“Experience the Magic of Ice: Explore the Enchanting Castles of North Woodstock, NH!”

Last weekend marked the commencement of the yearly Ice Castles exhibit in North Woodstock — a relatively **early initiation,** following a recent period of chilly weather which created ideal conditions for construction.

While certain Granite Staters searching for a taste of the outdoors frequented nearby ski slopes, families queued to experience towers, tunnels, slides, and thrones — all crafted from ice.

Luke Ely, who assisted in overseeing the construction of the castle this year, stated that it took over a month to reach this stage. He mentioned that his team has altered some of their building methods, as climate change causes winter temperatures to rise.

“In regard to how we construct the walls themselves, we aim to build them with significantly more mass and thickness now,” he stated. “Additionally, there are various factors we have had to consider that my predecessors did not have to focus on as much.”

In recent years, warmer winters have hindered the construction process. However, Ely noted that this year has been favorable.

“The weather was much better, significantly colder early on,” he mentioned. “As a result, we were able to open up much sooner than we typically do.”

This cold climate allowed the builders to get more inventive — such as forming a tunnel roof from icicles adhered together.

The castle withstood up to 5 inches of rainfall during its construction and is expected to endure further wear as visitors explore its corridors and courtyards this winter.

Ely expressed that it requires long days and considerable effort to create the castle. Nonetheless, it is fulfilling to bring a touch of beauty to people during the coldest and darkest months of the year.

The castles will remain accessible to visitors — until they eventually melt away.