Cleaners Work Suspended 4,000ft Above Grand Canyon as Tourists Walk the 70ft Glass Walkway Above Them
The inherent panic that cleaners felt on April 26th while they scrubbed the underbelly of the glass walkway is palpable.
However, as the brave, trained professionals worked, their demeanor came across as just another day at the office.
Abseilon is a company of rope access technicians who have worked on the 70ft glass bridge for years.
Yet, between milestones and timing, this year’s clean was a memorable experience, for all the right reasons.
Timing
“We have perfected this to within one day. When we started, it took seven,” CEO of Abseilon Ken Piposar said.
It takes a special person to be suspended 4,000 feet above the Grand Canyon, with only ropes and cleaning supplies to aid you. Yet, it’s hard to imagine how they got anyone to come back to do it again, much less, six more times.
Even the thought of the horrific assignment causes stomachs to collectively churn. So, regardless of how much experience one has, the ability to perfect the cleaning time to one day alleviates stress.
Although, this meticulous planning doesn’t come easy. Even though the Abseilon team is only suspended for a day, the clean takes two weeks to prepare.
This Year’s Memorable Clean
While every successful clean should be cause for celebration, when dealing with such a perilous task, this year stood out.
The reason this year was memorable was that it was the first time a woman helped to clean the walkway.
In all the years that the walkway has had a team cleaning its underside, only men were tasked with the job.
However, this year, Alicia Nelson showed the world that women were just as capable of the chore as men.
In summation, having such a daring job is certainly an adrenaline rush that many would never want to experience.
Thankfully, there are people like the Abseilon cleaners who are willing to help keep the Grand Canyon a clean, sanitary, and safe environment for all.