(CAÑON CITY, Co) — There’s a high wire act at the Royal Gorge Bridge this weekend. A group of slackliners are preparing to make their way from one bridge tower to another, as people walk the bridge beneath them.
FOX21 News got a sneak peek into this weekend’s performances, after attending their set up on Friday, July 18.
Although the idea of walking across a small rope above the bridge may sound super dangerous, the slackliners taking on this challenge say it’s actually pretty safe due to multiple different precautions.
“If the main line fails, we’ll get caught by the second one, and then our anchors. You’ll have to have three things fail in a row, before you’re actually in danger. So we’ve got safety measures on safety measures,” said Logan Henning, Founder of Community Highlines.
Roughly 1,000 feet above the river, Henning says it’s more peaceful and fun than adrenaline inducing.
“I’ve gotten a few times today, ‘you’ve got a few screws loose’, but actually I think it’s pretty similar to rock climbing, you know, just getting to enjoy nature in a different way. I think we’re really unique that we get to enjoy this space, you know? Nobody’s ever been up above the bridge, and get to see all the views that we have,” said Henning.
He says they came up with this idea about a year ago, but the process to get the permits and approvals took quite a while.
“If the crowd really likes what we’re doing here, we might come back, and instead of being over the bridge, we’ll be over the canyon. Maybe underneath the gondola, and it’ll be a much bigger line and a much higher line. So, if you like it, make sure you tell the staff and maybe we’ll come back next year,” said Henning.
Although the bridge sways and moves with the wind (even more so with people on it), Henning says the towers they’ll be walking to and from are fairly stable.
“I’m feeling great. The team is stoked up, the people who have seen us so far, stoked up. Just really good vibes all around. I’m really excited for people to see this and learn what slack lining is,” said Henning.
The shows will be about 30 minutes long, starting at 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, and 10:30 a.m. on Sunday. In order to watch the performances, you’ll have to buy a ticket to enter the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park. The show is included with admission to the park.
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