The thought of walking along a five-foot-wide path coiled around the side of a mountain like a python on its prey while suspended 4,600 feet in the air is enough to make many people get a bit wobbly in the knees. But take that same path, and give it a clear glass bottom, and even those who deny a fear of heights may begin to sweat a little.
Well, now you don’t have to just imagine this path, you can experience it. The Coiling Dragon Cliff recently opened on Tianmen Mountain in the southern Chinese province of Hunan and offers tourists a chance to venture along a 100-meter-long, glass-bottomed walkway floating over a 4,600-foot drop.
In addition to surreal views of the surrounding mountainous landscape, the walkway overlooks Tongtian Avenue, a winding, 99-turn road weaving back and forth up the mountain. The new Coiling Dragon Cliff joins Zhangjiajie National Forest Park’s two other skywalks and the longest glass-bottomed bridge (1,410 feet) in the world.
If that still hasn’t satiated your inner daredevil, a cable car that picks people up at a nearby railroad and deposits them at the top of Tianmen Mountain, a ride totaling around 30 minutes from start to finish and one that is said to be the world's longest cable car ride, is also among the mountain's attractions.
Naturally, the first question that pops into most people’s minds with glass-bottomed structures is safety. And in an effort to prove just how safe these glass-bottomed structures are, park authorities deliberately cracked the glass of one of the bridge’s panels and drove a Volvo XC90, which has a curb weight around 4,300 pounds, over it.
They also treated the glass like a "Test Your Strength" carnival game and smashed it with sledgehammers. None of the tests resulted in completely breaking through any of the three layers of glass.
Related Stories
Sponsored | Glass and Glazing | Feb 8, 2016
The State of the Fire Rated Glass Industry
After a strong 2015, demand for fire resistive glass continues to grow
Sponsored | Glass and Glazing | Jan 27, 2016
Saving Energy & Birds at the Boulevard Club
The Boulevard Club is a century old structure in Toronto which needed an expansion. The windows facing Lake Ontario needed to be bird friendly in order to reduce the number of window collisions. In this case, AviProtek E bird friendly low-e coated acid-etched glass was the right choice.
Sponsored | Glass and Glazing | Dec 11, 2015
Glass industry gives back during the holidays
The holiday season is generally a time when individuals and companies ramp up their charitable giving. The glass industry is no different.
Curtain Wall | Nov 4, 2015
Curved glass curtains will give Washington, D.C., office building more views and floor space
Around 900 fluted glass panes will cover 2050 M Street, which will contain television studios for CBS.
Glass and Glazing | Oct 19, 2015
Safti First completes $6 million expansion in U.S. manufacturing operations
Being the first fully vertically-integrated fire rated glazing USA-manufacturer enables Safti First to provide the fastest lead times, most competitive prices and best coordination
Glass and Glazing | Sep 10, 2015
As commercial construction booms, glass supply is lagging demand
Manufacturers are frantically restarting plants they mothballed during the economic downturn.
BIM and Information Technology | Aug 28, 2015
MIT researchers develop 3D printer that produces intricate glass structures
The machine uses molten glass as its “ink,” contained in a “kiln cartridge” that heats up at 1,900 degrees until it is molten and pliable.
Sponsored | Glass and Glazing | Aug 17, 2015
Specialty tempered glass??
Tempered glass is an excellent choice for large expanses of glass that maximize clear views while providing significant wind load and thermal stress resistance.
Codes and Standards | Aug 6, 2015
AAMA updates methods for testing of exterior walls
The standard specifies test methods, specifications, and field checks to evaluate structural adequacy of exterior wall systems composed of curtain walls, storefronts, and sloped glazing.
