Hidden Structures: The Niagara Falls tailrace

Like many areas, the Niagara Region is rife with abandoned buildings and projects long since forgotten about. The most spectacular of these is one that's hidden in plain site, right at the top of the falls.

The Niagara Falls tailrace was built in 1906 by the Toronto Power Company as a way of harnessing hydro-electric power. Buried more than 10 stories below the ground, the tailrace (the tunnel that housed the turbines and provided direct access to the falls themselves) is only accessible today by rappelling down with mountain climbing gear and the courage of a grizzly bear.

Obviously attempting to get down there yourself would be suicidal (not to mention illegal), but a few urban explorers have survived the trek and lived to tell the tale. Check out their stories and photos at both The Vanishing Point and Sleepy City.

Image: The Vanishing Point

TAGS: Hydro, Niagara Falls, Urban Exploration