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Saturdays in May are perfect for hot air ballooning in Park City. Overnight temperatures are still cool, but not cold. So for a 7:00 a.m. launch from the Silver Creek Industrial Park, it’s perfect for a couple hours soaring over the Snyderville Basin.

Watching the crews work the lines as the pilot fires up the propane flame is quite a sight to see. Put 15 colorful balloons in a couple of parking lots and you have a mini-balloon festival.

As I headed to Heber City and Midway before dawn, there was no sign of life at the launch pad. I figured I would head down to scope out sunrise on Mt. Timpanogos. It was a mixed bag shoot down there with post-dawn clouds blocking the sun. On the way back, though, I spotted the first balloon rising over Home Depot. Then another. And when I turned into the park, it was filled with expanding balloons and anxious passengers.

It’s a photographer’s dream as every color of the rainbow fills the lens. Slowly, balloon after balloon lifts off and fills the deep blue morning sky.

Checkout the full gallery on the Tom Kelly Photo Facebook page.