Ice Castle Closes Due to Utah’s Warm Winter | National Geographic

we packed the house and everybody had a

we packed the house and everybody had a great time we had music and lights and

great time we had music and lights and

great time we had music and lights and fire and and it was a good time but we

fire and and it was a good time but we

fire and and it was a good time but we recognize the risks when we’re dealing

recognize the risks when we’re dealing

recognize the risks when we’re dealing with a weather-related business and and

with a weather-related business and and

with a weather-related business and and this year was a tough one for us here

well right now we are standing in the

well right now we are standing in the crumbling remains of our once glorious

crumbling remains of our once glorious

crumbling remains of our once glorious ice castle here in Midway Utah we were

ice castle here in Midway Utah we were

ice castle here in Midway Utah we were open for three evenings and that was our

open for three evenings and that was our

open for three evenings and that was our season this year normally we’re open

season this year normally we’re open

season this year normally we’re open four to six to eight weeks this year

four to six to eight weeks this year

four to six to eight weeks this year warmed up and it never really really got

warmed up and it never really really got

warmed up and it never really really got cold so we struggled and struggled we

cold so we struggled and struggled we

cold so we struggled and struggled we have no internal support structure

have no internal support structure

have no internal support structure whatsoever this is entirely done with

whatsoever this is entirely done with

whatsoever this is entirely done with ice and that’s it we’ve been hitting

ice and that’s it we’ve been hitting

ice and that’s it we’ve been hitting temperatures as high as 50 degrees as

temperatures as high as 50 degrees as

temperatures as high as 50 degrees as far as an ice castle is concerned it’s

far as an ice castle is concerned it’s

far as an ice castle is concerned it’s very very difficult to grow in anything

very very difficult to grow in anything

very very difficult to grow in anything above 30 degrees temperature we have to

above 30 degrees temperature we have to

above 30 degrees temperature we have to make up for that on days when it is cold

make up for that on days when it is cold

make up for that on days when it is cold and try to work overtime we work double

and try to work overtime we work double

and try to work overtime we work double shifts triple shifts you need to run

shifts triple shifts you need to run

shifts triple shifts you need to run around make sure that the castle is

around make sure that the castle is

around make sure that the castle is growing properly that the integrity of

growing properly that the integrity of

growing properly that the integrity of the structure is safe it’s safe for the

the structure is safe it’s safe for the

the structure is safe it’s safe for the people visiting is safe for my workers

people visiting is safe for my workers

people visiting is safe for my workers to climb the castles and towers so they

to climb the castles and towers so they

to climb the castles and towers so they don’t get injured the soldier hollow ice

don’t get injured the soldier hollow ice

don’t get injured the soldier hollow ice castle consists a variety of formations

castle consists a variety of formations

castle consists a variety of formations for people to visit we have anywhere

for people to visit we have anywhere

for people to visit we have anywhere from mazes to throne rooms we’ve got

from mazes to throne rooms we’ve got

from mazes to throne rooms we’ve got slot canyons that are very symbolic to

slot canyons that are very symbolic to

slot canyons that are very symbolic to the slot canyons in southern Utah the

the slot canyons in southern Utah the

the slot canyons in southern Utah the castle itself is very organic in its

castle itself is very organic in its

castle itself is very organic in its growth you know we’re very dependent

growth you know we’re very dependent

growth you know we’re very dependent upon whether the wind temperatures

upon whether the wind temperatures

upon whether the wind temperatures humidity based on those factors as they

humidity based on those factors as they

humidity based on those factors as they change the ice castle can change as well

change the ice castle can change as well

change the ice castle can change as well the way I scrolls the direction ice

the way I scrolls the direction ice

the way I scrolls the direction ice grows how quickly it grows how thick or

grows how quickly it grows how thick or

grows how quickly it grows how thick or how long it grows

you know it is what it is

you know it is what it is I started a five years ago and it’s

I started a five years ago and it’s

I started a five years ago and it’s worth the risk because we have such an

worth the risk because we have such an

worth the risk because we have such an enthusiastic fan base I guess here in

enthusiastic fan base I guess here in

enthusiastic fan base I guess here in the area if you would despite all the

the area if you would despite all the

the area if you would despite all the challenges that we may have from year to

challenges that we may have from year to

challenges that we may have from year to year

year

year I consider myself extremely blessed to

I consider myself extremely blessed to

I consider myself extremely blessed to be able to do this it’s an industry or

be able to do this it’s an industry or

be able to do this it’s an industry or it’s a business that that I enjoy doing

it’s a business that that I enjoy doing

it’s a business that that I enjoy doing it I just love it and so does everybody

it I just love it and so does everybody

it I just love it and so does everybody that works so we just have a big time

that works so we just have a big time

that works so we just have a big time hands down it’s the greatest job I’ve

hands down it’s the greatest job I’ve

hands down it’s the greatest job I’ve ever had ice castles is like building a

ever had ice castles is like building a

ever had ice castles is like building a large fort it’s extremely fun it’s

large fort it’s extremely fun it’s

large fort it’s extremely fun it’s difficult it’s challenging to be very

difficult it’s challenging to be very

difficult it’s challenging to be very stressful but how often can you get the

stressful but how often can you get the

stressful but how often can you get the opportunity to build a floor of this

opportunity to build a floor of this

opportunity to build a floor of this magnitude something that tens of

magnitude something that tens of

magnitude something that tens of thousands of visitors come through every

thousands of visitors come through every

thousands of visitors come through every year it’s artistic unlike anything in

year it’s artistic unlike anything in

year it’s artistic unlike anything in the entire world