THEY say that art leaves a lasting impression but the sculptures on show at Lake Louise just now are, quite literally, here today, gone tomorrow. Crafted with chainsaws and chisels, they eventually end up in a puddle of slush.

The Ice Magic competition has returned to the lake shore for the first time since Covid put its 20-year history temporarily on ice back in 2020. And despite unseasonably warm temperatures, the results have been striking.

Eight teams of world-class ice carvers have been doing battle not just with each other but also with the ferocious five degree heat melting their masterpieces even as they are being created.

The event had to be judged early because there was increasingly little left to review, thanks to climate change, and sadly this coming weekend’s second showing has had to be cancelled.

The theme for the event at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise hotel is ‘Moments of Bliss in Banff National Park’, and each team had 36 hours to complete their sculptures from 300lb blocks of ice.

This year’s winner was ‘Not About The Destination, Eh!’ by American sculptors Ben Rand and Kevin Roscoe, depicting a moose riding a wave on a kayak, which picked up both the judges’ votes and the People’s Choice award.

Both are no strangers to the art, having notched up an impressive roster of awards up to, and including, world championship level.

Second was ‘Blissarre Love Triangle’, showing two stags fighting over a doe, by Montreal’s Ross Baisas and Quebec carver Sebastien Therrien. 

Baisas came to Canada fifteen years ago from the Philippines, a country not known for ice. He’s from a village called Paete, which means “chisel” because the town is famous for its wood carvers and, indeed, learned the trade from his father.

Third place went to ‘Good Fortune’ by Cliff Vacheresse from Edmonton and Steve Buzak, who comes from a culinary background and combines his skills as both chef and ice sculptor.

I toured the event from the warmth of my armchair here in the UK during a live-streamed trip with Banff tour guide Pamela Manning, who operates real time virtual tours under the banner of Adventures With Pam as part of the Together Virtually collective.

The group arose from the ashes of live travel streamer Heygo, which collapsed last year, and features many of the former platform’s most popular guides. See the Together Virtually website for upcoming tours.

Pamela Manning – Adventures With Pam

There’s more info on Ice Magic 2024 at the Fairmont events page. Thanks to Martine Zonca for the lead images, captured from Pam’s tours, used in this post.

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