Gen Z daredevils are taking deadly risks exploring abandoned buildings and scaling bridges all for online clout

Urban exploring is in the headlines after a daredevil couple scaled the Empire State Building to get engaged atop its spire, in a publicity stunt.The pair were Instagram famous for pulling off risky stunts, often in illegal settings, for social media content — and inspire kids to follow their lead.Local New York City kids have been known to partake in the “urbex” trend by breaking into abandoned subway cars and theaters or scaling bridges and buildings.

But such pursuits have left some injured — or dead.“You get this feeling that you’re so free and nobody’s going to stop you—you can do whatever you want,” Chris F., a 20-year-old urban explorer from Long Island, said.“It’s a weird feeling when you’re in a building that nobody cares about and nobody goes into.

It triggers this thing in your brain where you’re like, ‘Holy s–t, I could do anything.’”Interest in urban exploring has exploded in popularity since the pandemic.On TikTok and Instagram, there are thousands of videos of mostly teens scaling buildings and exploring all sorts of creepy places, like abandoned theaters and hospitals.

The Reddit forum for urban exploring attracts more than a hundred thousand viewers weekly.Chris, who asked to withhold his last name due to privacy concerns, works night shifts at McDonald’s while pursuing a mass communication degree.He first heard about urban exploring at age 17, when a local Long Island teen posted about a nearby abandoned spot, Kings Park Psychiatric Center.Chris went, and ever since then he spends every moment between school and work “exploring,” saying: “It turned into a whole addiction.

I couldn’t keep up with normal stuff because I was constantly in buildings and making videos.I would get out of work at midnight and drive to spots.

Or I’d almost be late to work because I was trying to squeeze everything into one day.”Since then, he’s visited countless locations he learns about online, like the abandoned Mort...