Breckenridge, Colorado has hosted the International Snow Sculpture Championships since 1990. This year, sixteen teams from around the world chiseled and sculpted huge mounds of snow packed into 20-ton blocks. They had ninety-six hours to complete these magnificent but temporary works of art. No power tools were allowed.
I photographed these eye candy sculptures so you could take a virtual photographic tour!
If you’re planning a trip, it takes place every January.
Each entry was based on an original sketch. It was interesting to see how close they came to duplication.
I was amazed they were all carved by hand. The one below, entered by Ecuador won Artists Choice.
Ullr, the god of snow is the mascot of Breckenridge. It won People’s Choice!
Team Germany won Silver for Walls with Holes.
Love this one!
I loved how the colored lights added so much to the snow.
Team Mexico won for their entry, Cenote Gardens. (below) My favorite too!
A hint of spring in this orchid entry.
And who doesn’t love hippopotami? Team Great Britain won Bronze for this entry.
And astronauts.
Some were imaginative.
Like this spider web something rather.
And then there was the intricate entry.
A better shot taken with my book club friends!
And more astronauts.
And an Octopus and a chef? Ouch.
From Team Wisconsin, from which I hail!
There were a lot more entries this year.
With temps around ten degrees I made it around the displays and couldn’t wait to warm up at home.
On Tuesday, they were all destroyed and became snow mounds once again. What?
Hope you enjoyed the tour!
Related posts:
The Ultimate Guide: 10 Things to do in Breckenridge
Breckenridge’s Short-Lived Masterpieces – Photo Essay
Which one got your vote? Were you surprised by the creativity? Any ideas on what they should sculpt next year?
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Susie Lindau's Wild Ride 
I love the song “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” – so guess which one was my favorite!
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Haha! I haven’t heard that one, David. I’ll search for it on Youtube. Nice to “see” you!
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Ice and snow around here never looks anything like what you’re showing here. My winter weary eyes are amazed by them. Great photos. Thanks for sharing them.
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Thanks, Ally! It was bitter cold when we viewed them, but they were amazing. I had to share!
Great to see you too!
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Unbelieveable vision and artistry! They do something similar here with sand sculptures at the Neptune Festival, but they don’t have to wear 10 pounds of clothes and fight the cold. Swimsuits only. Thanks for the beautiful pictures, Susie.
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Thanks, Al! Next year, I would love to watch them start on those huge blocks. I don’t know how they figure it all out so they don’t chop off too much! And how do they get the snow to be so consistent? None of the yellow stuff either…
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How on earth do they create such incredible sculptures out of just snow? Unbelievable and equally unbelievable is that they are smashed down so soon after. Love the astronauts.
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Me too! I don’t know. Next year, I’ll go up to see them created and will make a full report! 🙂
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These snow sculptures are amazing!!
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They really are, Darlene! Super big too. You could see where some of them were spot on their original sketches. Not sure how they accomplished that feat!!
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Beautiful! Oh my,.. my nephew was just there too and shared a few pics, how beautiful those ice sculptures are! Thanks for sharing!
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They really were amazing. I had to share! Thanks for stopping by for more. 🙂
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I loved the astonauts best. Why destroy, can’t they leave them till they melt?
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I think they don’t want kids climbing on them and getting hurt. I can’t imagine that’s the reason since Breck is surrounded by mountains where anyone could get hurt. LOL!
I’ll ask around. Thanks so much for stopping by, TS!
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It’s a shame that they don’t last.
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I know! It’s still cold enough up there. I should stop by tonight and see if they are completely scraped off….
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How fun! I like those hippos!
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They reminded me of the ones in Fantasia! Thanks, Jan!
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I love the way they have been lit up with such bright colours!
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Yes! I’ve taken pictures of them during the day, but they aren’t as dramatic. I took a theater and lighting course in college. It reminded me of that!
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Such intricate artwork! Amazing!
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I don’t know how they do it, Lynn. Maybe next year, I’ll go up early to watch the sculptors do their thing!
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Susie, there is a festival in Ottawa called Winterlude. We have been a few times & watched as the carvers create their magic in both snow sculptures & ice sculptures. Unbelievable talent!
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I don’t know how they calculate where to cut when five or six people are working at the same time. I can’t imagine they get much practice in Mexico.
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What a beautiful sight that would be.
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It was! The colored lights really added to the drama.
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Makes the ice looks like popsicles of various flavours.
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Oops! I should check my spelling before I send.
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Wonderful works of art, and so quickly demolished. Incredible! Some of them are quite intricate pieces.
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They really were amazing. It’s super warm this weekend and wonder how well they would have faired!
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Cool (pardon the pun)! Thanks for sharing! Always wanted to go but keep forgetting about it. Have seen the Cripple Creek Ice art.
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I bet that’s amazing too. Thanks for stopping by, Frank!
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So beautiful! Thanks for sharing these amazing sculptures. My favorite is hard to pick, because they’re all incredible, but it’s the Flower of Life. The intricate, geometric design. I’ve been lucky enough to see an ice castle years ago in upstate New York. But I’ve never seen snow sculptures.
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They were pretty amazing since they were large too. I can’t imagine directing a team to carve them. “Not there, over there. Three feet down. Now a little to the left. LOL!
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Wow these are amazing, I struggle enough to build a snowman, incredible work!
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Right? I can draw anything, but creating 3-dimensional art under a time-constraint while directing a team? I’d stress out too much. “Cut it down a little bit, Henry. Not that much!!!” LOL!
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yes I would be the same as you, those sculptures though are just wow!
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I love them all Susie, aren’t some people so very clever and creative?? I’m so glad you shared them with us as we swelter down here in the land of Oz!
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It’s sweltering here in Breck today with 40 degree temps! Dang global warming.
Yes. I stop at drawing and painting although I did make dried flower centerpieces, swags and wreaths for a while but without a stop watch or a team to direct. “No, Charlene, not the eucalyptus. The dried hydrangea. Hurry! Ten minutes left!!!” LOL!
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Those are breathtaking snow-sculptures. My heart warms up for the fire in the bellies of the artists. How sad they had to be turned to snow-dust so soon.
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Right? From ashes to ashes, snowflake to sculpture to H2O!
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These sculptures are so creative. I never would have thought snow could look like that!
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Me either! Most were very intricate and required a lot of measuring, I would guess.
“Chop 4.3 mm over here, Harry!”
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They are all so beautiful and creative, it would be hard to choose! All that hard work to have them only last a short while, much like sand castles. Good thing for photos and bloggers to share them! You look like you had a fun time, Susie but I’m like you. I’d be thinking about when I got to get home and warm up!
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It was about 10 degrees and we were dressed for dinner not standing in the cold. Brrrrrrrr!! Yes, they took a lot of effort considering they were plowed over the following week. I wonder if the artists could bear to look!
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Appreciate all the pictures – carvings so intricate and the lighting makes it all very magical. Hard to pick a favorite with the toothy fish, the hippos, the very first on and that simple/complex last one. Cool.
Glad you made the trip!
(Oh, Japan just opened their annual ice sculpture show for Feb – another excuse to travel – you must compare artistic styles HAHA)
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Last weekend hit the mid-40’s. I bet the snow sculptures would have suffered in the heat. They were plowed under a few days before.
I’m not sure when I’ll get to Japan. You’ll have to take pictures for me! 🙂
Thanks, Phil!
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Whew – heat wave there! HAHA
And now the ice returned to whence it came, to slumber among dreams and soak up magic for next year’s appearance.
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Yes! It will all come around again.
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Jaw-dropping amazing! Now that’s impressive! 🙂
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They were! I would love to see them carved by the teams. It must be super intense!
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