Slide 1,000 Feet Over Los Angeles on the New SkySlide
Visitors to the U.S. Bank Tower in LA can put their fear of heights to the test on the newly opened SkySlide.
This doozy of a slide starts at the 70th floor of LA’s U.S. Bank Tower and ends on an outside landing of the 69th floor. The slide is about 45 feet in length. Sliders will be almost 1,000 feet above ground when they take their initial plunge down this unique slide.
The real thrill—or terror—about this slide is that it is made of glass. People who go on the SkySlide will have to look straight down at the streets of LA with only sheets of three-ply glass separating them from the outside world.
Since this is such a dangerous concept, safety was very important for the SkySlide designers. The glass used in the SkySlide is 1.25 inches thick, and the slide can hold over 10,000 pounds. Also, this slide was designed to resist winds going at 110 miles per hour. It is all held together by steel outriggers.
LA residents here have seen the construction of this slide going back to March. At that time the glass slide was first airlifted to the 69th floor.
After the SkySlide was fully installed to the U.S. Bank Tower, it has been subject to many safety tests. One test included loading the slide with sandbags to ensure it could withstand great weight.
SkySlide was built to increase interest in the OUE Skyspace LA, which is located on the 60th and 70th floors of the U.S. Bank Tower. The OUE Skyspace LA is an open-air 360-degree observation deck that offers visitors a chance to take in LA from 1,000 feet above ground.
The SkySlide opened to the public on June 25th, 2016.