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This website is intended to showcase the trials and tribulations encountered by the mild-mannered Brian Latimer
(otherwise known as … well … Brian Latimer), in attempting to create his presence on the web.

Well, that may not be the real "purpose" of this site, but you get the idea.

 

Alaskan "Icescraper" finally falls

posted by Brian on 3/18/2005 06:38:00 PM  0 comments  

For those of you who may not have seen it yet, a collection of folks in Alaska created a 152 foot high "ice tower" via the use of a well, a water pump, and an interesting collection of spray nozzles. It finally fell this week, after a 5-month creation period. Think of it as slowly building a HUGE inverted icicle, via some very creative engineering.

See one particularly great picture of the aptly-named "Ghost Raven" structure - as well as a view from underneath, with over 2000 icicles pointing down.

But, be sure to read the full story of its creation - including a multi-page journal of pictures at each stage of development - at the following location:

  http://www.alaskaalpineclub.org/IceWall/04-05IceWall1.html

The creation/destruction story is a very entertaining read (note the author's first attempts to shoot an improvised crossbow bolt over the top, to provide a climbing rope ;-), and goes to show that some folks have waaaay too much time on their hands. Some of the shots of the hundreds of icicles which developed on the overhanging areas (see page 4) were gorgeous.

Apparently, it gets freakin' COLD in Anchorage...

UPDATE: A friend let me know about a very cool (pun intended ;-) related story, that of the (apparently annual) "Harbin Ice and Snow World" festival, in the northernmost province in China. Find some great pictures here:

  http://www.rtoddking.com/chinawin2003_hb_if.htm

Apparently, the snow festival is mostly a display of art; the ice festival is mostly a display of architecture.  Note that the above link is for 2003; the creator also has some updated pictures from 2005. Absolutely incredible...

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