A park in the making
The Ice Park is the first thing visitors will see when the gates open for the first time on February 17, 2024. A myriad of slides, tall, curvy, steep and all slippery, await the first sleds. There are games to play, all made from ice of course. There are structures to climb. And the stage waits silently for the first award ceremony. Now go back a couple of months. This same playground, now glistening and enchanting, was covered in mounds of snow. Welcome the silent heroes of Ice Alaska: Boot Camp.
When you hear the term “Boot Camp” you may think of the US Armed Forces and basic training, preparing recruits for military service. Our idea, at Ice Alaska, means “a type of physical training that consists of many different types of exercise, often done outside.” The work is physically and mentally demanding. “You’ll experience stress and you’ll test your limits. Know what to expect and arrive prepared.”
Ice Alaska Boot Campers are volunteers coming from nearly every state and from several countries. They are competitive carvers, seasoned volunteers who come year after year, and new “recruits”, volunteers who want to help. In charge of Boot Camp for this year is Dave Smith, a veteran carver and a gifted competitive artisan of ice. Moving snow, building ice structures, constructing slides, preparing the “Enchanted Forest” for the competitions, hauling in the huge blocks of ice are just a few of their many jobs. Using equipment with strange sounding names like “front end loaders”, “zoom booms” and “skid steers”, they need to clear away the snow, clear paths and haul in the gigantic blocks of ice that are harvested from a pond a few miles away. In addition to the physical labor, the crew must carefully monitor the temperatures, as January and February are traditionally the coldest months of the year. When the temperatures reach -30F the ice becomes more brittle and will crack. Water is used as glue when building the sculptures but it freezes before it can bond if the weather is too cold.
Consider buying a season pass ticket for this incredible Fairbanks in February event. There will be so much to see and do. The park will be thrilling, fun and marvelous, a new adventure each time you visit. The slides will eventually melt so come and have a marvelous outing while you can. Come watch the competitions as they progress from a giant block of ice to a breathtaking, stupendous objet d’art.
The multi block competition begins February 17th!
