Toronto’s CN Tower Edgewalk

Despite my best intentions to challenge my fears, I didn’t complete the Edgewalk around the top of Toronto’ s CN Tower. I am still trying to determine what made me chicken out at the last minute -but I had an easy out. There was a mistake made in my reservation and when I arrived I learned that they had me down for a tour, not the walk itself. They tried to fit me in, but only six people at a time can actually do the walk and despite the cost being $175, they were sold out. My alternative was to wait for someone who changed his/her mind at the last minute… and while I was there, that didn’t happen. I sat in on the briefing and the suiting up for the walk, which is pretty serious since the Tower folks keep safety and security as their highest priority. Those intending to walk around the five foot wide rim are given flight suits and shoes if their own aren’t suitable for gripping. All jewelry, even wristwatches and pierced earrings,  must be removed, glasses and sunglasses are attached to a cord that is part of the red-orange flight suit, and even barrettes must be removed from hair. Long hair must be tied back.Everyone is issued a locker for their belongings. If I had been able to secure a cancellation I would not have been permitted to take my camera or Flipcam video camera out on the platform, nor bring a pen and notebook. They take no chances that anything will fall off.
A safety cord is attached to the back of the flight suit and then to a railing above the walker, who walk to circumference of the Tower more than 1,100 feet above the street.

It was a beautiful sunny day with very little wind. The walkers all seemed to have great resolve with no second thoughts, though I was almost sure a 60 something woman who was doing the walk with her 15 year old grandson was the most likely to cancel. I tried to speak to her, but was discouraged from that by management. Many people do the walk as a special occasion, I was told, doing it as a graduation gift, as the perfect place to propose marriage, or for a milestone birthday. The oldest walker was 90. Once I’d given up hope that someone would change their mind, I was given a great tour, including a visit to a viewing place several stories above the walkers. I leaned way out and tried to get photos of the group that included the mother and grandson. I could see the buildings of Niagara Falls across Lake Ontario, and that cloud on the horizon could have been the Falls spray. The group’s guide to the walk wore a video camera and still camera on his hardhat to capture images of each group’s walk, which are included in the price. The walk itself takes about a half hour, but a total of 90 minutes is needed for the briefings and suiting up. I’ll have more about the walk and the other wonderful opportunities there are at the CN Tower in the August Travel section. You’ll find out why I think the Tower should be considered a must for every visitor to Toronto.