Ice Artists, Fairbanks-Alaska


1999 Castle Entry to ICE PARK - 30 ft tall x 40 ft wide - Constructed by U.S. Army Engineers EM PLT, C Company, 864th - Engineer Battalion - Ft. Wainwright , Alaska ---------------------------------------------- The pictures below explain the construction of the Castle Entry.


Over 800 - 8x8x16 inch blocks were cut on the saw table for the castle.

Some 450 blocks were cut for the surrounding-interior wall (weight - 100 to 150 lbs each).
This year's castle entrance was constructed by EM PLT, C Company, 864th Engineer Battalion. The design of the castle changes each year and this year it was constructed using a new technique developed by Stan Zielinski, a veteran Ice Sculptor and designer of this year's memorial chapel. The engineers constructed a saw table modeled after Zielinski's in which standard sized blocks of ice were cut and used to build the castle. This technique proved to give the castle a more uniform look and enabled the engineers to better model it after the Corps of Engineers castle. Over 800 8x8x16 inch blocks were cut on the saw table for the castle and some 450 blocks were cut for the surrounding-interior wall (each weighing between 100 and 150 lbs each).

Castle Entryway