Random

Love this shot. One of my friends took it. I'm on the left. It's actually a picture of me taking a picture.


The rest of these are pics I took last night at the Darden School of Business. They have nothing to do with urban exploration, but they sort of fit in since they are night shots.

More Chem & Hospital

The weather was amazing tonight so I had to head out. Also I have pretty much reversed night and day for my body-clock, unfortunately, due to the crazy load of work this week. Three all nighters in a row with a couple hours of sleep here and there in the day between classes. But that's done, and so is the 20 page paper researched and written in two days.

I discovered a new entrance to the old steam tunnel system by the hospital and steam plant. This is quite helpful since the gate in the middle of the system is now locked, which prevents anyone from entering those tunnels when coming from the more typical entrances by Clark or Brown.

I showed one of my friends the front roof of the chemistry building as well as the amazing collection of hospital and medical school rooftops. I did not take all that many pics since I already have some of the hospital in an older posting.






Pardon the blurr...


Chemistry Building:

Concerning "How to" guides

A few people have asked me to post step by stop processes of how to get places. I've considered it, but have decided against it for a number of reasons. Here are a few:

1) If I state publicly how to get somewhere, not only will UVa students learn, but also UVa faculty learn, which could present a problem if they decide take affirmative action to increase preventive measures and to double the difficulty of accessing such places (which is clearly their right to do). Some explorers will enjoy this added challenge; but on the whole, I do not see it as helpful to the desires and goals of those who engage in urban exploration as a sport or a hobby.

2) While I encourage people to be adventurous in life and to enjoy their lives (don't waste it!), I would not want to provide information to anyone on matters that may cross the line between legal and illegal.

3) I do not know your abilities. I do not encourage people to take extra risks when I do not know them. I know myself and I know the things of which I am capable. But I cannot say this for others.

Happy explorations (whether they be to the supermarket or to the moon). And whether your destination is a mountain top or a rooftop, please leave no trace.

~Sm

Tunnels + Steam Plant

I have avoided posting on the steam tunnels until now because they are quite common knowledge compared to many of the roofs I have explored. However, there are some regions that are not so common, particularly the hospital and steam plant areas (it is now more difficult to access these areas since they have newly locked off gates that lead to them). I do not yet have pictures of these areas for you, but now that I have a camera I will return sometime to give you a snapshot of what it's like. I do have a couple cell pics of entering the steam plant via the tunnels. I am also throwing in some quality snaps taken by a former student which I thought were cool.

The locked entrance to one of the main steam plant buildings.

This was around 2:30 in the mornining but there are workers in here around the clock I believe (although only a couple at night of course). I actually heard voices while I was in there and had to hide while people walked by...it was a little unnerving



Please forgive the blurr. Yes that's a random workout bench right there.


Still in the steam plant.


Kindly informing the public that this area is not wheelchair accessible.



These pics were taken elsewhere

Alderman Library

One day, while I was studying in the Greenberry's area of Alderman, I peeked out of a window and realized that an incredible sunset was dancing towards the horizon. Of course I ran up to the roof to have a look, and I looked, and looked, and looked, and kept looking. It was beautiful. I felt like I was committing a crime for not having a camera with me. Once again, I had to use my little old cell phone. Some of the pix even look really nice with the cell, so just multiply that times 20 to imagine the real deal.

I'm also tossing in some older pix from a different day.

















And we'll throw in a night shot for good measure. (Photo credit for this shot goes to...well I can't say his name but it goes to someone else.)

Hospital - West Complex

Welcome to the West Complex buildings of the Hospital

I didn't actually use these stairs...just found them while snoopin around.


The two sunset pics were taken with my little cell phone







I wonder if that's a UFO


Red Roof Inn


Steam Plant










Moving to progressively higher roofs...






View of "the corner"






Climbing higher... Next time I might try to use a tripod to reduce all the fuzz & blurr. I was actually lying on my stomach over a precarious ledge while taking these...