extended mode at least one ground stabilizer extends laterally from the ladder to widen the footprint of the ladder application_number US 201314413173 A description turning now to fig1 a collapsible ladder embodying the present invention is shown in this example a telescopic ladder 10 is of the type described in u s pat no 5 495 915 the dotted line to the right of the figures represents a vertical line of symmetry the description provided here should be assumed to be duplicated about this line the ladder is formed of individual rungs 12 20 having two ends one end 14 of each rung shown each end 14 is connected to and associated with a corresponding hollow stile section 16 the stile sections 16 associated with a first rung 12 are larger in diameter than the stile sections 18 associated with a second rung 20 immediately above as a result the ladder 10 may be collapsed by sliding the stile sections 16 18 inside one another resulting in the collapsed ladder having rungs 12 20 which rest directly on top of one another to extend the ladder the rungs 12 20 are separated causing the stile sections 16 18 to slide telescopically apart they continue to slide until a spring biased pin 22 24 arranged.