Any "Urban Explorers" on here?

[shifty646]

Any \"Urban Explorers\" on here?

For those not familiar with this concept, Urban Exploration is the practice of exploring the places in our wonderful cities most people don't go. Those are the places often behind "Danger! Do Not Enter", "No Trespassing", "Authorized Personnel Only" and various other signs designed to spook you. It is often against the rules, but not criminal. Sometimes (rearely) it is just plain illigal.
Some examples might be transit tunnels, sewers, utility tunnels, machine rooms, sub-basements, abandoned buildings and factories, etc.
It is a pratice that does not harm anyone (although may put the explorer(s) in some danger), has no evil motives, and is just for fun. It is a quest to fulfill our never ending curiousity as humans. It is part of our quest to know more about the wonderful cities we live in.
Since most of those locations are in "off-limits" areas, they are not designed for the public or even easy and frequent access, which means less than desirable environmental design. It's often without any or minimal light, very dirty and with inconvenient access methods. This means you have to have equipment, notably a light source. Flashlights come in VERY handy!
I figured there should be at least a few urban explorers on a flashlight forum!

Personally... I have started doing this as a 'project' for work. And I must say it is quite addictive!
I have so far explored parts of my city's transit system. Turns out there are abandoned stations (wow) and interesting crawl-spaces, rooms and tunnels. And I just started on the transit system!
It is risky, exciting, and very rewarding!

So? any of you out there?

 

[Solstice]

Re: Any \"Urban Explorers\" on here?

I know someone that did this in an abandoned institution on Halloween- not a flashaholic- didn't even have a light on her- and fell 4 stories down an abandoned elevator shaft. She was in a coma for over a week and doesn't remember any of it. She said her personality changed and has "come out of her shell" since "the accident." I believe she now at least EDC's the inova microlight I gave her on her keychain. The lesson isn't don't explore these places, it's to always carry a good light /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

 

[KevinL]

Re: Any \"Urban Explorers\" on here?

I recall reading something about steam tunnels and people passing through them, exploring sewers, caves and drains. DEFINITELY sounds like somewhere you'd want a really reliable light that won't fail you when you need it most.

I'd probably do it if I wasn't so easily spooked.

 

[COMSEUR]

Re: Any \"Urban Explorers\" on here?

Buddy system, never go alone!!

Rope, always take some...

"IF" you go alone, make sure you left a note somewhere, saying just what/where you are up to!

Sadly, after 911, the authorities don't look to kindly on urban explorers, at least, stateside...

Will see if I can dig up an old link. What was the name of the famous St. Pauls crew? Action Squad, wasn't it?

 

[Minimoog]

Re: Any \"Urban Explorers\" on here?

Hi,

Only real 'urban exploring' I have done is exploring the empty city of Pripyat in the Ukraine. Loads of risks here - unsafe buildings, unguarded 16-floor elevator shafts and pockets of radiation from the nearby blown Chernobyl reactor. It was home to 50,000 so there is loads to see in the homes and city centre. Only trouble is if you have an accident you may not get rescued...

See: http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=400615 for a few of the photos I took there.

Ian

 

[twentysixtwo]

Re: Any \"Urban Explorers\" on here?

out here in deeeetroit there are plenty of UE ops. My fave is / was the abandoned train station. There's be a TON of people checking it out on 4th of july - hoof it up 14 floors on stairs with holes and no hand rails (removed by scrap scavengers) to the roof to watch the fireworks. With a 18 month old baby and a very paranoid wife, I think my UE days are over.....maybe....

 

[Empath]

Re: Any \"Urban Explorers\" on here?

This is one of those threads that skirts so close to an infraction of our rules, that outright closing of the thread is one of the first considerations. Section 8 of our rules says:
[ QUOTE ]
You agree, through your use of this BB, that you will not use this BB to post any material which is knowingly illegal or promotes illegal activity.

[/ QUOTE ]

As for safety, I'd remind all to review this posting from our Announcements forum.

Regardless of the suggestion that ignoring posted warnings is not criminal, in many cases it can get you shot, attacked by dogs, including being routed out by police canine units, arrested and charged with a felony.

I'm not at present going to close the thread, since the topic with carefully considered wording and suggestions, can be discussed without advocating unlawful activity. While difficult to acquire, I'd suggest obtaining permission from authorized agents or property owners in any such activity before beginning.

 

[shifty646]

Re: Any \"Urban Explorers\" on here?

COMSEUR, forgot to mention. Going alone is never a good idea. Always take a buddy and let someone know where you are.

Empath, Although some explorers take it too far, such as the ones exploring steam tunnels (which often requires lock picking, so it constitutes a felony), most of the time it is not a criminal offence or even illigal. It is simply against the rules and policies of the particular administration and MAY carry a fine. Sewers, for example are technically public property, but some cities enacted by-laws to prevent people from going in by scaring them with fines (which are rarely enforced). In most private property areas, such as abandoned places or large buildings open to the public going into any area without forced entry is perfectly legal, if you are spotted they can inquire as to your intent and ask you to leave (no biggie).
Also, since this is a "work assignment" I did in fact receive authorization for the exploring. However, if caught, I will still recieve any penalties and treatment a non-authorized person would. It will simply be taken care of after the fact by the necessary people.

sHiFTy

 

[vtunderground]

Re: Any \"Urban Explorers\" on here?

I got into urban exploration during college... Virginia Tech has six miles of steam tunnels, and I can't really control my curiosity when it comes to stuff like that /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The college tunnels got me hooked, and since then I've explored storm drains, abandoned hostpitals, abandoned power plants, abandoned railroad tunnels, other utility tunnel networks, and plenty of other cool places. Right now I'm planning a trip to explore some abandoned brewery caves, but that may have to wait until it's warm & dry out.

Of course, this is how I got into flashlights. I was tired of Maglite products failing at the worst possible time, and decided I needed something better...

Here's the UE website I made during college :

http://www.vtunderground.com

(I don't advocate anyone trespassing or breaking & entering. I always either get permission to explore a site, or ensure that I won't be breaking any laws. And the old caving motto applies to UE too: "Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints")

edit: Shifty, since you're in Toronto, have you seen Infiltration.org?

 

[shifty646]

Re: Any \"Urban Explorers\" on here?

vtunderground,

yes, I've seen infiltration.org... great little website for Toronto UE's.
It's cool that there is at least one serious UE on CPF!
I must say... although this is a work assignment (and what a fun one at that), I'm getting hooked! I may have to continue this as a hobby into other places afterwards....
I'm glad I was into flashlights before actually starting this thing, because they come in VERY handy! On my last expidition I carried 5 with me as well as some spare batteries. The Strion and Q3 got the most use (as they are my belt EDCs anyhow), and the EL XM3 also got it's share (let my partner use it, instead of his 2D Mag...).

sHiFTy

 

[PhotonWrangler]

Re: Any \"Urban Explorers\" on here?

Not an Urban Explorer per se, but my work often takes me to some pretty out-of-the-way places (I was looking up at the underside of a sidewalk just this morning) so I get more than my fill of machine rooms, spooky tunnels and other oddball places!

 

[Pydpiper]

Re: Any \"Urban Explorers\" on here?

Shifty..
I am not far from you and I am interested in doing this.. If you want a second person around just drop me a line..

 

[14C]

Re: Any \"Urban Explorers\" on here?

Legal Urban exploring if you're ever in Dallas:
LINK

I was very impressed and I have not seen all of it. There is a link on the WWW page that gives a fairly good map although probably out-of-date.

It's a little wierd to go down the stairs in one building in the city and come up in another somewhere else.....but fun exploring.

 

[Thertel]

Re: Any \"Urban Explorers\" on here?

If any of you are ever in Austin, The University of Texas has a wonderful tunnel system that can be explored if you are a little creative in gaining entry. That is actually what got me into good flashlights and lockpicking, because there is practically no lighting in these tunnels, well there is but turning it on was something I never figured out. I always wanted to go back after I left the University and really explore the tunnels, maybe Map them out with GPS and post detailed maps of it all with POI's, access locations, and the such. You can get practically anywhere on campus underground.

 

[14C]

Re: Any \"Urban Explorers\" on here?

Shifty, I just realized you are from Toronto....here:

PATH

 

[shifty646]

Re: Any \"Urban Explorers\" on here?

[ QUOTE ]
14C said:
Shifty, I just realized you are from Toronto....here:

PATH

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Good one man.

Yea... it would be fun... if it wasn't soo huge and fully lit and decorated and had stores left and right.

 

[BlindedByTheLite]

Re: Any \"Urban Explorers\" on here?

you'd have a field day here. it's not a big thing, but the few who know of urban exploration have no boring days. there are a couple abandoned military bases, one of which used to house nukes. they have since been somewhat converted to wharehouses, however many are still relatively pristine and there are countless underground rooms.

 

[14C]

Re: Any \"Urban Explorers\" on here?

How do they get their power, air, telephones?

Edit:

But as Empath posted about things earlier, I do not suggest or advocate illegal entry or trespass. Some shop owners might even welcome inspections if the subject was properly presented.

 

[shifty646]

Re: Any \"Urban Explorers\" on here?

14C,

I'm not sure exactly what you mean.
At first I thought you presented PATH as a joke.
It is a large underground walkway/mall. It passes under much of lower downtown Toronto and is connected to many office buildings and subway stations as well as venues. It is a public place operating 16+ hrs a day therefore not a very good explorations target... unless you want to shop for shoes.

 

[14C]

Re: Any \"Urban Explorers\" on here?

What I mean is where there are businesses there are utilities and where there are utilities there are crawlspaces and tunnels. I am not advocating you go exploring on your own, however I have found that some, not all to be sure, pepole will let you "go through their basement" so to speak. Some do not care, some want an idea of what's behind their walls themselves and some will think you're nuts but harmless.

It can't hurt to ask.

If you are really into this kind of stuff you go to the Public Utility commission and get some maps then approach the business ownwer for entry.

I have been fortunate in that many of the installs I have done for comm and DSL have required my getting access to areas that would have been difficult to get to otherwise. I had a good excuse. I have crawled almost all of the attics and tunnels at the University here in Reno (wish I had some of the newer lights then) and been underground in fallout shelters, basements, tunnels and steam tunnels.

Granted it's easier if it is part of the job but every once in a while you meet someone who understands that quirk of exploration and might even share it and sometimes even you get someone who just understands it even tho they really don't want to participate.

I have had underground utility guys invite me into vaults when I expressed interest....comm..not HV to be sure.

The PATH must have hundreds of potential sites to survey if you could find a way to the utility vaults and tunnels....legally to be sure.