A herd of mule deer settle silently on the sunny side of a hill where they will spend the day, sleeping in the tall grass of late summer. A great horned owl glides in ghostly silence back to its nest. Nothing moves among the tents and RVs at the campground on the bluffs of the far shore of the big, still dark lake.
It's the dawn of another weekend at Chatfield State Park.
But, this weekend is different.
The sharp growl of a propane burner rips the pre dawn silence. First one, then many others add to the uproar. The ground is covered from one end of the field to the other with brightly colored cloth, rippling and rising from the hot air. Hundreds of people scurry about, stretching the cloth and tugging on ropes. Within minutes, a quiet field by the lake becomes a mountain of hot air balloons, towering 8 to 10 stories above the ground. In the early morning breeze, they bump against each other, tightly packed for take off.
There is a method to the madness during the morning ascension, but it's hard to tell. Each balloon takes off when its ready, some shooting quickly straight up, others hovering just above the crowd. The wind dictates which way they will go. Balloons heading toward the lake fly just feet off the water. Others hug the trees that surround the launch site. Slung under each balloon is a large, bulky basket, carrying the pilot and a few lucky friends into the brightening sky. As chase crews race for their cars, those of us left behind grab our cameras. The incredible sight of 60 hot air balloons, hung on a Colorado blue sky, creates a picture that is sure to pop up as the back round on computers across the front range for months to come.
This is the magic of the Rocky Mountain Balloon Festival.Many other events surround each morning's dawn ascension. This year, paragliders and a fly over of World War One aircraft have been added while vendors keep the hot coffee coming. On Saturday night, the balloons will look like towering lanterns during the evening balloon glow. They'll dance in the evening breeze to the music of the Denver Concert Band.
Chatfield State Park hosts the 2005 Rocky Mountain Balloon Festival this weekend, August 26th to the 28th. Park Admission is $6 per car, free with the Colorado State Parks Pass. Once inside the park, parking and festival admission is free. The morning ascensions start at 6:30am, but be in the park by 6. The evening entertainment begins at 4:30pm and the balloon glow starts at 8pm. Remember to grab a flashlight and bug spray. Don’t forget to bring a blanket or folding chair to sit on.
To get to Chatfield State Park, take C-470 to Wadsworth Blvd. (Colorado Highway 121). Turn south from C-470 and turn left into the park at the main entrance. As an alternate route, take Santa Fe Blvd. south from C-470 to Titan Road, turn west on Titan Road to Roxborough Park Road and turn north to the Plum Creek entrance of the park.
Hot Tip : Many balloon pilots need volunteers for their chase crew. You'll help get the balloons into the air and meet it when it land. Sometimes a volunteer’s hard work is rewarded with a free ride. No experience is necessary and it’s a lot of fun. Either contact the balloon festival at www.rockymountainballoonfestival.com or ask each pilot when you get to the field.
(John
Morrissey is a freelance writer who lives in Highlands Ranch. You can reach him at thesmilingwriter@yahoo.com .)