Nik Wallenda is adding a twist to his high-rise stunt in Chicago next month.
Not only will the 7th generation member of the famous Flying Wallendas walk a tightrope between two sets of Chicago skyscrapers, he'll do part of the Nov. 2 walk blindfolded.
"It's about challenging myself," Wallenda said on the "Today" Show, "and hopefully through challenging myself, inspiring other people to challenge themselves. I've never performed blindfolded. I've trained a lot, intensively actually, blind-folded."
Wallenda first plans to walk from Marina City’s 534-foot-tall west tower, across the Chicago River, to the 635-foot-tall Leo Burnett Building at a 15-degree angle, uphill without a net or harness. The stretch spans two city blocks.
He told NBC 5 last month this will be the steepest incline he has ever walked. "It's about me pushing myself to the limit within reason," Wallenda said.
He then will walk between Marina City’s west and east towers, blindfolded. The stunt will be completed starting at 6 p.m. and televised live on the Discovery Channel.
Wallenda said he's not sure what the weather will be like in Chicago in November, and his team is working on a special cable coating to hopefully prevent his feet from slipping.
"Chicago, the Windy City, that was, believe it or not, very alluring to me," he said. "Most people would think a wire walker doesn't want to go to the Windy City, but I enjoy the challenges."
Chicago will mark the highest skyscraper walk in Wallenda family history. Wallenda's grandfather, Karl Wallenda, died after falling from a tightrope in Puerto Rico in 1978.
