Exploring at night

How do You do it? Last trip to Overbrook, we stayed till nightfall and were making our way out, and holy shit! That place got dark fast! Now I'm concerned about flashlights going out windows, tripping over shit, etc...

I see Ashley25 explores mostly at night. Whats Your secrete for getting around without blowing Your cover?

I'm glad you asked, heehee

1. Wear all black. I mean EVERYTHING black... or very dark camouflage. Black shirt, black sweater, black hat, black boots, black socks, black gloves. Cover every inch of skin that you can. This will not only protect you from the creepy crawlies mentioned below, but will also allow you to completely blend in to your pitch-black surroundings, hiding you incredibly well from the sight of others. (This might not work so well when the ground is snow-covered, though.)

2. ALWAYS take the woods. Always always always, I cannot emphasize this enough! Never walk exposed on the street, sidewalk or lawns of your locales - just being on the grounds of an UrbEx locale can put you behind bars for trespassing. When navigating the forest, you should expect spiders, ticks and plenty of pricker bushes. (Check for ticks after every adventure, especially during the spring and summer months). If you must be exposed to the street or to lights, RUN LIKE HELL. Keep your exposure time to an utter minimum, under 30 seconds if at all possible. But before you bolt, listen for coming cars first. HUGE TIP: If you know your destination's address, look it up on Bing Maps and plan a course around it through the cover of trees and brush. It is failsafe and will provide undetectable shelter from prowling piggies

3. Always be on guard. Walk softly and cautiously - pace yourself. Your eyes may fail you at times in the darkness but your hearing will be heightened immensely. Every now and then, stop (don't make a sound!) and listen for oncoming cars (and people) before continuing onward. This could really save your ass from a 5-0 encounter and possibly jailtime! It's amazing how 20 seconds of hesitation/patience can help you avoid arrest... believe me on that one, I've had far too many near-misses that I can even count.

4. NO FLASHLIGHTS OUTSIDE. NO CAMERA FLASHES OUTSIDE. This is pretty self-explanatory. During the winter months, when patrolling is at its lowest, you might be able to sneak one or two outside photos with a flash, but remember to listen and keep exposure time to a minimum. (Thankfully, with places like Overbrook and Greystone, there is plenty of lighting from the street so you can navigate the woods without the need for a flashlight).

5. I have noticed that in my 150+ hours of adventuring between Greystone, Overbrook and ECJA, cops tend to patrol on the hour and half-hour. Patrolling drops off steeply after midnight, and the later it gets, the less they come by. Of course they are very rarely on the dot, but keep this in mind when exploring. It's sometimes best to wait patiently in the woods until you see a pig go by, and then you know you have at least 20 minutes to venture on further until the next patrol comes along. Also - the colder it is out, the less likely a cop is to assume that explorers will be around. This opens up the winter months for free exploring for those of you brave enough to face the frigid temperatures Bundle up!!

6. This is a cool little tip EvilTrance and I noticed - anytime you see deer, you are in the clear. The presence of deer usually means that the area is safe for the moment. Think of them as good omens

7. Flashlights and camera flashes are fine inside the buildings but be wary when you are surrounded by windows. Flashes can be seen from a distance and will ultimately give you away - many a n00b have been caught and arrested this way. Also, camera flashes more often than not make your pictures come out straight up SHITTY. Try to keep the flash off and use any natural light available to you, your photos will come out hella sweet When using flashlights, especially bright ones, it sometimes helps to cover half of the flashlight with your hand so you are only giving off minimal light. Also, keep them low and aimed at the floor. (Cool idea - EvilTrance took a red disc of plastic and taped it over his flashlight. Red light is harder to detect and doesn't travel as far, so if you can rig yourself a red flashlight, you'll be a lot better off.)

8. Take your time getting in. Don't rush, be patient, and if you hesitate, go with it. Trust your instincts. Getting out is easy and takes 1/3 of the time.

If I think of anything else, I'll follow up

That is some awesome advise Ashley. Sounds super tactical, I like it.When I was in the military we used a tecnique called S.L.L.S. (stop, look, listen, smell) In a "hot" enviorment the operative on point would imploy this practice sometimes every 50 feet depending on the situation.

Ashley, This is a great post. Thanks for sharing this. While I did cover my light with my hand, I can see keeping a small group would be beneficial. Too many people and someone is going to fuck up and shine a light out a window.

Thanks guys. I can't believe I forgot one of the top 3 rules - never go in large groups. Doh!

In the past I would go with a group of 3 others (total of 4 people) but I now realize just how risky this can be. It's hard to keep a handle on that many people, especially if they are slow, chatty, clumsy or camera-happy - you're simply asking to get busted. Because of said liabilities, I stick to a Dynamic-Duo mentality and go with only one other person these days.

I would LOVE to go on a night exploration with ya one night! I have only explored Pennhurst at night but we strted during the day. They day started out to be warm but damn it cold cold fast and my cheeks were frozen! I'm better equipped now to explore at night. Let's do it!!