Imagine walking out over the Grand Canyon and staring 4,000 feet, straight down into the Colorado River, while standing on four inches of glass. That's four times the height of the Stratosphere, so you'll find me under one of those umbrella tables watching folks with stronger intestinal fortitude walking on this crazy contraption.

The U-shaped structure, called The Skywalk at Grand Canyon West, juts about 70 feet into the canyon. It is over-engineered to: support the weight of 71 fully loaded 747 airplanes (72 million lbs.), withstand winds of 100-MPH, and withstand earthquakes of 8.0 (50 miles away). More than one million pounds of steel went into the construction of the Grand Canyon Skywalk. (I'll still be on the sidelines watching). 

The walkway is part of a tourist destination on the Hualapai Indian Reservation that includes Western- and Indian-themed villages, helicopter, pontoon, and horseback rides. No casinos, condos or commercial buildings will be allowed near this quiet, sacred destination. This project is expected to draw millions of visitors each year.

Skywalk allows Vegas visitors to experience the Grand Canyon without traveling the usual six hours to the south rim. This west-rim location is about a 2-hour drive from Hoover Dam.