In this episode, we had the incredible opportunity to talk to someone that, undoubtedly, everyone in Steamboat has seen doing his job at some point in time – Bud Whitehead, owner and pilot of Wild West Balloons. We learn about the highly technical scientific method that balloonists use to know which way the winds are blowing – the “spit-ometer”! We also got to hear the full story behind one of the most “only in Steamboat” events – a ski drop on Sleeping Giant by balloon!
Bud Whitehead moved to Steamboat Springs in the summer of 1999 while studying recreation management and tourism at Arizona State University. Seeking to escape the Phoenix desert heat and gain work experience, he spent the summer working at a local hotel. Enamored by the Steamboat lifestyle, Bud returned for a second summer and eventually made Steamboat his permanent home after graduating.
After a decade in the local hotel industry, Bud sought a new direction. Fascinated by the hot air balloons he occasionally saw in the sky, he reached out to Ian, the owner of the balloon company, to inquire about job opportunities. The very next day, Bud joined the balloon ground crew, marking the beginning of his journey in ballooning. A few years later, Bud and Ian decided it was time for Bud to start flying. He logged his first flying hours in 2011 and has since accumulated over 1,000 hours of flight experience above Steamboat Springs. On January 1, 2018, Bud and his wife, Stacia, purchased the business from Ian and Shelley, marking a new chapter in their lives.
When he’s not piloting a balloon, Bud enjoys playing sand volleyball, mountain biking, camping, skiing, and spending quality time with his wife and daughter.
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