George Grant Mackay was the Scottish civil engineer who built the original suspension bridge in 1889. The suspension bridge currently stretches 450 feet across and 230 feet above North Vancouver's Capilano River. Even though it sways and creaks, it's very, very strong. Strong enough to support the weight of ten heavy-duty military fighter planes. Strong enough to handle the 850,000 visitors each year. Even strong enough to handle a classroom full of kindergarten students! Walking across the bridge, you will cross over Capilano River and enter the spectacular "wild side" which features the Living Forest display. Since then much has been added to the twenty-seven acre park. Of the many things to do, you can walk over seven suspension bridges through the evergreens taking you up to 100 feet above the forest floor. You can also enjoy musical entertainment and First Nations carving demonstrations. At the gift shop you can purchase high quality merchandise from all over Canada and great homemade fudge! In 2006, a 300 year old Douglas fir tree toppled during a heavy snow storm. The tree fell across the western end of the bridge and park officials had to close the bridge temporarily while repairs were performed. When you visit Vancouver, walking across the suspension bridge is an absolute MUST!
Monday, August 13, 2007
Capilano Suspension Bridge
George Grant Mackay was the Scottish civil engineer who built the original suspension bridge in 1889. The suspension bridge currently stretches 450 feet across and 230 feet above North Vancouver's Capilano River. Even though it sways and creaks, it's very, very strong. Strong enough to support the weight of ten heavy-duty military fighter planes. Strong enough to handle the 850,000 visitors each year. Even strong enough to handle a classroom full of kindergarten students! Walking across the bridge, you will cross over Capilano River and enter the spectacular "wild side" which features the Living Forest display. Since then much has been added to the twenty-seven acre park. Of the many things to do, you can walk over seven suspension bridges through the evergreens taking you up to 100 feet above the forest floor. You can also enjoy musical entertainment and First Nations carving demonstrations. At the gift shop you can purchase high quality merchandise from all over Canada and great homemade fudge! In 2006, a 300 year old Douglas fir tree toppled during a heavy snow storm. The tree fell across the western end of the bridge and park officials had to close the bridge temporarily while repairs were performed. When you visit Vancouver, walking across the suspension bridge is an absolute MUST!
Leslie, that looks beautiful. I haven't been there for ages! Let's go sometime.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Josie
Those bridges always fascinate me, but I simply cannot make myself walk across one!
ReplyDeleteWhat a spectacular view! Reminds me of my backpacking days in Lake Placid, New York.
ReplyDeleteThere is a suspension bridge (nothing like this long one) in Croswell, MI. JRT may now about it. There is something very "insecure" about walking over them. I wrote a piece called "Faith" about that feeling. I'll have to look for it and post it.
ReplyDeleteGreat Picture.
I am scared of heights. I tried walking across the bridge but only made it half way and lost my nerve and doubled back. Goaded on by my wife, I tried three more times but each time I only made it to halfway. But if you add it all up, I crossed the bridge twice.
ReplyDeleteI went across only once in my life and didn't want to do it again. It really IS scary, especially when young people think it's funny to get it swinging!
ReplyDeleteOnce when I was 20 yrs old, a bunch of us (I was the only girl - with my b/friend) drove up to the back entrance way in the forest and the guys walked over it in the dark! I refused to go 'cuz if they were caught, they could've been thrown in jail!!!
hi leslie, i have a thing about heights also. it's a beautiful picture to look at, but i definitely wouldn't walk it. i hate even driving over the chesapeake bridge here in maryland. so spooky.
ReplyDeleteactually, it's the chesapeake bay bridge.
ReplyDeleteHi Leslie,
ReplyDeleteI love the area near there and take visitors there all the time but I can't walk on the bridge itself. That swaying scares the heck out of me, so I send my visitors and hide in the gift shop.
regards
jmb
I agree Leslie...that is a beautiful area and I always loved that bridge even if I did get a bit queasy walking across it...
ReplyDeleteIn a snap would I be on that bridge and most likely make it sway a bit just for privacy while I spent a half hour looking at those mountains and forests.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I learned as a mechanic is that you have to trust your equipment and i have faith that the bridge while high up and would most likely be a killer drop, I'd have to do it.
God would laugh his ass off if I was afraid of it, this is no comment on anyone else's phobia and heiresschild I loved the Chesapeake bay bridge did it in the motor home.
My only suggestion is don't do the Mackinaw Bridge in a Yugo on a really windy day about 15 years ago a lady and her car were blown right over the side.
Okay. It's beautiful. But, sad to say, I do not like heights. Thus, I will never walk across it! Just have to live through everyone else's experiences about it. But how fantastic that structures like this exist!
ReplyDeleteDonnetta
I think the only thing that could make me cross that bridge would be an irate bear chasing me. Hopefully, I would have already bought the fudge and we could work out a deal.
ReplyDeleteFor those of you who'd like to appreciate the view but not the actual bridge walk, I'll meet you in the gift shop for maple flavoured fudge. :D Then we can watch the native performers do their thing.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, Leslie thanks for sharing... you are from a beautiful area of North America. I would love to see the sites but I am not sure about crossing the bridge... I will meet you in the gift shop for the fudge if I ever get there!
ReplyDelete