12 Epic Urban Adventures

12 Epic Urban Adventures — page 1 — 1 Climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge Locals call it the Coat Hanger Bridge The Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of Australia’s most famous landmarks It is the tallest widest steel arched bridge in the world In 1998 it was opened for climbing Today both residents and tourists make their way up the bridge They climb ladders and stairs and cross catwalks to take in the amazing views from the top 4 There are several ways to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge The original tour takes climbers up 1,332 steps in three and a half hours Shorter faster routes are available There are daylight twilight and nighttime climbs The upper arch of the bridge is 440 feet 134 m above sea level From here climbers have a 360-degree view of Sydney including the Sydney Opera House Although

12 Epic Urban Adventures — page 2 — Climbing the entire bridge takes 3 hours and 30 minutes climbers are high in the air they are perfectly safe They receive all the outdoor gear needed for the weather conditions They are latched onto steel cables so they can’t fall Climbers must be at least eight years old and in good health Each climber wears a blue-and-gray climb suit The suits camouflage the climbers so the drivers below don’t get distracted The tours are directed by climb leaders Along the way they provide interesting information about the bridge They make sure the experience is safe and fun TYING THE KNOT AT THE TOP People can get married at the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge A couple can bring up to 26 other people including the minister guests and photographer The ceremony is held on a platform called the Sundeck But the bride can’t wear a wedding dress All wedding climbers must wear climb suits 1932 Year the Sydney Harbour Bridge was completed The Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of the largest bridges in the world The top of the climb is 440 feet 134 m above sea level Climbers wear special climb suits 5

12 Epic Urban Adventures — page 3 — 2 Walking Along the Edge of the CN Tower The CN Tower in Toronto Canada is the world’s third-largest tower Known as Canada’s National Tower it reaches 1,815 feet 553 m into the air The tower carries radio television and cellular telephone signals It also provides a high altitude adventure for those who are willing to try the CN Tower EdgeWalk The EdgeWalk is the world’s highest outdoor walk on a building It takes 116 Number of stories from the ground to the EdgeWalk The CN Tower is the world’s third-largest tower The EdgeWalk is a hands free full-circle walk 1,168 feet 356 m above the ground Climbers are attached to a metal rail for safety 6 Over 1 5 million people visit the CN Tower each year

12 Epic Urban Adventures — page 4 — MAKING IT MORE ACCESSIBLE In 2015 changes to the CN Tower EdgeWalk made it accessible to more people Now visitors in wheelchairs can experience it too They ride in specialized one-piece wheelchairs The wheelchairs attach to the overhead rail The walk suits were adapted to make them easier to put on place on the roof of the CN Tower’s revolving restaurant A steel grate ledge juts out from the side of the tower 1,168 feet 356 m above the ground It circles the whole tower Visitors ages 13 and over can walk along this ledge The ledge is five feet 1 5 m wide Walkers wear a special walk suit over their clothes They wear a harness for safety The harness is attached to two ropes The ropes hook onto a thick metal rail above the walkers heads Walkers don’t hold onto anything as they follow a guide around the tower If they want they can go to the edge and lean back into the air The entire experience lasts about an hour and a half The walk takes 20 to 30 minutes The EdgeWalk is open seasonally in all weather conditions except for electrical storms high winds or other extreme weather EdgeWalk holds the Guinness World Record for highest external walk on a building 7

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