Seventh generation aerialist Nik Wallenda has walked high above Niagara Falls, New York’s Times Square and the Grand Canyon. The 41-year-old took on his biggest challenges yet for ABC’s Volcano Live! on March 4. He walked a one inch steel cable 1,800 feet across a caldera in Nicaragua’s Masaya Volcano National Park. As he’s prone to do, deeply religious Nik gave glory to God numeorusl times. At around the 10 minute mark he actually had to stop because the winds were so dangerous. And he was only a quarter of the way there at that point! There was a slow 60 foot drop in the line before the second half, where he slowly walked back upwards 60 feet. Nik completed his longest walk to date after 31 minutes and 23 seconds.
When he entered a noxious cloud he commented, “It’s a storm. It’s pretty amazing at times. Like now for example. Woo yeah buddy.” He said that some of the winds generated by the volcano felt like he was being “hit by a hurricane.” Nik made several jokes, including “the things you have to do to get a good view of a volcano.” He also praised Jesus numerous times and said “I don’t know how you can’t glorify God and give glory to him for this. It is unbelievable to me.” Around the 22 minute mark he was given the go to quicken the pace. He also mentioned he’s writing a book about overcoming fear. That should be pretty inspiring!
Fortunately there was no danger of Nik plunging into the 2,200 degree lava if he fell, as he wore a safety harness with a tether to his cable. Since it was live, ABC didn’t want to alarm viewers with the sight of someone possibly falling to his death. The network also had him wear one when he did Highwire Live in Times Square on June 23, 2019, when he and sister Lijana Wallenda walked 25 stories above NYC’s tourist hotspot. Still, this was Nik’s longest walk to date and with the conditions of the volcano, he wrote on his Instagram that “This is everything I’ve ever done — times ten.” He had to wear an oxygen mask to protect him from the poisonous gasses and goggles to protect his eyes
Nik has been sharing plenty of Instagram photos and videos as he prepared for his walk. From his trademark lace-up moccasins walking on the 1⅛-inch-thick steel cable, to shots of the burning caldera with the caption, “Dizziness and suffocation are just two of the many dangers I’ll be facing.” It was nail-biting to watch, but so exciting!