Ice Castles, which creates immersive ice structures across the country, brings its cool archways, slides and tunnels back to Midway, Utah, this winter with new sculptures, designs and even fire.
The idea for the Fortress of Solitude-like backdrops began when founder Brent Christensen built an ice structure in his yard years ago in California. He later moved to Utah and created an ice cave for his kids to explore. In 2011, the Zermatt Resort approached Christensen to build an ice castle on their property, which became the first of five in the US.
Now located at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, Ice Castles has become a winter tradition for Utah families.
Ice meets fire this winter with a fire show and synchronized music in the evenings, said Amanda Roseth, Ice Castles marketing coordinator. She said guests should also expect to see new ice sculptures. “When they’re unveiled, it’s the first time that we’re all seeing what they’re going to be,” Roseth said. “And this year, we’re looking at increasing the number of sculptures we have in each of our castles because we have multiple ice sculptors on our team now.”
Returning features, she said, include a big slide, a kids’ slide and ice walls featuring LED lights with alternating patterns. Ice Castles will also bring back pathways inspired by Utah’s slot canyons.
The structures are made from nearly half a million icicles that are sprayed with water at night, and new icicles are added daily, Roseth said. While very little melts away mid-winter, Mother Nature will eventually make maintaining the structures impossible. So, don’t hesitate to buy tickets.
Ice Castles hopes to open its Midway location before the end of 2024 depending on the weather.
Visit icecastles.com/utah for updates.
Looking for more winter magic in Utah? Check out our top spots for cold-weather adventures here!
