I am relatively good at coming up with ways to get inside of locations, but I do occasionally come across something that completely stumps me. There are a few underground locations I've found where the only way into them is down. These are typically relatively uninteresting locations like shuttered root cellars you can enter through the vents on the ground above them, so I usually had no problem giving them a miss when I consider effort vs. reward. However, I've recently come across something I just can't ignore. I've been hearing rumors of an extensive storm drain system beneath my school that has been for the most part sealed. There are a lot of cool stories about the drain. Before it was sealed off, it was something of a hangout spot for students. There's supposedly a ton of old graffiti down there from student clubs as old as the late 1960s. According to the rumors, the only remaining entrance large enough for a person is an obscure hatch in the middle of the woods. It took me months, but yesterday, I finally found it. The way that sounds echo down the hole leads me to believe that the area below is absolutely massive. It's around fifteen feet deep, but I can't see how far it goes without climbing down into it. The hatch is right above one of the drain's walls. There are a bunch of large metal staples built into the concrete that are meant to serve as a ladder. There's just one problem: the ladder is almost completely corroded. I can't climb it. I still want to explore the drain though. I was wondering if anyone else had been in a situation like this before and had any advice on what to do.

My suggestion to you is buy a 50 foot section of nylon rope, doesn't have to be climbing rope, and tie a rope ladder similar to the one defined in the tutorial here:


https://www.instru...com/Rope-Ladder-1/

It's not super difficult, relatively concealable,and could be quickly anchored to multiple surrounding trees then dropped down the hole. Aside from rigging a proper rappell or buying a extendo ladder that's my best advice for you. We also have a drain under the football field of my former school and i'd always wanted to get into the vault down there.

If you put your foot and body weight on to the supposed ladder rungs you will fall and break your knee. If it looks corroded that means it is and you should not put any faith or trust in those rungs. I have brushed up against one or two with my boots while on a tripod & harness and they fall right out of the wall. just FYI

Did you snap a pic of the rungs? Sometimes the corrosion looks worse than it is, though if it a storm drain I would imagine that they degrade more the lower you get.

I have a ladder in a bag that I keep with me, and some carabiners to connect it with though.

Hell, I even have a grappling hook (that ive never used). #ninjaasrequired

Posted by NeuroticMatt Did you snap a pic of the rungs? Sometimes the corrosion looks worse than it is, though if it a storm drain I would imagine that they degrade more the lower you get. I have a ladder in a bag that I keep with me, and some carabiners to connect it with though. Hell, I even have a grappling hook (that ive never used). #ninjaasrequired

I actually did take a photo of the rungs. Weirdly enough, the corrosion looks like it gets worse the higher you go rather than the other way around.

Posted by The Demon Crab I actually did take a photo of the rungs. Weirdly enough, the corrosion looks like it gets worse the higher you go rather than the other way around.

That top one looks very sturdy...

I don't have anything to really contribute, but if you find cool 60s graffiti you should totally post it because that sounds rad!

Posted by The Demon Crab I actually did take a photo of the rungs. Weirdly enough, the corrosion looks like it gets worse the higher you go rather than the other way around.

This is just speculation on my part, but how's the airflow to the bottom of the pit? Are there passages out from the bottom or is it just a pit? Because rust consumes oxygen, so it's possible that corrosion is worse higher up because it gets better airflow and the stagnant air below is low in oxygen because the rust consumed it all.

It's possible that water drips down from above onto the uppermost rungs, meaning that they are more wet and thus more prone to rusting. Or perhaps the higher rungs, being closer to the surface, experience more temperature fluctuation making them more prone to collecting condensation or dew.

Or maybe all the rungs are equally rusted but the ones further down corroded from the inside out, leaving them a hollow shell while the ones above corroded from the outside in, whittling them down. It really could be any number of explanations.

In any case I'd be very careful with those since they look somewhat sketchy.

With climbing especially in a sketchy location safety should be president. I would recommend a rope and harness if there is an anchor point to grapple to. Of course, tell someone exactly where you're going and share your location if you have a friend you trust. If you end up falling and hurting yourself, or if it breaks partially on the way down, you might not have a way back up. A harness may be a bit overkill but when it comes to safety.

Posted by BlackFox2 With climbing especially in a sketchy location safety should be president. I would recommend a rope and harness if there is an anchor point to grapple to. Of course, tell someone exactly where you're going and share your location if you have a friend you trust. If you end up falling and hurting yourself, or if it breaks partially on the way down, you might not have a way back up. A harness may be a bit overkill but when it comes to safety.

I don't disagree at all! It's how I would do it since I have all that gear. In a situation like that, I would also take my air meter since I'm unfamiliar with location. Confined spaces can and do kill. If it connects to other workings, then it probably has some air-flow through it.

Abby

Posted by Abby Normal I don't disagree at all! It's how I would do it since I have all that gear. In a situation like that, I would also take my air meter since I'm unfamiliar with location. Confined spaces can and do kill. If it connects to other workings, then it probably has some air-flow through it. Abby

I don't have an air meter, but understand that air quality is something I need to be careful about. Is there anything in particular that I should look out for? How would I explore this drain safely without an air meter?

If you feel abnormally out of breath, get out. If you feel dizzy at all, get out. If your vision seems weird, get out. If your heart rate seems higher than it should be, get out. If you feel sleepy at all, get out. If you're going with someone else and they collapse, don't go grab them (I kinda doubt anyone in that situation would actually leave the other person but that's the guideline). I'm sure I missed some but those are the rules I have for myself. Only one drain have I had to leave because feeling dizzy, but that one was full of stagnant poop.

Posted by The Demon Crab I don't have an air meter, but understand that air quality is something I need to be careful about. Is there anything in particular that I should look out for? How would I explore this drain safely without an air meter?

Edit: Ignore what I said below, if flammable gasses are of concern...which they are for many locations. This was meant to provide a tool, not a recommendation.

Might be a bit late to add, but when caving we normally bring a bic light to test the o2 quality. If there's no gap between the tip and the flame then the o2/co2 level's are fine enough. If a gap starts forming between the flame and tip, do take note and care with how long your there. If it won't light, it's best to turn around.

Although, its important to recognize this won't cover other toxic gases so do take care.

Posted by notNeon Might be a bit late to add, but when caving we normally bring a bic light to test the o2 quality. If there's no gap between the tip and the flame then the air's fine. If a gap starts forming then it's nothing deadly, but you should take note and care with how long your there. If it won't light it's best to turn around. Although, its important to recognize this won't cover potentially toxic gases so do take care.

This advice works best in active sewers full of methane!






Kidding, if you don't already know never try to light anything up in an active sewer, (let alone literally anywhere else, fire and urbex is such a bad mix) Spark + Methane is a GREAT time just waiting to happen

Posted by notNeon Might be a bit late to add, but when caving we normally bring a bic light to test the o2 quality. If there's no gap between the tip and the flame then the air's fine. If a gap starts forming then it's nothing deadly, but you should take note and care with how long your there. If it won't light it's best to turn around. Although, its important to recognize this won't cover potentially toxic gases so do take care.

WTF does any of this mean. I would never advise anyone to introduce a spark in to an unknown environment. Are you serious or fucking around?

Posted by RescueMe1060 WTF does any of this mean. I would never advise anyone to introduce a spark in to an unknown environment. Are you serious or fucking around?

I can't tell if it's a joke or not, genuinely. It's such a bad idea on so many different levels.

Posted by MrBungle I can't tell if it's a joke or not, genuinely. It's such a bad idea on so many different levels.

Not to mention that even if it didn't carry the risk of blowing you up, it's useless anyway. Here's some important thresholds:

21% O2: atmospheric standard
19% O2: minimum required for human life
16% O2: serious mental decline due to hypoxia begins
14% O2: minimum required for fire
12% O2: rapid loss of consciousness
10% O2: instant loss of consciousness and cardiac arrest.

As you can see, serious effects that make self-rescue difficult occur before a flame will struggle to light, and by the time fire starts to flicker and die you're already too close to the "instant death" threshold.

Posted by Aran 21% O2: atmospheric standard 19% O2: minimum required for human life 16% O2: serious mental decline due to hypoxia begins 14% O2: minimum required for fire 12% O2: rapid loss of consciousness 10% O2: instant loss of consciousness and cardiac arrest.

Thanks for this little tidbit Aran, was actually going to look into gas and oxygen safety today before I venture into some different underground stuff than usual caves and drains. Appreciate the easy-to-remember percentage chart lol