Ice Castle Under Construction In Downtown Stillwater
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The drop in temperature has been quite a challenge for some Minnesotans this week -- but the builders of an ice castle in the Twin Cities are elated.
Crews are finally able to start making the ice that is needed to build a castle along the St. Croix River in downtown Stillwater.
It is a cold job, but the builders say they love it, and visitors will love what they have created.
Blake Hawbaker is the Stillwater site manager for the Utah-based company Ice Castles, which is building five castles around the country this winter.
"What we do is we harvest icicles that we grow outside the castle, and we bring these icicles in and that's basically the brick and the water is the mortar," Hawbaker said.
The ice castle in Stillwater's Lowell Park will be ready for visitors in about three weeks. The same builders created an ice castle in Eden Prairie last year.
They chose Stillwater this time around, and hope the city's nearby downtown shopping district will help attract visitors.
"We're running the sprinklers just as they are to get a good ice base, and then we'll start building height on the walls," Hawbaker said.
As more icicles are put in place, and more water is sprayed, the structure will grow.
Walls will become towers, which make way for archways and rooms, tunnels and slides.
"I wish the snow had come last week," Hawbaker said. "The snow is a pretty integral part of our building process as well. We need it to make slush, and that's the way we freeze our icicles into place is using slush."
And as majestic as it looks during the day, it is even more magical at night.
"There are lights inside the ice, the whole thing glows. It changes colors, we have a light show that's cued up to the music. It's a pretty unique experience," he said.
The builders say it should be open for tours around New Year's Day and will remain open until March.
Ticket prices range from $7 to $13, depending on the date. Click here for more information.
