So I'm assuming that the answer may be different for some people but I wanted to see how everyone felt about this question. So I've seen people insist that urban exploration is just abandoned buildings/structures... While others include not only abandoned, but under construction, or anywhere people do not typically go. So for UER members what locations are considered actual urban exploration and what locations bother you when people call it urban exploration?


I tried searching for a similar thread and failed so if there is one please shoot me the link. Thanks!

Its often debated and to no end. Its impossible to describe what it means to everyone, some go to a state park and call that urban exploring, some like drains, some like myself who no longer live in an urban area go rural exploring, it doesn't have to be abandoned go find some place active and infiltrate it.

Read Ninjalicious' book.

The fault lies with the name itself which imposes unreasonable limits. In Japanese the word for UE is haikyo, which literally means abandoned place. Best to ignore names and just do whats cool and feasible. There is so much more UE to be done out there that isnt just abandoned places or drains or roofs or active infiltration or whatever.

Where I live, UE is often mistaken for street photography which pisses me off and has made me add increasing disclaimers to relevant Flickr UE groups. Urban exploration is not your pictures of tourist sites.

Are you going somewhere you're not supposed to go? If so, then it might be UE.

To me, the term urban exploration would include any location that is typically off-limits to the public. Abandoned buildings, construction sites, drains, train tunnels etc. would all fall under the category of UE in my opinion. I never really understood the thought that UE only applies to abandoned locations. There are plenty of other off-limits places that are fun to visit; they're just not abandoned.

Posted by 2Xplorations Its often debated and to no end. Its impossible to describe what it means to everyone, some go to a state park and call that urban exploring, some like drains, some like myself who no longer live in an urban area go rural exploring, it doesn't have to be abandoned go find some place active and infiltrate it. Read Ninjalicious' book.

The Access All Areas user guide, right?

Posted by Steed Where I live, UE is often mistaken for street photography which pisses me off and has made me add increasing disclaimers to relevant Flickr UE groups. Urban exploration is not your pictures of tourist sites.

See... this always confused me in the beginning because people would post hot spots here like grafitti in Little Five Points, on the Beltline etc. Which are fully public areas where people constantly are. Never understood it.

Posted by KD20 To me, the term urban exploration would include any location that is typically off-limits to the public. Abandoned buildings, construction sites, drains, train tunnels etc. would all fall under the category of UE in my opinion. I never really understood the thought that UE only applies to abandoned locations. There are plenty of other off-limits places that are fun to visit; they're just not abandoned.

This is how I feel too. Abandoned is my favorite but I've recently come across construction sites that are just as fun and great for photographs. So I wasn't sure if I should consider it a different type, or if it is fully welcomed under UE. But from the general response it seems like it is fine. So thanks!

Posted by Steed Best to ignore names and just do whats cool and feasible.

This. They could call it "How To Bake Tunafish Casserole In 45 Minutes For Under $6" and it wouldn't matter, I'd still explore abandoned places.

I just thought of a better title for this thread: UE, Or Not UE.




*gets beaten with sticks*

Sounds like a fun little game I'll go first

Not U.E. http://www.uer.ca/...ow.asp?locid=31818

That had to have been an octagonal airfield back in the day. The hangars were off to the east.

Posted by 2Xplorations Sounds like a fun little game I'll go first Not U.E. http://www.uer.ca/...ow.asp?locid=31818

Oh, I want to play!

U.E.:
http://www.uer.ca/...ow.asp?locid=22558

I don't know what the rules are about linking to full member locations, but I'm going out on a limb here on this one. If you've never hear of this one, you need a history lesson.

UE for me is 3 categories.

Abandonned or not, as long as you are not supposed to be there/is off limits.


For the active places, i would say, if it's not the highest place or the lowest, an historical place or a landmark... it's simply tresspassing and fooling around.

Infiltrating a random plant or a restaurant or anything like that is not exploring IMO.


1- Abandonned - Rural/Urban (house, plant, ruins, hospital, church, school, etc)

2- Underground (drain, tunnels, mines, bunkers, reservoirs etc)

3- Aboveground - Rooftops/Infrastructure (Highrise, cranes, bridges, pylone, etc)

They can be in all those 'state'.

- Abandonned
- Closed
- Semi Active
- Active
- In demolition

I'd definitely say anywhere you're not supposed to be/where people don't normal venture. Of course abandoned buildings of all sorts, but also everything ClementRSedona mentioned.
I'd also add active infiltrations and getting into the attics/basements/off-limit areas of active buildings. I've explored the off-limit areas of super historic buildings which were still very active while i was there; 1800s train stations and such, for instance. If you have to bypass a locked door or a sign telling you to keep out, it's exploring beyond where the everyday person ventures.

When I talk about active infiltration, probably 90% of what I've done has been construction sites, without the intention to climb a crane in these instances. I've slipped into various buildings under renovation that were technically active.

In his old zines, Ninjalicious wrote about infiltrating hotels in order to reach the pool. Couldn't think of a better, more amusingly unique use for infiltration.

Since we're dredging up the LDB, anyone remember several years ago when we purged it of graveyards? At one point it was decided that graveyards weren't UE enough, even if they were technically abandoned.

So technically back when I was a dumb teenager in Florida, me and my friends breaking in to brand new homes to swim in their pools was UE? haha
Sorry, I guess I just find that to be pushing it a bit.

Posted by YotaMan20 So technically back when I was a dumb teenager in Florida, me and my friends breaking in to brand new homes to swim in their pools was UE? haha Sorry, I guess I just find that to be pushing it a bit.

Well, it's no more UE than when I visited construction sites and abandoned farmhouses as a teenager, back when I didn't know what UE was.

Posted by Steed Since we're dredging up the LDB, anyone remember several years ago when we purged it of graveyards? At one point it was decided that graveyards weren't UE enough, even if they were technically abandoned.

I'm not sure how I feel about this mainly because my grandmother is a hired relative tracker to figure out where older generations are buried.. So majority of the time she finds old graves near old structures from that time and I, personally, feel like that would be UE. (We're talking like great, great, great+ relatives. Neat stuff.)

U.E.

No permission, had to hike a couple miles to find a way in, had to keep low profile while on site.


This is the sort of location that keeps me interested and yes its urban. Sorry about keeping it level 3 for now since the Army Reserve is active out here now:

It was not fully active when I visited.

http://www.uer.ca/...ow.asp?locid=24528

Looks like I'll have to remember to come back when I can view full member stuff to check these links. For now.. I wait.