With Erin and Kris
January 31, 2020
2020 wasn’t all completely horrible (but it nearly was). Sinéad and I were able to make some great plans and we took a chance on revisiting something we had only experienced when dating - the Ice Castle at Loon. Except, it wasn’t at Loon Mt. this time around, and thankfully so. We were completely underwhelmed when checked out the Ice Castle at Loon when we had been dating. It was small, cramped, and just left one with the feeling that it could be so much more. Times change, however, and the magnitude of the castles were enough to require a new location. This no longer felt like a secondary gimmick at a Ski resort. It was its own attraction, and one that could allow imaginations expand.
Sinéad had been hearing better reviews revolving around the Ice Castle up in Woodstock, NH (near Loon Mt.). I was thrilled at the chance to take some shots of the structure at night, but really needed a fast lens to handle the night shots. A Nikon 50mm f/1.4 was in my price range, and I had it arrive in time for our trip. Our friends Erin and Kris had also been interested to check it out; so we met up for an evening after work and made our way north to the White Mountains.
The parking lot seemed to be nearly full. We couldn’t believe how many people were there, but then also realized that it was a Friday night heading into a weekend of skiing. We made our way up to the ticket windows, and then into the Ice Castle of 2020.
From the moment we entered, the experience far surpassed what we had known from all those years ago. The structure was massive in comparison, and it was far more complex. Much of what I thought had been missing was now included, and they incorporated even more features I could not have expected.
Water Fountains
What castle courtyard would be complete without a series of themed water fountains?
My Snow Angel
Just leaving her mark inside, and feeling like a kid while doing so!
We were having a blast! It was a big adventure, and the lighting in the ice made it that much better. I was surprised to see that the castle builders were hard at work despite the crowds. Some were building new ice, other were breaking away unwanted ice. It was really neat to see it all in action!
What Castle would be complete without a Throne?
Much Needed Warmth
Fire might not be expected in an ice castle, but it is appreciated!
Picking Away
Workers in a couple areas were picking away at the ice that was no longer needed. The light show never stopped!
In line, and excited!
Sinead had found the line for the big slide, and she was ready to zoom on through! (No joke, they had a big ice slide for children and adults to enjoy!)
Smaller Slide
There was also a much smaller slide, with a much smaller line. Sinéad took a go at it, and then I joined her for a couple fun runs after.
Sinéad Approves!
Ice Queen Twins
A couple twins were doing an Ice Queen photoshoot while we were there. While I am not 100% sure, I want to say I think this might have been a pricey additional option.
With all the fun we experienced we made the difficult decision to start making our way back to our car. We had heard the hot cocoa was horrible, and our adventure companions were also ready to get make our way back home. We had a great time, but it was getting fairly late, and we still had a long drive back. We’d definitely recommend checking out the Ice Castles in New Hampshire - though, it might be best to wait for an end to the pandemic or a potentially quieter time to go.
One Last Look…
at the icicle creation process utilized in building the structure as we were making our way out. It really was quite impressive and the lighting at night made it look amazing.