Oregon ice sculpting champs build multiton masterpieces with chainsaws and cranes

You might encounter an ice sculpture of a swan at a fancy banquet, or an ice luge on a night out. But have you ever seen an 18-foot-tall punk baby with a mohawk made of ice? That’s one of the massive ice sculptures dreamt up by world-class ice carver Chris Foltz. Every winter, master sculptors from across the globe converge for the World Ice Art Championships in Fairbanks, where the temps are sub-zero, the ice blocks are sawed out of frozen ponds and the sculptures can weigh up to 20 tons. Foltz, a longtime chef who teaches ice sculpting to culinary students on the Oregon coast, has led teams to multiple world championships in Alaska.

“Oregon Field Guide” producer Noah Thomas followed Foltz and his team from Oregon to Fairbanks and joins us to share the thrills and chills of their quest for icy glory.

For more “Evergreen” episodes and to share your voice with us, visit our showpage.

Follow OPB on Instagram, and follow host Jenn Chávez too.

You can sign up for OPB’s newsletters to get what you need in your inbox regularly.

Don’t forget to check out our many podcasts, which can be found on any of your favorite podcast apps:

• Hush

• Timber Wars Season 2: Salmon Wars

• Politics Now

• Think Out Loud

And many more! Check out our full show list here.