Hundreds of people gathered at Hermosa Meadows northwest of Durango early Saturday morning to cheer on the mass ascension of hot air balloons on the second day of the 2022 Animas Valley Balloon Rally.

Thirty-three balloons and crews were registered for the festival this year and at least 25 had taken to the skies by 9:30 a.m. to coast on gentle breezes, bask in the warmth of the morning sun and enjoy the bright yellow, orange and gold foliage of aspens and oaks bracing themselves for winter.

Weather conditions on Saturday were excellent for ballooning, said pilots who lifted off during the mass ascension.

Eric Greenwood, an Albuquerque resident and the pilot of “Enchanted,” said the cooler weather ushered in by autumn is good for flying because it provides extra lift to balloons.

Mark Whiting, pilot of “Big Top,” said the weather on Saturday was “absolutely perfect.”

Temperatures were around 45 degrees at 8 a.m. and climbed to 55 degrees by about 10 a.m., Lucas Boyer, meteorologist at the Grand Junction National Weather Service office, said. Wind speeds didn’t exceed 5 mph.

“This was a good morning for (ballooning) because we’re still under this nice dome of high pressure and conditions,” he said. “With light winds and cool temperature, the atmosphere’s been really stable over the last several days.”

But not every pilot was fortunate enough to take full advantage of the great weather conditions. Whiting had to be satisfied with providing tethered rides on Saturday because of a tear that formed in his balloon Friday evening.

“It’s a lot of heartache. I can’t repair that lion (artwork of a lion on the balloon). I just have to do what I can,” he said. “We’ll do a sticky tape from the back side and then we’ll color the sticky tape as best we can.”

“Big Top” has been a part of Whiting’s life since 1986, he said, as was “Western Spirit,” another balloon in the rally that was in good shape for flying Saturday morning.

Although disappointed, Whiting didn’t let the “Big Top’s” tear get in the way of his good spirits. He said he has been ballooning since 1979 and he appreciates it when kids get to experience their first balloon ride.

He said kids’ and adults’ eyes grow wide when they watch a balloon inflate and prepare to climb into the basket for a ride.

Whiting also appreciates the art of balloon flying and landing. Balloonists have more control of their aircraft than what some might think, he said. He likes the feeling of identifying a landing space and navigating varying air currents to position himself for the perfect landing.

“You can feel the change in wind on your skin. You can feel it on your arms. … But then it’s an art to stick the balloon into the layer (of air) that takes you back to that spot,” he said.

Balloons on Saturday were flying at about 3,000 feet above the ground and traveling at speeds of 2 to 3 knots per hour, he said.

Greenwood said this year is his seventh attending the Animas Valley Balloon Rally, but he’s been flying in the Durango area for more than 20 years.

Most of his crew are family who, like himself, grew up immersed in the world of ballooning. He had people working fans to inflate the “Enchantment” while others held onto rope tethers to keep the balloon grounded, he said. Others were responsible for crowd control and made sure people weren’t stepping on the balloon or tripping over the tethers.

“We just have a good time. It’s just like anything else: It’s a big hole in the ground you throw money at,” he said, laughing. “Just like a boat, just like a plane, same thing. It’s just fun.”

He said balloon maintenance is similar to other aircraft standards. After every 100 hours of flight time, or once yearly, he inspects “every square inch” of the balloon, basket and equipment to make sure everything is shipshape.

“The fuel system is ran through, everything’s cleaned, everything’s checked. The tanks are checked to make sure there’s no cracks or anything in them,” he said.

cburney@durangoherald.com