This article was published on April 18, 2014

Journey through the colossal ice castles of the American Southwest


Journey through the colossal ice castles of the American Southwest

Ashley Hefnawy is an editorial assistant and a content producer for Shutterstock’s blog. This post was originally published on the Shutterstock blog and has been adapted with permission.


Natural wonders of the world can be truly mind-boggling. Man-made objects are only so powerful, until they meet their eventual maker: nature itself.

In parts of Utah, Colorado, and New Hampshire, the perfect juxtaposition of man-made and nature exists in the form of massive ice sculptures. These formations were actually part of a larger project called Ice Castles—made from 20,000,000 pounds of ice, these magnificent creations were built by people and widely explored.

The structures are comprised of a combination of icicles and freezing water, modified by wind and varying temperatures. Creator Brent Christensen had the idea for the project after putting together an elaborate ice-skating rink in his backyard for his family, complete with a slide, cave, and ice castle. The result is a strange and magical phenomenon.

Arina P Habich, Silverthorne Colorado

Ice castles of Silverthorne, Colorado | Arina P Habich
Ice castles of Silverthorne, Colorado | Arina P Habich

Ice castles of Silverthorne, Colorado | Arina P Habich
Ice castles of Silverthorne, Colorado

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Ice castles of Silverthorne, Colorado

Ice castles of Silverthorne, Colorado | Arina P Habich
Ice castles of Silverthorne, Colorado

Ice castles of Silverthorne, Colorado | Arina P Habich
Ice castles of Silverthorne, Colorado

Ice castles of Silverthorne, Colorado | Arina P Habich
Ice castles of Silverthorne, Colorado

Johnny Adolphson, Utah

Frozen ice walls in rural Utah, USA | Johnny Adolphson
Frozen ice walls in rural Utah, USA | Johnny Adolphson

Ice formations in Utah | Johnny Adolphson
Ice formations in Utah

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