Have you ever wished you could walk up to the edge of the Grand Canyon, stretch out your arms, and just keep on walking? Many people visiting the Grand Canyon National Park have this almost irresistible urge to rise up like eagles and soar into the eddying currents then dip deep into the chasms of history.
From many points the floor of the canyon is one mile down from this site. A trail goes down for hikers, and for those who wish to ride mules. The mules are the safer journey as they are more sure-footed than humans, and too stubborn to obey any frantic tuggings at the reins. Hikers on the other hand have been known to go berserk and tumble for a faster trip down.
But what if you could just walk over the edge
Over the edge and look down,
and back
and ALL AROUND?
Would you like to try that?
An Indian tribe I used to hunt piñon nuts with will help you do just that -- walk out past the canyon edge for a clearer view.
The Skywalk is a horseshoe shaped walkway that will jut out from the Grand Canyon wall's lip and let those who are eagles at heart look straight down, and all around.
The Skywalk is 4,000 feet above the bottom of the canyon on the Hualapai Indian Reservation. It will be cantilevered 70 feet out past the canyon's walls and open to the pure blue sky. Clear glass walls and a clear glass floor will let you gaze in any direction you choose. You can even close your eyes if vertigo grabs you from behind. Spinning, spinning, spinning, you might even want to sit down for a moment and ask yourself just how safe it is out here on the edge of nothing.
The Skywalk is supported by steel beams anchored 46 feet into the rock on the lip. Now, there's rock, and there's rock. Some rocks crumble just looking at them, and then there's rock that needs dynamite to break it apart. The rocks holding up the Skywalk are the latter kind.
In Flagstaff the rocks are much softer. The rocks there flake off into a red flagstone that people line driveways and make walkways from. Flagstaff is in northern Arizona with I-40 running through it. Flagstaff smells like a thousand miles of lush green pine cones. To get to the Skywalk from Flagstaff you will need to go two hundred and sixteen miles West on I-40 to Kingman. Then you go one hundred and forty six miles North on Stockton Hill Road. From there you go forty two miles (North) on Pierce Ferry Road. Take another Right turn and go seven miles (East) on to Diamond Bar Road for another twenty one miles. The Diamond Bar Road will end at the ONLY entrance to Grand Canyon West, which is the Grand Canyon West Airport. The good news is that Parking is free when you get there. Driving time for us old fogies is about four hours from Flagstaff.
Scheduled to open on 27 March in 2007, the Skywalk facility will also include a 6,000 square-foot visitor’s center built on three levels. Inside you will find a museum, a movie theater, a gift shop, several restaurants and bars and a VIP lounge. The Skywalk Café will provide outdoor patio and rooftop dining. You will be sitting on the edge of the canyon. From the second story, visitors can access The Skywalk walkway for the thrill of a lifetime.
Engineers say that Skywalk can support seventy tons of weight. That's about the equivalent of six hundred, six footer football stars. However, the maximum occupancy is set at 120 people.
I wonder how much a little guy's anxiety weighs?
For the rest of the story check out
http://www.yourvacationworld.com/parks/skywalk.htm
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