I won a raffle for trip to the top of the Mackinac Bridge, deck is 200 feet above water, top of the tower is 552. So you take a 2 man elevator (with 3 of us in it, me my daughter and the bridge guy) up 300 feet and climb vertical ladder about 30 feet with a couple resting landings. I do not like heights but it was on my bucket list
I'd seen photos, the top of the tower cross "beam" is 15 feet wide with the 1950's 2 or 3 tube railing. Shouldn't be a problem staying in the middle. Bridge guy goes 1st to open the hatch, I'm second, daughter last. I get to the top of the ladder and figure the hatch will be in the middle. Nope, I'm facing south and the edge of the "beam" is about a foot from the hatch. I climbed up about waist high to the bean and realize I'm 550 feet above the water, 350 feet above the roadway. Did I mention, there is no tie off on the top? My breath is taken away and I'm almost paralyzed. He can't really help me out with the hatch lid right behind me and I'm up against the"rail". I can't reach the mid level tube. I can't lean forward to leverage myself up.
I finally get my breathing back LOL, get enough leverage to lean sideways and rotate enough to lay my upper torso on the beam and wiggle my body onto the"beam". My daughter pops right up and out.
I stay sitting right in the middle and really enjoy the view. My daughter and the bridge guy are visiting and leaning on the railing.
He's one of the bridge workers and we are both civil engineers. He says I really should take you back down but I'm really enjoying talking with you 2 engineers so you tell me when you want to go down. It was supposed to be 20 minutes but we spent about 45. He was telling us about when they took the covering off the cables and did a in depth wire inspection as well as all the different tasks keeping the bridge maintained.
2 years ago my daughter won a silent auction to the top of the International Bridge in Sault St Marie. "Trip" for up to 6. So myself, daughter, SIL SIL's father and my nephew. That one 220 feet up and you end up ver the Locks. They are all concerned about me since I don't like heights.I have to admit I was concerned I might bail. But you are tied off to a railing at all times and it's a gradual (but steep) "walk" up the top of one of the 2 built up trusses. Maybe 18 inches wide.
Bridge guy first, SIL father next since heights don't bother him, SIL, daughter, me, nephew and bridge guy. Nephew goes last since he's young and nimble to get around me if I bail out. It really doesn't bother me I'm tied off and I don't look down past the beam. I realize my nephew isn't behind me. Bridge guy says he took 2 steps on the girder and quit. It was really neat up there, had a ship go into the locks below us.
Although I do not like heights at all, I am thrilled that i could make both these "trips"