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 HillbillyHorus
   
Location: Charlottesville Virginia
Gender: Male
Im in ur government, killin ur d00dz
 |  |  | Manholes with no rungs
< on 11/12/2005 11:53 PM >
|  | | | All of the steam manholes on campus (UVA) seem to have no rungs. I've heard rumours of some with rungs, but it really is aggravating that huge sections of the tunnels are inaccessible because of something so seemingly trivial as a lack of stepirons. No, there really aren't many ways in the usual routes (boiler rooms), as these are all locked up tightly all year. Would it be a wise idea to use a rope to get down there (assuming you're strong enough to climb back up)? I know a ladder would be a better way, but most of these manholes are too narrow to hold a ladder and a person, and it would look mighty suspicious carrying around a ladder in the middle of the night. Any ideas welcome!
You can't fall off a mountain. |
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rz350
    
This member has been banned. See the banlist for more information.
Location: toronto
Gender: Male
The looniest, zaniest, spontaneous, sporadic Impulsive thinker, compulsive drinker, addict
| | Re: Manholes with no rungs
<Reply # 1 on 11/13/2005 1:28 AM >
| | | | I say a rope is fine...
ducky 999 |
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HillbillyHorus
Location: Charlottesville Virginia
Gender: Male
Im in ur government, killin ur d00dz
| | | Re: Manholes with no rungs
<Reply # 2 on 11/13/2005 1:39 AM >
| | | | Posted by rz350
I say a rope is fine...
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Yeah, but it sure would suck if that rope broke.
You can't fall off a mountain. |
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Mellon_Collie
Location: Utah'ish
Gender: Male
Chingblot.
| |  | | Re: Manholes with no rungs
<Reply # 3 on 11/13/2005 1:42 AM >
| | | | I do not know how big you are, or are not, but I presume you can indeed fit in a manhole you could try shimmying in/out of it. This would probably be an more of an ideal way to get out of it though, than in it because you would probably just fall down no matter what getting in. Of course, to shimmy out, the manhole cover would already have to be removed in advance. So all things considering, I do not think it would work, but it is an idea.
A rope would suffice, but how would you secure it, much less secure it without being obvious? It would be too risky to try in my opinion, but you could explore the steam tunnels and then go through the boiler room to leave if you can. But these might be locked from the inside as well.
Maybe you could make a simple ladder out of rebar that looks something like this: ++++++++++++ then one night hurry up and chunk it down there, and then you have a ladder any time you need it!
Or even better yet, go there in the day and learn to use stilts! If anyone sees you at night, just say there is a big stilt competition across the state-line tomorrow and you are practicing, and then when they leave, throw the stilts down there, explore the tunnels, and then use them to get out! ;)
Sorry none of these ideas are good ones, just saying whatever comes to mind.
P.S. If anyone sees you come out of the hole, you should say you fell in, are going to sue them or something.
[last edit 11/13/2005 1:46 AM by Mellon_Collie - edited 1 times]
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Billmac
Location: Scarborough
Gender: Male
well this ought to be different
| | Re: Manholes with no rungs
<Reply # 4 on 11/13/2005 1:42 AM >
| | | | Well, if the worst happens and the rope breaks as you're coming up, just look for another exit and cheese it.
EDIT: actually, i like the stilt competition idea better.
[last edit 11/13/2005 1:43 AM by Billmac - edited 1 times]
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Mellon_Collie
Location: Utah'ish
Gender: Male
Chingblot.
| | | | Re: Manholes with no rungs
<Reply # 5 on 11/13/2005 1:44 AM >
| | | | Posted by Horus
Yeah, but it sure would suck if that rope broke.
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You could buy some fancy, and expensive rock climber's rope. I forget what it is called, or made out of, but it is pretty strong stuff. No ordinary hemp-rope, that is for sure.
I love your name Cheesemaster, and your mastery of your namesake as well.
[last edit 11/13/2005 1:48 AM by Mellon_Collie - edited 1 times]
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HillbillyHorus
Location: Charlottesville Virginia
Gender: Male
Im in ur government, killin ur d00dz
| | | Re: Manholes with no rungs
<Reply # 6 on 11/13/2005 1:51 AM >
| | | | Posted by melancholy
I do not know how big you are, or are not, but I presume you can indeed fit in a manhole you could try shimmying in/out of it. This would probably be an more of an ideal way to get out of it though, than in it because you would probably just fall down no matter what getting in. Of course, to shimmy out, the manhole cover would already have to be removed in advance. So all things considering, I do not think it would work, but it is an idea.
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I could shimmy out if it was needed, but it certainly would not be pleasant prying a manhole off in that sort of position  There are locked gates where the tunnels connect to buildings, and locked gates at some points within the tunnels too.
Someone else asked about how suspicious a rope would look, and how I'd secure it. Steam manholes (at least the ones here) are often grated, just like storm grates but circular. I think some of them could fit a rope being threaded through, and no one would see them unless they were to peer directly in. Even then all they'd see would be a knot.
You can't fall off a mountain. |
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critter
| | Re: Manholes with no rungs
<Reply # 7 on 11/13/2005 2:33 AM >
| | | | Cable ladder. emergency home escape ladder. a home made one. Rolls up fits in a back pack. If you do use a rope get a real one (low stretch one, your not rock climbing) from a rock climbing store. They sell it by the foot. Don't forget to get enough to tie it to something (learn how to rig a rope). PRACTICE before going to the manhole. Nothing like finding how out of shape you are at a bottom of a rope. Look up prussic knots. The inexpensive climbing system.
[last edit 11/13/2005 2:39 AM by critter - edited 1 times]
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roofwalker
Gender: Male
| | Re: Manholes with no rungs
<Reply # 8 on 11/13/2005 6:39 PM >
| | | | I'd be paranoid that some person would notice the knot, untie it, and I'd be stranded down there. But maybe that is just me.
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Mellon_Collie
Location: Utah'ish
Gender: Male
Chingblot.
| | | | Re: Manholes with no rungs
<Reply # 9 on 11/13/2005 8:14 PM >
| | | | Posted by roofwalker
I'd be paranoid that some person would notice the knot, untie it, and I'd be stranded down there. But maybe that is just me.
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Yeah I would worry about that a lot too, but then again I am more paranoid than your average person probably. Your choice, be careful, and good luck.
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Plytheman
 
Location: Lawrence, Massachusetts
Obey The Deer
| | | Re: Manholes with no rungs
<Reply # 10 on 11/13/2005 9:49 PM >
| | | | Just throw together some kind of simple narrow ladder and huck it down there in the middle of the night, then close it up and come back a few days later. Once you get a ladder and a way out/in you can explore and find more practical ways in or out from down there.
I'm achin, I'm shakin, I'm breakin, Like Humans Do!!
-Byrne |
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HillbillyHorus
Location: Charlottesville Virginia
Gender: Male
Im in ur government, killin ur d00dz
| | | Re: Manholes with no rungs
<Reply # 11 on 11/14/2005 12:19 AM >
| | | | A rope ladder might also do nicely. You're right, once we're down there we may be able to find easier entrances. I suspect that drains may connect at times. Now that I have maps of the system, I know that some of the grates I felt were drain grates, yet there was hot air coming out and the paths of the drains looked to lead to the steam tunnels. Then again, tick (another C'Ville-ian) said that such connections were unlikely (though not impossible). Thanks for all the great ideas guys.
You can't fall off a mountain. |
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JohnnyDumpster
Gender: Male
| | Re: Manholes with no rungs
<Reply # 12 on 11/14/2005 4:03 AM >
| | | | maybe I just dont understand the idea, but how would you get the grate back on before you climb down and get it off again to get out? especially if the rope is tied to it?
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drainpunk
| | Re: Manholes with no rungs
<Reply # 13 on 11/14/2005 6:00 AM >
| | | | Yeah, that's kind of a problem! I wouldn't suggest leaving the cover open..
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HillbillyHorus
Location: Charlottesville Virginia
Gender: Male
Im in ur government, killin ur d00dz
| | | Re: Manholes with no rungs
<Reply # 14 on 11/14/2005 1:16 PM >
| | | | Posted by JohnnyDumpster
maybe I just dont understand the idea, but how would you get the grate back on before you climb down and get it off again to get out? especially if the rope is tied to it?
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Hadn't thought about that. I was thinking I would use the rope and my weight to pull the cover into place, but I'd be going with other people. Basically, I would drop down, someone above could hold the cover over it's collar, then it would drop in. It would cause problems for the last person there though.
You can't fall off a mountain. |
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MacGyver
Location: St Paul, Minnesota
Gender: Male
"Someone go find me a paperclip, a D-cell battery, and a cheese grater"
| | Re: Manholes with no rungs
<Reply # 15 on 11/15/2005 12:35 AM >
|  | | | I think you need a person to remain topside to close the lid behind you. A rope ladder (even a homemade one) is the easiest and safest solution. I've made rope ladder in the past using 3/8" hardware store nylon rope and 1" PVC pipe. Slice the PVC off into 6" sections and drill the ends to accept the rope, which you hold in place by tying knots above and below the rungs.
A rope ladder (or rope) can be secured by tying it to a piece of 2x4 long enough to span the open manhole without falling in. Ackward to carry, but less so than a full-blown solid ladder.
How deep are these manhole shafts?
Like a fiend with his dope / a drunkard his wine / a man will have lust for the lure of the mine
"If you are not part of the solution, you are not dissolved in the solvent." |
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Tanuki
Location: Victoria, BC
| | Re: Manholes with no rungs
<Reply # 16 on 11/15/2005 4:29 AM >
| | | | How high is the roof of the tunnel that the manhole chute opens up into?
There are a couple segments of drains in Victoria that are only accessible by manholes with no ladders, I just shimmy up them. Especially if the hole is narrow, it's really easy to brace your back against it and walk up. And popping the manhole off to get out is pretty easy, just put your shoulder against it (assuming it has already been opened recently and isn't sealed shut). Closing it up after you when you are going down is harder, but can still be done. I just make sure it's lined up properly and already pulled part way closed before I start down, to make closing it easier.
But if you are going to fall out of the roof of a large tunnel, I can see this would be difficult. Particularly getting back up into it. Unless you are going with a tall person you don't like that will help you up and then you can abandon them down there.
This is probably totally useless to you though. I'm sure if it was that easy you would have already done it.
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Flynot
Location: West Saint Paul, MN
Gender: Male
| |  | | Re: Manholes with no rungs
<Reply # 17 on 11/15/2005 6:33 AM >
| | | | I like the +++++ ladder idea.
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JohnnyDumpster
Gender: Male
| | Re: Manholes with no rungs
<Reply # 18 on 11/15/2005 7:00 AM >
| | | | I think it might spin?
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HillbillyHorus
Location: Charlottesville Virginia
Gender: Male
Im in ur government, killin ur d00dz
| | | Re: Manholes with no rungs
<Reply # 19 on 11/15/2005 9:19 PM >
| | | | The height varries. Some look to be as shallow as 6 feet, and some are so deep I can't see the bottom, even with a flashlight (but these are during the day, so I'm assuming 15 - 20 ft.) The ladder spinning would be an annoyance, but I don't think it would prevent us from going down.
You can't fall off a mountain. |
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