A small portion of the City of Lakes Loppet, is the SW Journal Snow Sculpture Contest. It is configured to allow teams five hours to shape blocks of packed snow, four feet on each side and eight feet high into whimsical representations of the team’s imagination. There are cash prizes for the top three judged entries. There is no fee to enter, but a deposit is refunded if the team makes an attempt to sculpture the snow block. The deposit helps to ensure that an effort is made.

Unfortunately this year about four of the 14 blocks had no takers. Two had been started but really did not see their way to completion due primarily to the respective teams not having tools suitable for sculpting the blocks. Over the four years I have recorded some of the tools others have used. At the end I have some links that may help you see some of the tools and devices other teams have used. Those images may help you get an idea of tools and possible sculpturing subjects.

The Loppet is subject to the weather. Most years the snow Sculptures are near the finish line of the Loppet races. In 2012 the Loppet courses began and finished in Theodore Wirth Park due to lack of snow. Normally the racing starts at Wirth Park and the finish line is the Uptown area, and that was the case this year. The sculpting area was at the NorthEast tip of Lake Calhoun where the race course left the Lake and proceeded down Lake Street to the finish line on Hennepin Avenue. Info at City of Lakes Loppet

Here is an overview of some family fun, an organization’s team building experience, and some experienced sculptures participating in a community decoration of the City of Lakes Loppet. Come and join the fun.

Plans or models