This topic should have been included in the previous article of “Towering Tour of US & Canada 2012”. However, its exceptional features deserve a place of special mention & description here.

The Grand Canyon Skywalk, a transparent glass horseshoe-shaped cantilever bridge and tourist attraction in Arizona near the Colorado River on the edge of a side canyon in the Grand Canyon West area of the main canyon, the Skywalk has been described as an engineering first.

• Juts out about 70 feet into the canyon, 4000 ft above the Colorado River, twice as high as any skyscraper

• Will accommodate 120 people comfortably (The question is how comfortable would YOU be?)

• Built with more than a million pounds of steel beams and includes dampeners that minimize the structure’s vibration

• Designed to hold 72 millions pounds, it can withstand an 8.0 magnitude earthquake 50 miles away, and winds in excess of 100 mph.

• Has a glass bottom and sides . . . four inches thick. For those weak of hearts, they can walk on the two opaque sides of the glass bridge

Modern technology has brought this aged-old wonder of the world to the modern era. The avenues of sight-seeing by trail-hiking is still there and twin-engine plane or helicopter rides to get more vintage views and even cruising or rafting on the Colorado River below.

Construction of the Skywalk began in March 2004 – and was opened to the public on 28 March 2007 with 120 people allowed on the platform at any one time.

Visitors will have to pay $25 (around £13) to use the gangway, on top of the fee for entering the national park. Grand Canyon West is privately owned and operated by the Hualapai Tribe and requires the purchase of a permit and Legacy tour package for entry. No cameras & personal belongings are allowed

These photos are largely obtained from the internet.

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