Rooftopping, sometimes called roofing, refers to the (typically illegal) unsecured ascent of rooftops, skyscrapers, towers, cranes, antennas, smokestacks, or other tall structures. Rooftoppers usually take photos or videos of their climbs.
The practice of scaling skyscrapers often results in security crackdowns and arrests. [1] Many people have died or been injured when falling while rooftopping. [2] [3]
Rooftopping is chiefly an undertaking of younger people. Rooftoppers clandestinely access off-limits staircases, roof hatches, ladders, etc., and it incorporates some aspects of bouldering or free solo climbing. It is an offshoot of urban exploring, but is not universally condoned among urban explorers and is considered a stunt due to its illegality and high risk of fatal injuries.
Rooftoppers usually take photos or videos and panoramic photographs—either a selfie by themselves or with the help of a crew of assistants or accomplices, present on the climb or filming from a distance. Rooftoppers often use helmet cameras for videos. [4] [5] [6] Some also use quadcopter drones for exploration and recording. [7] Because it is often practised in the pursuit of making viral-ready videos or photos, it tends to result in heightened security and greater restriction against access to desirable exploration venues. [8]
In one report presented to American Educational Research Association in 1995 participants were suggested as thrill seekers who enjoy "high levels of stimulation and complexity of thinking," although other theories explaining their motivation exist. [9] [1]