“A different, better world” is how Will Drummer describes Utah upon arriving from his native Austria more than 30 years ago.
Intending a short visit with a friend in Salt Lake, a few ski trips to Park City convinced Will to live in and explore the Wasatch Back for the rest of his life. Back in Austria, “I had three requirements for my new job in Utah,” he states. “It needed to be outdoors, in the tourism industry, and I wanted to show people how beautiful our state is. I saw a hot air balloon on TV and realized, ‘That’s what I am going to do.’” Another friend arranged for a PC balloon outfit to train Will in return for crewing work back in 1995. He’s been flying ever since.
“My work is passion driven,” this Chamber partner and owner of Skywalker Balloon Company declares. “I believe ballooning is the greatest outdoor activity and my greatest joy.”
A journey to the sky with Will usually takes adventurers “eye level with our peaks, around three to five thousand feet,” Will says. “Our backdrops are three world-class ski resorts to the west and the pristine Utah wilderness in all its beauty to the east.” He credits persistence and patience with helping him become one of the area’s senior balloon companies. ”My ground crew is essential, as are other pilots working with me,” he smiles. “One, Bill Dobbs, more than 9,500 flights to his credit, one of the top five anywhere.”
Now thoroughly infused with a passion for the mountains, Will’s sense of wonder discovers something new in nature every day. “I enjoy rock climbing, skiing, hiking, and enjoying the mountains in as many ways as possible. America is vastly beautiful,” he observes
“I am blessed to be here and do what I do,” he concludes. “I am living life at its finest!”