APTOPIX Sears Tower LedgeDid you know that there are hundreds and hundreds of different phobias? Some are afraid of chickens, some are afraid of ants, and others are afraid of air! Of the phobias, I don’t really know which one is the most common but I do know that I have met so many people with acrophobia – the fear of heights. In my circle, at least, this seems to be the most common phobia.

There’s a saying that you have to look fear in the face to overcome it; and what better place to conquer your fear of heights than the new glass balconies at the Sears Tower?

The glass balconies were recently launched and are gaining a huge following. Suspended 1,353 feet in the air, these balconies jut out of the Skykdeck, which is on the 103rd floor. Oh and yeah, the balconies extended four feet from the outer walls, earning the nickname The Ledge. They are made of sturdy transparent glass – all 1.5 inches of it – and can h old up to 5 tons.

People who have been brave enough to step out on The Ledge say that it is like walking on ice, except that you can see the whole city below you. One of the owners of the building, John Huston, admits to having been quite queasy when he first stepped onto The Ledge. After 30 or 40 trips, though, he says that he has gotten the hang of it.

While I would like to conquer my fear of heights, I am not sure I can hack a floor of glass suspended on the 103rd floor. Can you?

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