By Keith Kravitz
It’s no secret that the last 10 or so miles to the Skywalk are rotten. Phil Harisim, the journo who authored the travel piece, described the final stretch as a “dirt road full of bone-jarring potholes.” Tour bus traffic, he say, has helped make the drive one that’s straight out of an episode of Ice Road Truckers.
“[The weight of the tour busses] made them seemingly immune to the terrain, repeatedly forcing us to the far, right-hand side of Diamond Bar Road as they sped to the Grand Canyon Skywalk, rushing tourists to what readers of Travel + Leisure magazine voted in February as “the best new bridge” of the past 15 years.”
He continued, “Mud from buses’ wheels splattered our windshield, making just the journey to the Skywalk, a glass walkway that extends 70 feet into space, 4,000 feet above the canyon floor, gut-wrenching. ‘Do you think you can make it to the Grand Canyon without ruining our car?’ my anxious wife asked as our subcompact bounced through bus tire ruts only to fishtail in 3-inch deep mud.
“I-think-I-can,” I replied, trying to laugh through clenched teeth.
Such is life on the Diamond Bar Road, the only access point to the Skywalk. The Hualapai Indian Tribe, which owns Grand Canyon West, a 100-mile swath of land that borders Grand Canyon National Park, reports that the 21 miles of road that juts off from the modern hiway system will be totally paved by 2013. Yeah, sure, that’s what they said in 2008. I’m an optimist, though, and I pray it happens.
The Review Journal also brought to my attention that more than 800,000 visited Grand Canyon West. Holy crap! I was always under the impression it was 200,000. That’s a four-fold increase! To a degree, I’m not surprised. I love the Skywalk. It’s one of the most amazing edifices man’s ever concocted. Think about it: A horseshoe-shaped, all-glass bridge that lets you walk into the primordial abyss.
“Tourists nervously joked with one another that this might be the last time they saw each other alive,” wrote Harisim. “As the walk began, several women held onto each other for dear life as they took baby steps and looked at the canyon beneath them. “Oh my,” one lady said, shaking, seemingly overcome by vertigo.”
Friends and family don’t believe me when I tell them there’s no fence or guardrails. Yet. And it seems like none are coming soon.
“Fewer than 100 yards away from the Skywalk, you can walk right up to the canyon’s edge, which first gave us a sense of awe but then pause, particularly when we saw a couple nearby walking without holding the hands of their small children, “Harisim noted. “With no guardrail or fence, Grand Canyon West is no place for children whose hands aren’t held tightly at all times.”
Personally, I think risk adds charm to a place that’s truly magical. Harisim seems to agree.
“This unencumbered view from the west rim of the Grand Canyon, where a great rock formation across from you resembles a giant eagle, makes you conscious of the fact that no man is capable of ever producing such beauty. The colors, the textures – some pronounced, some, oh, so nuanced – are something artists strive for but can never reproduce.”
If you drive yourself, purchase the Legacy package, which runs $76 per person and includes access to the Skywalk, Grand Canyon West and a meal (kids are 20 percent off the adult price). No cameras are allowed. If you want pictures, the cheapest package will set you back $29. There’s also a charge for parking. I don’t recommend driving a sedan out here. Go with a 4×4 with good clearance.
I could go on about costs (there are more) but I’ll spare you. My suggestion is take a tour out of Vegas. They’re all-inclusive and at the end of the day they’re cheaper. Choose from bus, airplane or helicopter. You can’t go wrong. As for choppers, the best one is the package that includes Skywalk tickets, a bottom-descent and a Colorado River boat ride. I’ll leave it at that.
For the latest helicopter tour operator reviews, go here.
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