Magic of Ice Castles in Eagle will warm hearts of all ages this winter
Ice sculpture exhibit will awe all ages this winter
Chris Dillmann/Vail Daily
One of the coolest new attractions this winter isn’t at Vail or Beaver Creek, but downvalley in Eagle. Ice Castles is an immersive, self-guided experience through a maze of icicles where the whole family can explore the wonder of ice through caverns, tunnels, slides and more.
You can’t miss the 25-foot ice walls that are situated along the Eagle River and adjacent to the Eagle County Fairgrounds. The location provides a perfect place for the masses to gather and view the mythical space and enjoy the byproduct of water and cold temperatures.
“You can see it from Interstate 70, so we hope people just driving by will be enticed to stop in,” said Shayla Hibbard, the event manager at Ice Castles in Eagle. Eagle is also a great location for those traveling to and from the valley via the Eagle County Regional Airport because visitors can time a trip to the Ice Castles before or after their flight.
Eagle is the second location in Colorado. Cripple Creek also houses a location along with other areas across the country such as St. Paul, Minnesota, North Woodstock, New Hampshire and in Utah at the Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, which was the site of the Nordic events during the Winter Olympic Games in 2002.
The idea for Ice Castles came about when founder Brent Christensen was trying to keep his six kids entertained and get them outside to play during the winter months. They had moved from California to Utah, and he started making snow and ice structures in their yard. Not only did Christensen’s kids love it, but their friends loved it and word spread across town and Christensen knew he was on to something. That was back in 2011 and Ice Castles’ goal since then has been to make people smile.
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“This will be my ninth year working at Ice Castles and I just love it,” Hibbard said. Hibbard started working at Ice Castles in New Hampshire as a ticket scanner her freshman year in college. “Being surrounded by a magical LED ice castle is a great way to spend the winter.”
Hibbard said she loves to see that faces of the guests and their reactions to different features.
“The smiles are so big and the giggles are great, and I see it with both the kids and the adults,” Hibbard said. She also thinks the Vail Valley is a perfect location. “They’re already coming here to ski, so they’re not afraid of cold and would enjoy coming to an ice castle. I don’t think there’s any better way to end your day skiing than coming to the Ice Castles.”
Hibbard leads about 25 people on the event staff, some who travel with the company and some locals who are working here for the season. There are also about 25 people on the build crew, consisting of national and international ice sculpture specialists who help build the Ice Castles around the nation. Hibbard said they occupy about one acre of land for the Ice Castles operation and have been on site since September.
“There’s a lot of pre planning that goes into this and then we started building the icicles in November,” Hibbard said. “We start by growing icicles and then we harvest the icicles. We plant the icicles one by one with slush and then spray it with water overnight and when we wake up in the morning and go check it out, it’s usually grown a few inches, depending on the weather. Over time, one icicle turns into a two-foot icicle, and eventually they mold together and get bigger and bigger and you repeat the process over and over again.”
The crews shape, mold, build and design all sorts of features like the tunnels, ice slides, caves, sculptures and more. The result is pure magic, art and nature all wrapped into one awe-inspiring showcase of frozen fun.
“Once you walk in, you can go any direction you want, it’s a self-guided discovery tour where you choose your own adventure. You can spend as much time as you would like inside the castle,” Hibbard said. She also recommends seeing it in the daytime and at night.
“I don’t think one time is better than the other. During the day, you can see all of the intricate details within each icicle and our arches and our sculptures,” Hibbard said. “At nighttime, the icicles are enhanced by our beautiful, colorful lighting in the background that just creates a different experience.”
In addition to the ice features, there will also be hot cinnamon buns, soft pretzels, other snacks and hot cocoa available at the concessions trailer called Frost Bites and the Polar Pub will serve up adult beverages on Fridays and Saturdays.
Hibbard suggests visitors dress for the elements in order to comfortably enjoy all that the Ice Castles has to offer and wear sturdy snow boots since you are basically strolling through tiny particles of ice that feel more like a sandy beach. Hibbard also recommends getting your tickets in advance on . 聽
“I highly recommend people purchase their tickets in advance because this guarantees you a spot during busy nights where we sell out, and you save money if you buy in advance,” Hibbard said.
After the busy holiday season, Ice Castles is offering a locals night for residences of Eagle and Gypsum.
“Starting on January 9th, every Thursday that is not a holiday is our Locals Night from 4 to 9 p.m. where it is just $5 to get in for those living in the town of Eagle and Gypsum,” Hibbard said. “They just have to show their ID or proof that they live in those towns, and they get in for $5 and those tickets can be purchased at the gate, not online.”
The Ice Castles is also showing some love to an area charity.
“We’re teaming up with the local animal shelter and any money that is put in the flowing water fountain feature will be donated to that organization at the end of the season,” Hibbard said.
To learn more, get tickets and see operating hours, which will vary throughout the season, visit . 聽
