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Little Colorado River Gorge
Ralph Teller

Nik Wallenda Tightrope Skywire Walks across Little Colorado River Canyon

Ralph Teller
1

Adventure Aerialist uses no tethers or safety nets

June 23, 2013 - Grand Canyon, Arizona

With incredible focus, Nik Wallenda, the adventure aerialist and high wire artist, walk a quarter-mile (400 metres) across the Grand Canyon on a 2 inch steel cable with nothing but the Little Colorado River 1,500 feet below. No tethers. No safety nets. The crossing is made on the skywire with only his large balance beam, which allows Nik to make subtle adjustments to his balance. Nik made the crossing in just under 23 minutes. At about 13 minutes into the walk, he had to stop and kneel to stop a rhythmic movement that developed in the wire. He encountered higher and unpredictable winds up to 30 mph.

Nik Wallenda tightrope across Little Colorado River Gorge, courtesy of Discovery Channel

Aerial acrobatics has been a tradition in the Wallenda family that started seven generations ago with The Flying Wallendas. Nik's mother makes his tightwalking shoes, which are uniquely designed to allow Nik to feel the steel wire as he crosses intensifying his connection to the wire that helps him maintain balance.

In June 15, 2012, Nik Wallenda became the first person to walk across a tightrope stretched directly over Niagra Falls.

Nik Wallenda tightrope walk across Niagra Falls

He's 34, has a wife and 3 young children and considers his Christian faith an central part of his life. Regarding fear, Nik has commented that his Christian faith allows him to "know where I'm going to go when I die . . . . I'm not scared of dying."Apparently his faith plays a role in calming his spirit to help achieve the intense but relaxing focus needed to accomplish such feats.

See Nik's new inspirational book Balance: A Story of Faith , Family, and Life on the Line

More about Ralph Teller. See Ralph's 1Vigor Log Calendar.

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