August 20, 2016 – The CN Tower Edgewalk is not for the faint of heart. It’s for thrill-seekers who want to experience the world’s highest full-circle, hands-free walk 356 metres above the ground. Walkers circle 150 metres around the CN Tower and pass along a 1.5 metre wide see-through grate, while tethered to an overhead rail. The attraction opened on August 1 2011 and holds the Guinness World Record for the “Highest External Walk on a Building”.
I, along with 7 others, experienced Edgewalk for the first time on a picture-perfect Saturday afternoon. We were eager to experience the thrill of a lifetime. After signing a two-page waiver, we were brought in to ‘base camp’ for extensive pre-walk prepping. First step was a breathalyzer. Second, remove all jewelry, hair/bobby pins and place all valuables in a storage locker. Eyeglasses or sunglasses were permitted, provided you kept them on at all times and used the lanyard provided. Bright orange ‘prisoner style’ regulation jumpsuits were handed out. Rubber-soled running shoes were required. Mine didn’t have laces so I was loaned a pair of black Vans free of charge. Hairties were required if anyone had long hair. The safety harness was next. An assistant helped everyone put the harness on properly, and made sure it fit tightly – too tight. It was triple checked by three different staff members. They checked ankles and forearms several times to make sure no watches or bracelets were being worn. Running shoes were checked to ensure a tight, solid fit. The prep was extensive and thorough. It gave me the impression that the adventure I was embarking on was pretty serious and the staff was not taking safety lightly.
We had two guides – Keegan and Graham, gregarious friendly types who got to know us and quickly memorized our names. They led us to a private elevator, where we fast-tracked up the tower to a small security room. Here, we could see two thick rails overhead. One rail had 8 sets of cables which was for our group. The second rail was used by our guides, allowing them to move freely around us when needed. Everything was clean, new and in tip-top condition. Another staff member was manning the security cameras, and his job was to make sure that we were following the rules and requirements.
Once the cables were clipped to our harnesses, another 2 security checks were done. With everything all set, we were now finally ready to take our walk along the edge of the CN tower!
The door opened to the south side of the tower. With no clouds in the sky, I could see for miles – what a view! A few people in our group were visibly nervous, some more than others. Without delay, Keegan started hanging off the edge and turned on his Go-Pro. He was filming our walk so we could relive this 30 minute moment again and again. He gave us our first task – walk up to the edge of the grate, put all 10 toes over the edge and say, “Hello Toronto!”. Everyone achieved the goal, except for one. Keegan and Graham were very supportive and encouraged people to try, but never forced anyone to participate.
We started walking east. Here, we were given our next assignment. Face the tower, squat down in a sitting pose, and then back up to lean out over the city with our legs straight, feet on the edge, arms open wide and free. This looks a lot scarier in pictures than it was in real-life. When you do this pose, you are not actually looking down, you are looking at the wall of the CN Tower. I admit that I found this super easy, and actually quite relaxing!
We then tried our third and a final task – stand 3 inches before the edge, and lean out and over the city. Let go of the cable and lift your arms up. Now go up on your toes. Wheeee! I can fly (almost)!
We continued walking around the tower till we faced north. This is where Keegan took several individual photos. We continued our walk counter-clockwise where were now facing west. Here we did some group photos. At this point the entire group appeared more if not completely relaxed. We then walked back inside the tower, to the “safety” of the security room.
As part of the experience, each participant was given 1 individual photo, 1 group photo, and a certificate of completion. I purchased the USB of photos for an extra $28.
Verdict: 5 out of 5 – Edgewalk is Toronto’s #1 thrill-seeking attraction. Push your limits and just do it – if you dare! The walk costs $195 + tax per person, but well worth it. Anyone who lives in Toronto should seriously consider taking advantage of this amazing attraction. :)
