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 Captain Stormy
    
Location: Chicago mostly. Sometimes Minneapolis.
Gender: Male
SO TIGHT THAT IT CHAFED
 |  |  | So, I nearly died draining last night.
< on 1/4/2011 7:23 PM >
|  | | | I was with three others checking out a drain named after a certain state highway and Minneapolis neighborhood that it drains into the river. We knew that the water in the outfall was deep, so we brought a raft and a 300' rope, to set up a ferry system to get us to shallow water. I went first, but at the end of the rope, it was still a bit over 3' deep, so that was a bust. We left the raft and rope on the riverbank and decided to walk over to another drain and pick it up on the way back.
We arrived at the other drain, the outfall a massive tunnel (~10' wide, ~20' high) carved into a massive sandstone cliff face (the one with the firepit cave next to it), and devised a way in. Although there was no open water at the entrance, we knew that the ice would be very thin close to the outfall, so we started creeping along the sandstone, gripping onto anything we could and doing our best to stay off the ice. Eventually, however, we realized that the water was only a couple inches deep and that we could walk on the thin ice sheet, which would sink and rest on the bottom, only a couple inches down. We spaced ourselves out, about ten feet apart. I was second in line, the guy in front testing the water with a big walking stick. We were making slow but steady progress towards the concrete slope at the entrance to the tunnel, when suddenly the guy in front of me fell straight through the ice and into the river. The sheet he had been standing on (which I was also standing on) broke apart and, under my weight, slid away from the wall, taking me into the river with them. The water was deep, deep enough that I didn't hit the bottom. We scrambled up the icy concrete and into the drain mouth, completely drenched through with 32 degree river water. The air temp was 2 degrees.
We decided that the other two would run back and get the raft and rope (about 1.5 miles upstream) to come get us out, while we would retreat up the drain to warmer air. We ran inside, but unfortunately the drain ended at the base of a massive dropshaft only a hundred yards or so inside. Not deep enough to be significantly warmer than the outside air...
Lucky for us when we got back to the outfall, the others could still hear our shouts and came back. Plan B was for one of us to call another friend who would drive down to the top of the bluff above us, and when he was there, we would swim our way out, and get in the car. While we were waiting, I realized that we couldn't wait for the car. I was covered in ice, shivering, and the water on the inside of my boots was starting to freeze. The longer I waited the less likely it was that I would be able to make the swim and the climb up the river bluff. Besides, if we were going to have to wait around freezing, I would rather it be on the side of the road than in an inaccessible storm drain. I slid down the concrete and into the icy water, floundering forward, trying to push myself up onto the the ice, which kept crumbling beneath me. Eventually I got to where it was thick enough for me to slide up on my belly, and eventually stand. The other followed, and we ran to the the bluff, scrambled up, and the car was there about 6 minutes later.
What a fucking mistake. Could have been so much worse.
http://www.urbex12.com |
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yokes
  
Location: Toronto
Gender: Male
I aim to misbehave
| |  | | Re: So, I nearly died draining last night.
<Reply # 1 on 1/4/2011 7:26 PM >
| | | | Yikes! Glad it turned out in your favour. Very scary.
"Great architecture has only two natural enemies: water and stupid men." - Richard Nickel |
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Freak
 
Location: Usually Alaska, now MSP.
Gender: Male
Hypocrite
| | | Re: So, I nearly died draining last night.
<Reply # 2 on 1/4/2011 7:32 PM >
| | | | Damn, good to hear you're OK. Gotta watch out for that thin ice, it seems like at least one of us goes in the river every winter... I've been with a few people that managed to fall in but haven't done it myself. The ice near drain outfalls is usually worse since the warm water heats it up, and the current can carry you underneath, so it's extra dangerous.
Turn off the internet and go play outside.
http://spamusement...hp/comics/view/137 |
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Dav
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Gender: Male
Like fun, but different.
| |  | | | Re: So, I nearly died draining last night.
<Reply # 3 on 1/4/2011 8:39 PM >
| | | | Amazing story! I heard an interview with Andrew Sturka where he fell into a freezing river once, he said he forced himself to run to warm up and dry his clothes. Of course he does ultramarathons.
Being only familiar with west coast drains I'm having some trouble picturing your situation, do you happen to have a picture of the situation (icy, wet, or dry even)?
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AnAppleSnail
Location: Charlotte, NC
Gender: Male
ALL the flashlights!
| | | | Re: So, I nearly died draining last night.
<Reply # 4 on 1/4/2011 8:49 PM >
| | | | Posted by Dav
Amazing story! I heard an interview with Andrew Sturka where he fell into a freezing river once, he said he forced himself to run to warm up and dry his clothes. Of course he does ultramarathons.
Being only familiar with west coast drains I'm having some trouble picturing your situation, do you happen to have a picture of the situation (icy, wet, or dry even)?
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The river is covered in ice, so they stroll into the drain (where there's usually a few feet of water in the outfall) on a magic carpet of ice. But sometimes the ice is thin (warm water comes out of drains) and they break it. The big deal is that if you punch through ice in moving water, you usually move away from your hole. It's nearly impossible to break through barely-walk-on-it ice from underneath.
Achievement Unlocked
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relik
Location: 44.26126°,-88.41502° (Appleton, WI)
Gender: Male
There is no truth, Only a perspective.
| | | Re: So, I nearly died draining last night.
<Reply # 5 on 1/4/2011 9:08 PM >
| | | | sooner or later, the inevitable happens. good thing it didn't turn out worse. glad your okay.
makes me a bit questionable about mouser week. haha.
"When it rains, just find bigger drains." |
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Captain Stormy
Location: Chicago mostly. Sometimes Minneapolis.
Gender: Male
SO TIGHT THAT IT CHAFED
| | | Re: So, I nearly died draining last night.
<Reply # 6 on 1/4/2011 9:22 PM >
| | | | Posted by Dav
Being only familiar with west coast drains I'm having some trouble picturing your situation, do you happen to have a picture of the situation (icy, wet, or dry even)?
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No, I don't have any images. I was intending on taking photos inside, but it was the last thing on my mind after we fell in.
Here's a photo I was able to find online: (I hope it's not too revealing/obvious for a public forum. I don't think it is, but if it is, sorry. I'll gladly remove it.)
It's winter, so the whole river is frozen over. We had been walking up against the sandstone cliff (to the right in the photo). The shallow area we had been on was apparently just a small underwater ledge along the cliff and we stepped off it unknowingly into a deep area (probably worn into the sandstone by heavy flows out of the drain in storms) where we fell.
Like AnAppleSnail said, the biggest issue with falling through ice is losing the hole you came in, because the ice surrounding you probably takes force roughly equal to your weight to push another hole through, which is essentially impossible to do underwater in shock without anything to push off of.
http://www.urbex12.com |
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haveg0als
| | Re: So, I nearly died draining last night.
<Reply # 8 on 1/4/2011 11:32 PM >
| | | | Man, glad you made it out okay. Like many midwesterners, I've been through the ice too. Your story really brings back that "uh oh" moment where you transition from normal to suddenly under water.
Drain pics here: http://www.flickr....otos/53054264@N08/ |
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Freak
Location: Usually Alaska, now MSP.
Gender: Male
Hypocrite
| | | Re: So, I nearly died draining last night.
<Reply # 9 on 1/5/2011 4:01 PM >
| | | | This is how I usually do that drain:
Although I think Gatsby went across the ice once and survived. The thickness varies based on the weather and whatnot.
Turn off the internet and go play outside.
http://spamusement...hp/comics/view/137 |
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Steed
Location: Edmonton/Seoul
Gender: Male
Your Friendly Neighbourhood Race Traitor
| | | Re: So, I nearly died draining last night.
<Reply # 10 on 1/5/2011 5:18 PM >
| | | | Well it was my turn to fall in last year. Luckily it was only up to my waist. And I had a girl to come to my rescue/fall in also.
Count yourself lucky it was regular water, trust me.
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Gatsby
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Gender: Male
Like all UER people, I've only explored your mom.
| | Re: So, I nearly died draining last night.
<Reply # 11 on 1/6/2011 4:57 AM >
| | | | Posted by Freak
Although I think Gatsby went across the ice once and survived. The thickness varies based on the weather and whatnot.
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Yeah but I would never do it again that way!
I only listen to 104.7 Poop. I'm always in deep shit, so I may as well listen to poop. |
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\/adder
 
Location: DunkarooLand
Gender: Male
I'm the worst of the best but I'm in this race.
| | | Re: So, I nearly died draining last night.
<Reply # 13 on 1/6/2011 7:34 AM >
| | | | I had a similar thing happen to me last March ... I tried to cross a drainage basin in the dark and ended going up to my waist in loose sediment and neck in water and kept sinking before I started kicking. Luckily the car was 1/4 mile away but it was still an awkward experience standing in a walmart parking stripping off soaking wet clothes with people staring at me like "What da fuck?"
The drain turned into a featureless shrinker anyways. All I got for my endeavors was mild frostbite on my fingers and toes but we learned maglights are water proof.
"No risk, no reward, no fun."
"Go all the way or walk away"
escensi omnis... |
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DrainMunkey
Location: South St Paul
Gender: Male
i'd rather be exploring...
| | Re: So, I nearly died draining last night.
<Reply # 14 on 1/8/2011 8:21 PM >
| | | | Posted by shotgun mario
yea, it gets pretty deep there (deep enough to boat right up to & park at the outfall). Glad you're ok though.
We need to get a 30' ladder in that outfall and check out the rest of that drain!
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I think alot of us have gotten close to this pitfall in the winter....I have before and it wasn't a very wise choice on my part...crackin ice and shifting was enough to get me out of ice quickly
Has anyone gotten up to the other levels?!?!
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Darlinclem
Location: Twin Cities
Gender: Female
| | Re: So, I nearly died draining last night.
<Reply # 15 on 1/10/2011 2:07 PM >
| | | | Posted by relik
makes me a bit questionable about mouser week. haha.
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Don't worry, the planners aren't going to pick something bound to fail.
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Axman
Location: St.Paul, MN
Gender: Male
| | Re: So, I nearly died draining last night.
<Reply # 17 on 1/11/2011 7:00 PM >
| | | | Back when I was in junior high I was exploring all the small drains along a creek and fell through the ice up to my neck! we were about three miles from home, and by the time I got back I felt like a human ice cube! Not Fun!
The truth can set you free.....Or get you killed. |
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Axman
Location: St.Paul, MN
Gender: Male
| | Re: So, I nearly died draining last night.
<Reply # 18 on 1/11/2011 7:02 PM >
| | | | Posted by shotgun mario
as if sneaking guitars into a cave wasn't bound to fail ;)
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It's epic that you tried though!
The truth can set you free.....Or get you killed. |
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