Nik Wallenda is about to embark on his longest high-wire walk to date, stretching 1,800 feet. As if that wasn’t enough adrenaline for the 41-year-old aerialist, the rope will cross the Masaya Volcano in Nicaragua, one of the most active volcanoes in the world.
His daredevil feat will be televised at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday on ABC.
"The reality is I'm risking my life. ... For the last week I've been waking up in cold sweats because of this walk. Every step is dangerous, but I will become more and more relaxed as I get through that gas for sure." —Nik Wallenda in an interview with ABC News
Masaya Volcano was featured in National Geographic’s series, “Extraordinary Earth: 20 in 2020,” for its unique lava lake.
"It sort of volcanoes within a volcano. It's about four miles by seven miles across. And so Masaya actually it's one of the few volcanoes in the world that hosts a lava lake, which is essentially a roiling pit of molten rock." — Maya Wei-Haas, National Geographic
Credit: FEDERICO RIOS
Credit: FEDERICO RIOS
Masaya, dubbed “the mouth of hell,” has erupted 13 times during the last 30 years. Its lava lake churns with the fastest-moving lava ever recorded.
The Masaya Volcano emits more than 330,000 tons of carbon dioxide each year, so Wallenda will have to wear protective goggles.
When asked if he would look down while traversing the 1-inch wire, Wallenda responded with an “absolutely.”
"It's more about this beautiful piece of nature," he said.
"There will be everything from nerves, to excitement, a little bit of fear, a lot of respect — it's a dream."
Credit: Charles Kelly
Credit: Charles Kelly
Wallenda comes from a family of thrill-seekers and has performed many famous tightrope stunts. He holds 11 Guinness World Records.
In 2013, he became the first person to cross the Grand Canyon in a televised 23-minute walk.
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The Nicaraguan volcano walk Wednesday is estimated to take 30 to 35 minutes.
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