It's not often that Chicago's suburbs become a hotspot for adventure sports enthusiasts, thanks to the region's flat topography. However, thrill-seekers need not trek to distant cliffs for an adrenaline rush anymore. The Westin Chicago Northwest in Itasca has introduced an "Altitude Zone" where anyone can experience the thrill of rappelling down the side of the hotel's 12-story building, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.
In partnership with Meet Chicago Northwest and "Over the Edge," a Canadian urban rappelling company, the hotel boasts panoramic views, which include the sight of planes landing at O'Hare International Airport, and dresses employees like Jerry Trujillo as Buddy the Elf while taking the plunge. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Jerry Trujillo, whose legs started "shaking like chicken legs" while leaning back over the edge, still deemed it recommendable once his feet touched solid ground again.
The charm of urban rappelling seems to lie in its accessibility. Sarah Colgan, a mother from Naperville, admitted to Fox 32 Chicago, "I am a little nervous." She peered over the rooftop, ready to face a 180-foot drop simply "to get some thrill in my life." It's this seeking of adventure that brought people like her to the event. "It’s often a once-in-a-lifetime experience and most of the people with us today are first-time rappellers," Nathan Leitner, a spokesman for Over the Edge, told Fox 32 Chicago.
In dealing with first-timers, Safety Supervisor Trevor Fus told Fox 32 Chicago you never knows what to expect: "You know, the reactions are the best part. Sometimes, you learn new curse words. Sometimes, there’s hysterical laughing." The company emphasizes a redundant safety system where "you could take any part of our system out and still not have any kind of incident," Fus said.
