Want a Birds Eye View of the Grand Canyon?

[RoadTripper Brad]

Just thought I'd pass along this interesting news story that appeared on CNN and many other fine news sources yesterday:

Its the Hualapai tribe's new Grand Canyon spectacle, a suspended U shaped steal and reinforced glass skywalk that will hang nearly 4,000 feet above the canyon floor. (Anyone up for some horrible vertigo?) They say it will be able to hold nearly 70 tons in weight and withstand 90 MPH winds and will give canyon visitors a safe view of the canyon directly below.

Anyone's thoughts on this?

-Brad

[UKCraig]

That is awesome! When is it open?

[RoadTripper Brad]

That is awesome! When is it open?

I believe the sign that I saw during the interview with a tribal leader said "Completion 2006", so I would venture to say by the end of the year at earliest, next spring maybe?

[AZBuck]

Would I go for a walk on this? Absolutely! And therein lies the rub. This walkway is not in the National Park, but on an Indian Reservation currently reachable only by secondary (tertiary?) roads. If this gets wide publicity, people are going to be showing up at the park expecting this, or something very much like it, to be available, and may be sorely disappointed that it's not. I hate to think of anyone going to the Grand Canyon and coming away disappointed because there is no 'thrill ride' there.

I will get to it eventually, because I live close enough. The same reason that I got to take a right-seat (co-pilot) ride on one of the last fixed-wing flights into the canyon. (You want a thrill? Consider a flight where you take off and immediately start a dive, and then scoot in and out of rock formations at over a hundred miles an hour!) But those flights were outlawed for a reason. They detracted from the natural beauty and serenity of the Canyon. At some point, we have to realize that some aspects of nature do not need 'enhancement'.

AZBuck

[Mark Sedenquist]

Its the Hualapai tribe's new Grand Canyon spectacle, a suspended U shaped steal and reinforced glass skywalk that will hang nearly 4,000 feet above the canyon floor.

It was originally supposed to open last summer, but some legal and engineering problems kept the worksite closed for months.

I think it will be a good tourista draw!

Mark

[UKCraig]

What are the chances of it being open in time for my trip in September...? :s *prays*

[UKCraig]

http://mrjarchitects.com/skywalk.jpg

Awesome!

[Mark Sedenquist]

http://mrjarchitects.com/skywalk.jpg

I dunno, that rendering looks even more crazy than the last one I saw. Great place to be in a lightning storm!

Mark

[PNW Judy]

Nope, not for me. I don't have any kind of unnatural fear of heights. But I do think this would push my comfort zone way too much. Oh, my.....

Or it could be thrilling! I'm not sure how I'd react til I visit it.

When I was a kid, I loved going off the high-dive at the local pool. However, I always had to psych myself up to do it because I was always convinced I'd die when I hit the water. But then, once I dared do it again, I would be thrilled.

But when I was older and went with friends to the infamous train trestle on the Humptulips River that folks dived off of, I just couldn't convince myself to jump. No way, no how. But I bet I would have loved it once I took the leap.

I do, however, have a problem with building something like this in such a pristine, natural setting that is beautiful on its own without such "enhancements". But, then again, I realize that tribal entities need money for their programs above-and-beyond the funding they currently receive and, if this project helps the local economy of the Hualapai tribe, more power to 'em.

[Mark Sedenquist]

What are the chances of it being open in time for my trip in September...? :s *prays*

Not in this lifetime! Maybe 2008.

Mark