After a few running steps down a gentle slope, you and your pilot gently lift off and, voila!, you're riding the thermals above Aspen's Elk Mountains. Float silently over huge swaths of gold aspen trees, a picture-perfect contrast to clear blue Colorado skies and dark evergreen trees. Depending on the conditions, you can climb as high as 18,000 feet—without ever having to jump off a cliff or free-fall from an airplane.

What to See: Get 360-degree views of all four Aspen Skiing Company ski areas (Aspen Mountain, Snowmass, Buttermilk, and Aspen Highlands), Independence Pass, and Mt. Sopris.

When to Go: October. The longest flights are around 9 a.m, during morning thermals, and an hour before sunset, when the air cools and there's a more consistent wind.

Area Highlights: Road biking to the Maroon Bells; mountain biking the Government Trail; hiking the Hunter Creek Valley; driving to the summit of Independence Pass.

Fall flights are from After Labor Day to about October 15th. We book 8:30 am flights first and will add flights as needed 10:30 am would be the next flight if booked at 8:30. Closing date in October but will depend on weather and access to the road.