What to Expect

We will meet you at our office in El Prado (5 miles from the Taos Plaza) an hour before sunrise and will drive out to our launch site together in our vehicles. Once there, we will check local weather conditions and begin to set up the balloon. After a pre-flight briefing on safety and what to expect during the flight, we will inflate the balloon and stand it up. Once the balloon is standing up, you will be invited onboard and we will take off for a beautiful and unique flight. We aim to fly for approximately one hour, but flight duration can range from 45 minutes to an hour and a half depending on weather conditions and flight path on that morning. After landing the balloon we will pack it up and have a traditional celebratory champagne toast with light snacks before returning to town. The whole experience will last about 4 1/2 to 5 hours from the time we meet you until you’re back at your vehicle.

What to wear

Comfortable clothes suitable for outdoor activities (like going for a walk in the woods). Long pants are recommended. Dress in layers appropriate for the forecasted temperatures. We can see temperature swings of 30 degrees F or more from night to day. It’s often brisk first thing in the morning but almost hot by the time we’re done with the ballooning experience. If you bring too many layers, you can always just leave the excess in the chase vehicle while we’re flying. Better to have them and not need them…Sturdy shoes that are suitable for rugged terrain. The landscape and vegetation can be rough and prickly. While you don’t need to bring mountaineering boots, flip flips, sandals, open-toed shoes and high heels are not suitable for ballooning. Shoes must be closed toe and reasonably sturdy. A Hat is recommended to help keep your head more comfortable, especially if you’re tall. The burners put off quite a bit of heat.

If you are flying with us in the Winter, please wear enough layers with insulating properties to stay warm and comfortable throughout the morning. Once we are in the basket and flying, some of the hot air from the balloon and the heat from the burners will keep the temperature at torso-height around 20 degrees warmer than ambient air temperature, but it can still be chilly.

Warm socks, a scarf/neck gaiter/balaclava, warm hat and warm gloves are often overlooked. Hand warmer packets can be delightfully warming as well. If you want to buy any extra winter layers while in town, I would recommend locally owned Taos Mountain Outfitters on the Taos Plaza or Mudd N Flood on Bent Street near the John Dunn Shops. Chocolate and Cashmere (also located on Bent Street) sells their Expedition Hat which is both the most expensive and the warmest wool hat I have ever owned. This hat has truly made the difference of comfort for me flying in sub-freezing temperatures all winter long. I’ve had mine for three winters now and it is wearing extremely well. Plus, they are made locally (in Santa Fe).

As an example, when piloting in the Winter, I wear three layers of heavyweight long underwear under flannel-lined Carhartts, a base layer thermal shirt of heavyweight Merino Wool, a light-weight down vest and light-weight down jacket under a heavy-weight down jacket with a windproof coat over top, a neck gaiter, a expedition weight wool hat and expedition weight wool hiking/skiing socks.

What to bring

We want you to enjoy your ballooning experience and, while these items are not required, they may make the morning that much more enjoyable:

·         Camera or phone. Always nice to be able to take photos to share with friends and family later.

·         Binoculars. We often see wildlife while flying, including Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep. A pair of binoculars can help you see them “up close.” Be sure to bring a strap or harness to keep them safe and secure.

·         Selfie stick. Can give you that extra reach to get really great photos of/from the balloon. This is the perfect activity for this tool. If you have one, bring it along!

·         Sunglasses. We start off in the soft light of early morning, but it gets bright quick.

·         Water. We are in a dry, arid, high altitude basin. It’s easy to get dehydrated. If you have a water bottle, you might as well bring it to help stay hydrated.

·         Hand Warmers. (in the winter) Let’s face it, winter mornings can be cold. These can help make the experience that much more comfortable.

About our climate

The Town of Taos sits at 7,500 feet of elevation and is in a dry high-altitude basin. It can take a few days to acclimate to the altitude, dryness and intense sun. If you are just arriving from lower elevations or a long day of travel and are feeling the effect of altitude and dehydration, it is usually helpful to drink lots of water, with electrolytes if possible. Cids food market on the North side of town has single-serving electrolyte packs you can drop into a water bottle. It’s useful to keep in mind that, until you acclimate, coffee will likely dehydrate you more quickly and one alcoholic beverage may feel like you just drank three of them. We do meet rather early in the morning…just saying. : -)