If you have a crippling fear of heights like TV star Nick Knowles, then the Grand Canyon with terrifying ziplines and a vertigo-inducing glass bridge it not going to be a relaxing assignment.
But as the 60-year-old presenter is also turning into a bit of an adventurer he’s likely to face this kind of hair-raising activity more often.
In his latest series for Channel 5, Nick is aiming to explore the history, ecology and ancient culture of the canyon in the US state of Arizona.
It’s a nauseating start for Nick, who is used to wearing a hard hat on his DIY SOS shows, but is not used to being strapped into a harness and flung at 40mph over a mile-deep hole that stretches for 277 miles.
Hurtling across the iconic landmark on a zipline, he is absolutely terrified as his stomach lurches.
“Important lesson to learn,” he says. “I never wanted to do anything like that – conquer your fears.”
Vertigo threatens to defeat Nick as he braves the Skywalk, a platform that juts 70ft out of a limestone cliff, thousands of feet above the canyon floor.
Taking deep breaths, he says: “I really don’t like heights. I’ve already started to feel sick in my stomach and my knees are weak.”
Walking out, he worries he will tip over the edge, saying: “That’s horrible to look at.
“I’m told it can take 30,000 tons of weight and withstand 100mph winds and stand up to magnitude eight earthquakes – none of which offers me any reassurance whatsoever.”
There are more fears to tackle in the scorching and harsh terrain.
Here, some of the six million annual visitors can succumb to everything from heat stroke to fatal falls and landslides on the trails, with about 12 fatalities happening a year.
Meghan Smith oversees a team of 70 Search and Rescue volunteers who advise tourists and hikers about hazards.
She says: “I’ve seen people hike in flip flops or barefoot. I saw one man had all of his supplies fashioned into a skateboard and he was dragging it over the rocks.
“Every year unfortunately one or two people die of heat related incidents. Heat stroke can turn into a dire emergency very fast.
“Most people who have accidents fall from the rim up top.
“They are taking pictures and walking about on the rocks and not paying attention to their footing. About three to five people a year fall, most die because they fall so far.”
Nick is stretchered out of the canyon by the team to experience first-hand what it would be like to be rescued after injury.
“Trussed up as a turkey as I was, I could still kind of enjoy the moment,” he says. “Despite the fact I was dangling over 2,000ft.”
Nick also heads into the underground caves, which started to form 65 million years ago when this part of the US was covered by sea and are 21 storeys below the surface..
He discovers the emergency rations stored for civil defence during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, trying out the (extremely old) crackers, then spitting them out.
Underground, Nick also finds a wedding chapel, a stage for rock bands and a hotel room, complete with double beds, big screen TV and toilet. “They’ve even got room service,” he says.
One encounter is particularly important to Nick – a meeting with the elders of the Hualapai tribe whose ancestors used to roam the canyon.
He hears how their ancient rights to this land were eroded, and how they clung on and survived.
An exchange of gifts is traditional and Nick has brought two very British contributions – a teapot (with tea) and a football.
“Although I’m not sure the edge of a canyon is the right place to play football,” he adds.
During the two-part series, Nick also explores Williams, Arizona, a town living off Grand Canyon tourism on the iconic Route 66, with 1950s diners, cowboy- themed bars and a daily “shoot-out”.
He also heads back into Grand Canyon Village on a steam train known locally as the French Fry Express – because it runs on used cooking oil.
Continuing the Arizonan adventure, Nick kayaks down the Colorado River and finally swoops over the canyon in a helicopter, dropping over the rim to gaze into the abyss.
Soaring over the chasm, he says: “It is epically big. Now I’ve had a bird’s-eye view, I get it. This is a true wonder of the world… and I didn’t fall out.”
- Into The Grand Canyon With Nick Knowles starts tomorrow at 9pm on Channel 5.
