Oct 11, 20203 min read

Exploring An Abandoned YMCA

Welcome to the Abandoned YMCA

Listen to my urban exploration podcast, No Tracers on Spotify, Itunes, or Anchor.

GETTING IN!

This spot is very popular, due to explorers like Sam and Colby, who make fantastic YouTube content about urban exploration. The first time I saw a photo of this place I knew I had to explore it. So I linked up with Urbex_Offlimits and some friends and we hit this spot. Mind you, it was next to a police station, so we had to be extra stealthy to get in and out, but it wasn't a big deal. Some homeless people had been squatting in this building so there was an easy entrance for us to fit through. We hopped through a window and closed the boards behind us, to minimise the visibility. Always cover your entrance! The last thing you want is to leave the door open and allow others to get in after you, because you never know who might be lurking about, especially at abandoned places.

THE VIDEO

Upon entering we found an old bathtub and other miscellaneous objects, so I strapped my gopro onto my chest, and we headed straight for the pool. We wanted to spend as much time in that section as possible, because I needed to film a music video there.

On our way there we first hit the Basketball court, which was beautiful and mostly untouched. I love seeing places that are still in immaculate condition, with little to no graffiti. I had to get a shot of me "shooting a basket."

THE SPOILS

Most of the content from this exploration was captured on my GoPro hero 8, so if you want to see more of what this place looks like, check out the YouTube video linked above. Like I said, this place is super well known and it's beyond burned now, which means that it's properly sealed up, to keep explorers and vandals out. If you'd like to support my work, you can pick up a photo print or a copy of my book, No Tracers - An Urban Explorer's Diary from my SHOP.

THE MUSIC VIDEO

Here's the music video we filmed in the pool..it's a metal cover of This Is America by Childish Gambino. This song had just come out and we wanted to put our spin on it.

After extensively photographing the pool area we made our way to the other half of this building. Now, I'm not 100% sure that this was a YMCA, but I'm 95% sure that it was. There were many rooms in this place and we took the opportunity to film not one, but two music videos in this spot, because we hit it twice in a week. We ended up filming a metal cover of a 360 song, Eddie Jones, in the other half of the building.

THE 2ND MUSIC VIDEO

MY BOOK COVER

Unbenounced to me, this photo would end up being the cover for my book, No Tracers - An Urban Explorer's Diary. It encapsulates the book's contents perfectly. There was a torn map of Southern California on the wall and I decided to pose in front of it in my California flag hoodie. It's the perfect piece for the book.

THE ESCAPE!

After several hours in this place we decided to call it a day after running into a few homeless people who asked us if we needed a room for the night. I don't really like running into other people in abandoned places, because you never know what their motives are when talking to you or inviting you to stay the night..What we do isn't safe, by any means, and the less time I can spend around other people, the better. I'm glad I was with a group of people for this exploration.

*Disclaimer: I do not give out addresses to locations.

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