Replies

1. 
   OneofmanyBobs | Jul 01, 2002 03:56pm | #1

   No place to rest. Center pole needs to be

   reasonably rigid in a 60 foot run. If you slip

   and fall, could be a long tumble.

   I would think more along the lines of a normal

   switchback stair with landings. You can get

   stock metal units like they use in commercial

   buildings. I would think the footings and other

   anchor points would be the hard part.

   Or, how about a chair lift? A deck at the top,

   couple pulleys, some stainless wire rope.

2. 
   JerraldHayes | Jul 01, 2002 07:09pm | #2

   "Something in steel would weather the storms and

   the falling rocks and debris." Yeah that's a good choice but it

   really should be something like Cor-Ten or stainless steel to weather the kind

   of harsh environment you are talking about with no maintenance and the arrangement

   you are describing sounds like one where you don't want to have to ever maintain

   the thing (i.e. paint it). Cor-Ten steel is the steel used to build bridges

   and underwater construction projects. It's guaranteed to rust leaving you with

   a protective rust coating, I think the stuff looks great. I love it. But you

   mentioned the word "inexpensive" and your project idea doesn't at

   all sound inexpensive.

   As an additional footnote I'll add that for years I worked in the theatre as

   a stage technician and scene painter and spent a lot of time on some very tall

   circular stairs ( up to 90') that were usually used to access the fly lofts

   to set blocks for stage rigging. During those years I had the coolest most loyal

   dog that literally followed me everywhere. She did not like circular stairs

   though even though she did go up and down them in the theatre I worked in to

   everyone amazement. It was the going up that was the problem. When she was going

   down she looked ahead and saw the tread she needed to put her paw on and just

   went ahead no problem but going up she could see through the stairs since there

   were no risers and then she realized just how high up she was and she became

   hesitant slow and overly cautious. Rosalita ( named after the Springsteen song)

   was the only dog in my lifetime and the lifetimes of many of my stage friends

   that we ever saw even think about going up and down stairs like that so if your

   planning this stair for you dogs I would test your dogs on another high circular

   stairs before you spend any kind on money on it otherwise you may find yourself

   carrying your dogs up and down them or having a 60' white elephant on your hands.

   The 60' height is not a problem for steel but Bob's point that there is "No

   place to rest." is also something to take in to consideration."If

   you slip and fall, could be a long tumble." Not really long at all,

   you should hit the bottom of the ravine in under a second. It just seems like

   a long time when your the one who falling with all the seeing your whole

   life flash in front of your eyes kind of stuff but in real time a fall like

   that happens in under a second. The whole project idea sounds dramatic and interesting

   but also pretty dangerous. I've done a 38' high curved stair and some of my

   crew were uncomfortable with that at times.

   Geez I'm thinking,... this guy must really love his trout fishing!

   ---

   

   "Do not go where the path may lead, go

   instead where there is no path and

   leave a trail."-- Ralph Waldo Emerson