Monday, December 28, 2009

The Ledge



 
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The Ledge is located on the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) in downtown Chicago. The tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, you can see 40-50 miles in all directions and 4 states: Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin. The glass ledge extends out 4.3 feet from the SkyDeck which is 1,353 feet up from the street. I honestly did not think I would be able to step out onto that glass when I first saw it. I did get a little dizzy and nauseated at first, but then I think my brain adjusted to it and it was actually a lot of fun until some people decided to run up and jump on the glass as hard as they could right next to me! The first shot was taken looking down at the street from the Ledge. You can see the tiny cars and the river below. Those are my feet at the bottom of the picture. The second shot is looking south at the other glass ledges with someone standing on one of them in the distance. The third shot is a classic view of Chicago showing Lake Michigan in the background. Those two tallest buildings are the John Hancock Building (the black one on the left), which has an observatory on the 94th floor and I visited later that week, and the Trump Tower, which has a very warm lobby that my daughter and I took advantage of one night to warm up.

33 comments:

BlossomFlowerGirl said...

Very good photos. I think it would take a very brave person to stand out there on the 103rd floor - all that glass...
Cheers.
Melbourne Daily Photo

Fio said...

Absoutely fantastic shots - especially the first, just incredible!

Hilda said...

Oooooh! I love this! And my cousins and I were just talking about this on Christmas day. I want to try it! And I might actually get the chance next year.

Finally catching up with everyone's blogs. We've hardly been home these past few days too. Looks like you and your family had a wonderful Christmas, Lois. I'm glad. Wishing you a joyful, peaceful and love-filled new year.

Les Barr said...

Good Grief, Lois! That would scare the crap out of me! Don't know if I could do that. I'm scared to death of heights.

Les

magiceye said...

amazing shots! love them all!

Small City Scenes said...

Super shots. I think I would rather look out instead of down though. I want to see as far as I can.

The first shot looks like a mosaic. Pretty neat. MB

Unknown said...

Vertigo!!! Love the first shot!

Birdman said...

Ya, saw a story on the Ledge on the news when it opened. Similar to the CN Tower in Toronto.

Janet said...

Dizzying! Great shots that I don't think I could have taken.

Sunny said...

Great pictures, especially the first one.
I'm not sure if I could do that as I don't like heights at all.
Sunny :)

James said...

What a view and what fantastic pictures. I really like the top two. Wow.

VP said...

Spectacular in the real sense of the word! I like it, but stepping on it would require some preparation, as you probably did.
Did they really stump on these?

PAK said...

If I were there, I would be afraid of altitude...
But the idea of such ledge is great!

hadv said...

I'm still considering it.. :-I

Halcyon said...

Is the glass ledge new? I don't remember that from my yearly treks with my grandparents. I probably would have been too afraid anyway!! :)

Beth Niquette said...

WOW! That is an amazing shot! EEeeeeek!

I don't mind heights, but I think I might have reservations on stepping out onto THAT ledge!

I love Chicago. I once got caught in the most amazing traffic jam in that city. We were on a tour to the East Coast. We were lost--and there was this trucker who let us by in front of him. If he hadn't done that I suppose we'd still be lost in Chicago! (grin)

Fabulous captures, dear Lois!

Lois said...

Halcyon--yes it is new. The Ledge opened on July 2, 2009.

Nefertiti said...

TRES impressionnant !

Jim said...

So brave. Heights freak me out.
Sydney - City and Suburbs

Anonymous said...

You are a braver soul than I! You wouldn't catch me anywhere near there, or else you wouldn't be able to see the glass, much less anything outside! heheheee

Frank said...

No way, no how. Not me. I couldn't stand on the open glass at the Toronto tower and have trust issues with all man-made clear glass structures...sorry architects and engineers. I am SO glad you have no such hesitation. terrific photo!!

All of your Chicago shots are great.

penny said...

That's a long way down to the ground, Lois. I guess you are not afraid of heights. Your shots are fantastic.

Tribudragon said...

Great trip, but pics are even better :)

Bergson said...

I'd be very impressed with this vacuum

Louis la Vache said...

Holy Moly! That first image caused «Louis'» acrophobia to kick into high gear!

Rob Siemann said...

Great shot. Now watch your step.

Julie said...

I dont mind heights but looking down through glass would freak me out. And the thought of some nincompoops jumping on the glass ... ggrrrr ...

Paul - Leeds daily photo said...

Wow, that is one very tall building. Nice pics Lois, very brave!

Clytie said...

Okay so if I had been there, the picture would not have been of my feet ... it would have been of my knees! I think maybe I could have crawled out there ... or maybe not!

Fantastic pictures, though! I truly enjoyed seeing these through your camera.

Daily Chicago Photo said...

Oh that is cool. I actually have NOT done the ledge yet. I have heard about people jumping on it though. Your pictures are going to make me go over there one of these days.

Unknown said...

We were there 1 week before this opened at the end of June, so never got to stand there, but not sure I could have anyway lol!

Tash said...

I am so glad I went back to see these! They are astounding as it THE LEDGE. So well photographed Lois.

Lisa Wilson said...

Scary fun!