Glass Skywalk on the Grand Canyon
Summary:Email with attached images provides information about a glass and steel skywalk that juts out over the rim of the Grand Canyon (
Full commentary below.)
Status:True
Update:The Grand Canyon Skywalk was completed in March 2007 and is now open for visitors.
Example:(Submitted, October 2005)
Subject: SKYWALK
Grand Canyon Skywalk
*Scheduled to open January 1, 2006
Hualapai Indian Reservation
* Juts out about 70 feet into the canyon, 4000 ft above the Colorado River
*Will accommodate 120 people comfortably (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, withstand an 8.0 magnitude
earthquake 50 miles away, and withstand winds in excess of 100 mph
* Has a glass bottom and sides...four inches thick
Commentary:
The information contained in this forwarded email is factual. An amazing glass skywalk has indeed been constructed at Grand Canyon West. The area where the skywalk is located is owned and managed by the
Hualapai tribe. The skywalk is a featured attraction for travellers who visit the Hualapai Indian Reservation located on the canyon's western rim.
This email forward detailing plans of the skywalk circulated for several years before the eventual opening of the structure.
Due to a number of setbacks during construction, completion of the skywalk was considerably delayed. Because of this, some recipients of the email suspected that the Grand Canyon Skywalk was actually just an elaborate hoax, while others were of the opinion that the project would never be completed.
However, these doubts were laid to rest when the
skywalk finally opened on March 28, 2007. Since then, the skywalk has
seen more than 700,000 visitors.
References:
Hualapai tribe
Grand Canyon Skywalk - Official Site
Grand Canyon Skywalk - News
The Washington Post: Over the Edge
Last Updated:7th August 2009
First published: October, 2005
Write-up by Brett M. Christensen
