Lake Tahoe Balloons, the hot air balloon is launched from and lands on a 120-foot barge that slips onto the water at dawn. The boat-balloon combination is the only such operation in the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we do is a combined effort,\u201d pilot Mark Boulet said. \u201cI do the up-and-down part. When the captain is happy with our position, he\u2019ll drive the boat under the balloon.\u201d<\/p>\n
Though hot air ballooning has been around since the late 1700s, flying in the mountains was widely regarded as too dangerous due to constantly changing weather conditions. Today, advances in weather forecasting equipment and one specially built jumbo barge, allow the company to safely hover in the skies above Lake Tahoe.<\/p>\n
\u201cFifteen years ago, nobody flew a hot air balloon in the mountains unless it was a daredevil thing. But now, because of the number of sensors, you can tell is it\u2019s going to be a safe day,\u201d Lake Tahoe Balloons owner Harvey Hoy said. \u201cIn the morning, I get up at 3 a.m. and by 3:30 a.m., I know if it\u2019s a good day or not.\u201d<\/p>\n
If it is a good day, Hoy, Boulet and a crew of four along with a basket load of guests make their way from the barge\u2019s home in the Tahoe Keys to the lake. As the boat travels to the launch point, Hoy releases helium-filled balloons and watches how they rise, what direction they float and whether they make any strange movements.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnderstanding the weather is the biggest thing,\u201d Hoy said. \u201cThe winds can change in minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Once in position, the crew inflates the balloon, initially on its side, using giant fans. The guests climb into the wicker basket and Boulet pulls the throttle. A geyser of flame roars upward and the craft lifts slowly off. The boat, longer than a basketball court, shrinks away.<\/p>\n
As Boulet lets off the propane, the ride floats in silence. The balloon levels out just higher than Mount Tallac. Fallen Leaf Lake looks like a big blue jellybean. The passengers stare across Lake Tahoe in awe.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve done helicopters and parasailing, but that was just so peaceful,\u201d said Cindy Hogan, a visitor from Oregon, who took a recent flight with Lake Tahoe Balloons.<\/p>\n