Buzz Aldrin to open Grand Canyon Skywalk
Ex-astronaut Dr Buzz Aldrin will make history again today when he takes the ‘First Steps’ onto the Grand Canyon Skywalk, a glass-bottom bridge jutting out of the side of the Grand Canyon more than a kilometre above the Colorado River.
When the ambitious new attraction opens to the public on March 28, brave visitors will be able to experience the Grand Canyon from a completely new perspective. ‘Skywalk’ as it is known is a horseshoe shaped glass open-air walkway suspended 1,200 metres above the canyon’s floor and extended 21 metres from the west rim of the Grand Canyon.
Impressive safety statistics should settle some visitor’s nerves with designers having established that the structure could safely hold the weight of 71 fully loaded 747 aircraft or the equivalent of a whopping 32,200 tonnes, sustain winds of over 160 kilometres an hour from eight different directions and withstand an 8.0 magnitude earthquake within 80 kilometres.
Visitors will be given shoe covers to avoid scratching the glass and slipping while on the bridge. 120 people will be allowed onto Skwyalk at any one time. Access will run from dawn until dusk and cost US$25 per person in addition to the cost of a Grand Canyon West entrance package.
Skywalk is around 200 kilometres east of Las Vegas so is sure to be a popular day trip for Las Vegas visitors. Alternatively, there are more than 30 tour and transportation companies that service Grand Canyon West from Las Vegas by airplane, helicopter, coach, SUV and Hummer.
The Skywalk facility will also include a visitor’s centre containing a museum, movie theatre, several restaurants and bars including The Skywalk Café that will offer rooftop seating with breathtaking views over the edge of the canyon. Any one looking for a unique location to get married can consider the private indoor or outdoor space available for special events or meetings.
Grand Canyon West is owned and operated by the Hulapai Tribe, consisting off approximately 2,000 Hulapai members. The tribe owns nearly one million acres of land throughout the Grand Canyon’s western rim.
Phil Davies
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