Last week, I did the unthinkable. I went in the CN Tower and completed the Edgewalk. Normally, I would not do these kinds of activities where the star attraction was how high you were from the ground, but with a need for blog content (and a little bit of peer pressure), I decided to go and complete the Edgewalk. The Edgewalk is an attraction where you walk around the outside edge of the CN Tower while suspended over 1100 feet in the air, taller than Canada's tallest skyscraper. I will talk about the whole experience, and offer my thoughts on this rather harrowing attraction.
After signing your waiver, you are taken to a changing room where the attendants give you a jumpsuit to put on, and then they put a harness on you. Understandably, there were many rules that need to be followed, such as removing everything (wallet, phone, etc.) and placing it in a locker, as well as having proper lace-up shoes, among other things. Once the suits and harnesses are put on and suitably tightened up, you take a few photos with your guide, and the guide takes you to the elevator which whisks you up to the level where the Edgewalk is taking place.
I will mention that in the beginning process of this experience, the staff were always doing safety checks on our harnesses and our shoes to make sure everything was tightened properly, so that provided a little bit of comfort considering what we were about to do.
You get to the control room before you go outside, and this is where your guide attaches your harness to the rail above you that goes along the outer edge of the CN Tower (so you do not fall off). After more safety checks, you take the walk through the door and you are finally on the outside walkway of the CN Tower. I got to say, I was not too scared or nervous while doing the Edgewalk because I had the nervous, but when I looked straight down, I felt a bit queasy. Thankfully, the conditions for my Edgewalk experience were perfect, because there were hardly any clouds and not too much wind.
As you walk along the grated walkway, the guide tells you about Toronto and the CN Tower and other things mostly for out-of-town tourists. The guide will also have you do certain exercises such as setting your feet over the walkway, and leaning back over the walkway while your harness holds you in place. All the while, your guide is taking pictures and video of you and your group. We walk further along the walkway and our guide was taking pictures of myself and our group over the backdrops of the Toronto skyline and Lake Ontario. Half an hour later, we were back in the control and our outdoor experience was over.
After getting back down to ground level, getting out of our harnesses and suits, and getting our things, you get your souvenir frame. You also have the option to purchase your photos and the video of the experience for around $25. The Edgewalk attraction is not cheap to begin with. I paid $225 CAD for the experience, but this also gives you general admission to the CN Tower and access to the SkyPod for the next three days.
Do I recommend the CN Tower Edgewalk? My answer is yes, but not a resounding yes. The price is a little steep for what you experience, but the Edgewalk offers you a unique view of Toronto and the surrounding area. There are no windows you must look through. It is just you outside, and the rest of the world for you to see with your own eyes. Honestly, I did not find the experience to be all that scary, despite being so high up and exposed to the elements. The CN Tower Edgewalk is one of those 'bucket-list' items for Toronto-area residents, as well as for tourists visiting the city. I am glad I got to experience it.
No comments:
Post a Comment