Visiting a Breckenridge ice castle requires a car or bus trip to the nearby town of Silverthorne. You can take a bus from Breckenridge to Silverthorne free of charge and not have to worry about crowded parking lots. Continue reading for more information about taking a trip to a Breckenridge ice castle…
Designer Brent Christensen
The ice castle first came to the Summit resort area in late 2011. The entire complex is about 40,000 square feet and was designed by Brent Christensen, an ice sculptor originally from Utah. The site includes walk-through ice structures as well as larger-than-life sculptures, some with lights embedded in the ice. The sculptures were made by Christensen and his partners sprinkling water onto pre-existing icicles. No substance other than about 3 million gallons of water is used for the Breckenridge ice castle.
Timing is Everything
Natural elements such as rain, wind, snow, temperature and sunlight impact the ice sculptures, meaning you will probably see different shapes if you visit different times of the year. The sculptures, which used to be located in Midway, Utah, rest on the Silverthorne Pavilion lawn.
When the weather gets too warm, the ice castle is closed to visitors. It is difficult to determine when the sculptures will not be open to visitors. Each year the month the ice castle closes will be different depending upon the weather.
What to Wear
Wear warm clothes and winter boots when visiting the ice castle. Cowboy boots are not ideal footwear for the site. The paths are not slippery but are harder to navigate than traditional sidewalks. Ski poles are available free of charge and parents can pull their children through on a sled as long as they do not try to run in the castle with the sled. Pets are not allowed in the ice castle.
Handicap Accessibility
There are no stairs on the site, so some wheelchair users can visit depending on their comfort level with potential bumps. People who experience pain from wheelchair bumps should consider not visiting. However, a handicap in itself should not keep you or your family member from visiting. A team of 10 paralyzed Australian winter athletes had a good time visiting the ice castle during its first season of operation in the Breckenridge area.
Parking and Prices
During major holidays, the parking lot adjacent to Silverthorne Pavilion and the ice castle might fill. People who are not disabled, elderly or traveling with small children should park in the Outlet Mall lot and walk about two minutes to the pavilion. Parking is free and an entire family can visit the site for $35; individual tickets are $10 for adults and $7.50 for children under 12 years old. Children under the age of 4 can visit free of charge.
