By Cloie Sandlin

I really wasn’t as nervous as I thought I might be. When I walked onto the eight-passenger plane that was parked behind Gateway Canyons Air Tours at the Grand Junction Regional Airport, I was more anxious than anything. Everyone on the flight told me I was going to be spoiled, being that this private, scenic flight would be my first time in the air ever.

“It’s totally different than flying on a commercial flight,” Gateway Canyons’ Marketing Director Miffie Blozvich told me.

Other than Blozvich and the pilot, my fellow passengers included local celebrity Farmer Bob from Alida’s Fruits, three people from the Colorado Welcome Center and Gateway Canyons’ photographer Darlyne Merkel.

After a briefing that covered the company’s background, boarding procedures, an overview of the route we would travel, and instructions on how to operate the noise reduction aviation headset, we were ready to board.

Gateway Canyons arranges luxurious private air tours with professional and seasoned pilots. Lucky for me, my pilot was Deanna Strand, who happens to be one of the most respected pilots in the region with over 12,000 logged flying hours, and is also the director of Gateway Canyons Air Tours.

In other words, I was in good hands.

The plane I was on was called the “Big Red Bird,” probably because it was red, and it was the largest of the three planes Gateway Canyons owns. It was ideal for sightseeing because of the large windows and unobstructed viewing of the spectacular scenery. The leather seats and finished interior could make anyone feel like royalty.

Colorado is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful states in the country, but there are simply no words to describe how astounded I was at the scenery as we trailed the Colorado River and flew to Castle Valley, Utah and looped around, returning to Grand Junction through Unaweep Canyon.

The Gateway Canyons staff on the flight was very informative when it came to the history of the area and the attractions we saw. I once lived on top of the Colorado National Monument, but there was absolutely no comparison to the beauty of seeing a large part of the mountain at a bird’s eye view. I’ve also never spent a lot of time in Utah, but seeing the landscape from above made me think about going there more often. Now keep in mind that I’m not a Colorado native, so we flew over some natural landmarks I never even knew existed, or at least had never seen before. Among these wonders were the majestic La Sal Mountains, John Brown Canyon, Castleton Rock and Arches National Park.

I was in such awe at the scenery that I completely filled up my camera’s memory card with about 400 photos over the approximate one-hour flight.

Upon our return to Grand Junction, the other passengers seemed to enjoy themselves just as much as I did by pointing out familiar structures below such as St. Mary’s Hospital and the Alpine Bank building downtown. We also circled around as Farmer Bob tried to find his store in east Orchard Mesa.

It was the experience of a lifetime. I would encourage everyone to take an air tour with Gateway Canyons. Not only was the scenery breathtaking, but the staff was also informative, accommodating and ensured every passenger’s safety and comfort.

Although I would definitely recommend this particular tour to Castle Valley, Utah, Gateway Canyons offers several other scenic tour options including intimate flights through the Rocky Mountain ranges on the San Juan Mountain Tour, and an eagles-eye view of world-class resorts on the Aspen, Moab and Telluride tours.

“The air tours are something that has just started to be offered,” Blozvich said. “Within the last year we have begun to determine prices, times and routes.”

Speaking of price, Gateway Canyons Air Tours offers scenic tours of the Grand Valley and surrounding areas starting at $99, and believe me, it is worth every penny! They can also virtually meet you anywhere in western Colorado or eastern Utah and take you to a location of your choice.

“We’ve flown to Grand Junction, Lake Powell, Mesa Verde and even the Grand Canyon,” Blozvich said.

Gateway Canyons Air Tours can help create your dream vacation in conjunction with Gateway Canyons Resort. Customize your stay with river tours, road tours, air tours, horseback riding, or all of the above, all in the splendor of western Colorado. Call to book your flight and reservation today! Call 1-888-4ASkyTour or visit www.gatewaycanyonsairtours.com for more information.

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Gateway Canyons Air Tour