How many steps to the top of Willis Tower?
SkyRise Chicago, held each November, is the only time the public climbs the stairwell; the Skydeck is otherwise reached by lift in about a minute. It is the largest indoor stair climb in the United States by participation. The building was the world's tallest from 1973 to 1998 and is still known to many people as the Sears Tower. The 2,109 steps are the full route used by the event.
The numbers
- Steps
- 2,109
- Reaches
- the 103rd floor Skydeck
- Public access
- Restricted — events or permit only
- Where
- Chicago, United States
- Height climbed
- 412 m — 1,352 ft
- Average rise per step
- 195 mm
What the climb is like
Annual charity climb. Typical finishing times are 20-45 minutes.
These steps are not open on an ordinary visit. Access is limited to organised events, races or permit holders.
Published counts for the same structure routinely disagree by five to ten per cent, and nearly always for one of three reasons: whether intermediate landings count as steps, whether the final platform step counts, and where the climb is deemed to start. The figure here says what it reaches.
How it compares
Only the ones marked open to climb can actually be walked.
| Structure | Steps | Reaches | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Skytree | 2,523 | the upper observation deck at 450 m, via the emergency staircase — no public access | Not climbable by the public |
| Mount Haguro stone stairway | 2,446 | the Sanjin Gosaiden shrine at the summit, through cedar forest | Open to climb |
| One World Trade Center | 2,226 | the 102nd floor | Restricted — events or permit only |
| Willis Tower | 2,109 | the 103rd floor Skydeck | Restricted — events or permit only |
| Taipei 101 | 2,046 | the 91st-floor outdoor observatory | Restricted — events or permit only |
| CN Tower | 1,776 | the main observation level at 342 m; 2,579 steps reach the SkyPod at 447 m | Restricted — events or permit only |
| Ostankino Tower | 1,704 | the observation deck at 337 m, via the emergency staircase | Not climbable by the public |
Common questions
- How many steps to the top of Willis Tower?
- 2,109, reaching the 103rd floor Skydeck.
- Can the public climb Willis Tower?
- Restricted — events or permit only. Annual charity climb. Typical finishing times are 20-45 minutes.
- How high is that climb?
- 412 m, about 1,352 ft, which averages 195 mm per step.
Related pages
- Towers All 17 here
- How many steps up Eiffel Tower? 674 steps · open to climb
- How many steps up Empire State Building? 1,576 steps · restricted — events or permit only
- How many steps up Eiffel Tower (summit)? 1,665 steps · not climbable by the public
- How many steps up Burj Khalifa? 2,909 steps · not climbable by the public
- How many steps up CN Tower? 1,776 steps · restricted — events or permit only
- How many steps up Tokyo Tower? 600 steps · open to climb
- How many steps up Taipei 101? 2,046 steps · restricted — events or permit only
- How many steps up One World Trade Center? 2,226 steps · restricted — events or permit only
Sources
- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place