Urban explorers invade remains of Denver's Stapleton International Airport

Urban explorers are everywhere these days. They're breaking into abandoned buildings like the Gates Rubber Company, where a teenage girl fell through the roof this past weekend and wound up badly injured. In steam and transportation tunnels under the city. At old missile silos. And definitely at what's left of...

By Patricia Calhoun

February 16, 2011

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Urban explorers are everywhere these days.

They're breaking into abandoned buildings like the Gates Rubber Company, where a teenage girl fell through the roof this past weekend and wound up badly injured. In steam and transportation tunnels under the city. At old missile silos. And definitely at what's left of Stapleton International Airport.

This week, demolition started on the old parking garage at Stapleton, on land that will one day become a housing project. That leaves little above ground beyond the old control tower, which is going to stay as a landmark, but has yet to find any other purpose.

Except, perhaps, as an object to explore? After I wrote about the Gates accident, I received copies of the photos below and a note that the urban exploration will continue.

More from our Calhoun: Wake-Up Call archive: "Union Station redevelopment will close off the tunnel, but not the memories."

Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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