Giant Ice Sculpture forms on Lake Superior
When you think of ice sculptures, you probably think of swans, angels or other ornate creations. On Lake Superior, Roger "Iceman" Hanson has been building a new kind of ice sculpture and it looks like he's growing his own glacier. The Minnesota-based software engineer has been building bigger and bigger sculptures every year since 2007, but this year he's working on a 70 foot by 50 foot creation that when finished will break the Guinness Book of World Record’s current record for largest freestanding ice sculpture. What makes Hanson unique in the world of ice-based art is that he's invented his own technology create his pieces. He built a high-tech weather station to monitor weather conditions in the area, a software program allowing him to control all of the equipment remotely, and a robot that operates a series of cables, spraying hoses and tracks. The robot is even capable of independent work. Part of why Hanson continues his fight with (and against) nature to finish his creation is to feed the bewilderment and awe of spectators who come to investigate the enormous ice formation.
Roger Hanson’s newest creation is open to the public. Learn more at his website.
