courtesy of Abby Smith.

courtesy of Abby Smith.

Last Sunday, Grand County locals Christine, Jon, Abby and Lily Smith piled in the car and went on a road trip to Summit County. They’d purchased tickets for the Dillon Ice Castles online, and, with a 30-minute reserved window to enter, they questioned their choice of taking Berthoud Pass over to I-70 on a Sunday afternoon but made it without any trouble.

Dillon’s Ice Castles were created on a softball field in the Town Park, about a mile south of I-70 in the Town of Dillon. The spot has limited use in the winter and has become a magical playground for the young and old.  Families, kids and even the grandparents enjoyed the experience of an “Icy Wonderland”

Christine Smith said “the exhibit is an ice structure made up of a number of hallways that lead to various rooms and interesting features” and added, “Sometimes, you have to shimmy on your stomach or slide into the next room” winter layers are a must!. The ice spires are illuminated with a rainbow of colors and interesting patterns of light. Some features included “see through” sections of clear ice. “It is an amazing work of art”  Christine added, “I think Fraser could really benefit from something similar”

Be great for the former “Icebox of the Nation” Fraser River Corridor Master Plan team to find a way to create an icy art exhibit a few months out of the year without the big budget of a for profit company like Ice Castles.

Overall, the Smith’s enjoyed their visit to the Ice Castles, which took about an hour. They followed it up with a visit to the Breckenridge International Snow Sculpture Championships, making it a worthwhile, enjoyable family outing.

courtesy of Abby Smith.

courtesy of Abby Smith.

Ice Castles is also the name of the company, headquartered in Midway, Utah. They create the works of wrt using a patented process. Other Ice Castles locations include the original in Midway, UT; Stillwater, MN; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Lincoln, NH; and, Edmonton, Alberta. The company contracts with the respective Town to create the weather-dependant attraction, and, the favorable early admission numbers for the Dillon exhibit should prove beneficial for both entities. You can learn more about the company on their website: icecastles.com

Tell us what you think! Should Grand County investigate installation of a winter Ice Castle? Send your comments: cmalon@winterparktimes.com