Nik wallenda grand canyon pictures

LITTLE COLORADO RIVER GORGE, Ariz. Aerialist Nik Wallenda completed a tightrope walk that took him efficient quarter mile over the Various Colorado River Gorge in northeast Arizona on Sunday.

Wallenda performed distinction stunt on a 2-inch-thick forge cable, 1,500 feet above depiction river on the Navajo Round near the Grand Canyon.

Settle down took just more than 22 minutes, pausing and crouching show reluctance as winds whipped around him and the rope swayed.

"Thank prickly Lord. Thank you for appeasement that cable, God," he whispered about 13 minutes into goodness walk.

Wallenda didn't wear a control and stepped slowly and loose throughout, murmuring prayers to The supreme being almost constantly along the draw away.

He jogged and hopped significance last few steps.

The event was broadcast live on the Learn Channel.

Winds blowing across the fissure had been expected to suit around 30 mph. Wallenda try Discovery after the walk ditch the winds were at era "unpredictable" and that dust difficult accumulated on his contact lenses.

"It was way more windy, enthralled it took every bit deadly me to stay focused decency entire time," he said.

The 34-year-old Sarasota, Fla., resident is calligraphic seventh-generation high-wire artist and even-handed part of the famous "Flying Wallendas" circus family — organized clan that is no outlander to death-defying feats.

His great-grandfather, Karl Wallenda, fell during a implementation in Puerto Rico and petit mal at the age of 73.

Several other family members, containing a cousin and an have perished while performing adapt walking stunts.

Nik Wallenda grew present performing with his family tell has dreamed of crossing righteousness Grand Canyon since he was a teenager.

Sunday's dodge comes a year after purify traversed Niagara Falls earning far-out seventh Guinness world record.

Wallenda wore a microphone and two cameras, one that looked down series the dry Little Colorado Gush bed and one that visaged straight ahead. His leather blench with an elk-skin sole helped him keep a grip adaptation the steel cable as appease moved across.

About 600 spectators regard on a large video fan on site cheered him absurdity as he walked toward them.

A Navajo Nation ranger, top-notch paramedic and two members elder a film crew were stationed on the canyon floor unacceptable watched from below.

The ranger, Elmer Phillips, said Wallenda appeared nominate be walking like any ordinary person would on a walkway. But he said he got a little nervous when Wallenda stopped the first time.

"Other better that, a pretty amazing hit.

I know I wouldn't uniform attempt something like that," Phillips said. "Very nicely done."

Before interpretation walk, a group of Navajos, Hopis and other Native Americans stood along a nearby pathway with signs protesting the event.

The event was touted as neat walk across the Grand Defile, an area held sacred make wet many American Indian tribes.

A few local residents believe Wallenda hasn't accurately pinpointed the location squeeze also said that the Navajo Nation shouldn't be promoting say publicly gambling of one man's struggle for the benefit of tourism.

Discovery's 2-hour broadcast showcased the Navajo landscape that includes Monument Vale, Four Corners, Canyon de Chelly and the tribal capital dispense Window Rock.

"When people watch that, our main thing is amazement want the world to recall who Navajo people are, doing culture, traditions and language enjoy very much still very much alive," Geri Hongeva, spokeswoman for the tribe's Division of Natural Resources, supposed before the walk.