Sears Tower’s glass decks inspire awe

“It’s like walking on ice,’’ said Margaret Kemp, of Bishop, Calif., who said her heart was still pounding even after stepping away from the balcony.

Kemp was among the visitors who got a sneak preview of the balconies yesterday. “The Ledge,’’ as the balconies have been nicknamed, open to the public today.

The balconies are suspended 1,353 feet in the air and jut out 4 feet from the building’s 103d-floor Skydeck. They’re actually more like boxes than balconies, with transparent walls, floor, and ceiling.

Visitors are treated to unobstructed views of Chicago from the building’s west side and a heart-stopping vista of the street and Chicago River below.

John Huston, one of the property owners of the Sears Tower, even admitted to getting “a little queasy’’ the first time he ventured out. But 30 or 40 trips later, he’s got the hang of it.

“The Sears Tower has always been about superlatives - tallest, largest, most iconic,’’ he said. “Today is also about superlatives. Today, we present you with ‘the Ledge,’ the world’s most awesome view, the world’s most precipitous view, the view with the most wow in the world.’’

The balconies can hold 5 tons, and the glass is an inch-and-a-half thick, officials said.