Last time I visited Arizona, I had the pleasure of visiting the Grand Canyon.
Undoubtedly, one of the most moving experiences of my life, there is absolutely nothing on the face of the earth that compares to standing on the edge of the canyon face and looking down one mile into it's deep, deep enormity. It was an experience that actually moved me to tears. (Hey, when you spend the majority of your life on the plains, natural beauty is a rare thing!)
After years of construction, the Hualapai indians are getting ready to unveil the grand opening of the Grand Canyon Skywalk, a glass bottom structure that juts out 70 feet into the canyon, 4000 feet above the ground, and allows visitors to look down into the canyon through it's 4-inch thick glass bottom.
Yikes!
The u-shaped skywalk weighs over 1 million pounds and is designed to hold up to 120 people comfortably. I'm not sure how comfortable I would be standing on it, though.
Is it safe? Let's put it this way.
The structure is designed to hold 72 million pounds, withstand an 8.0 magnitude earthquake 50 miles away, and withstand winds in excess of 100 mph.
Located on the southern rim of the Grand Canyon on the Hualapai Indian Reservation, this $30 million skywalk is expected to receive millions of visitors, each having an opportunity to gaze down into the canyon's depths and admire it's beauty for a $25 fee.
Click here for an image of the Grand Canyon Skywalk
Check out the official site of the Grand Canyon Skywalk at http://www.grandcanyonskywalk.com
It's Del.icio.us!
Furl It!
March 21, 2007 06:27 AM
can someone in a wheelchair go on the grandcanyonskywalk