One afternoon, late in the year, we were sitting at our local dive bar, which also happens to be the corporate headquarters of Gate 58.  Professional photographers in our local area used to get together on a semi-regular basis to talk about the state of the industry.  Since most have either moved on to other pursuits or left the business altogether, it seems pretty clear what the ‘state of the industry’ is currently. 

Jenna and Jon were there that day, both amazing shooters in their chosen field. They have since retired, but their work is amazing.  At the time, they had a project called “Buck the Cubicle,” which was an in-depth, multi-media approach to finding people with jobs outside the realm of normalcy.  They had done everything from a falconer to a professional princess to an ink hunter.

While discussing their projects, I mentioned that I knew a guy, whom I had met in Colorado years earlier, who made musical instruments out of ice in Sweden. They looked at each other, then back and me and said, “We’ve got miles”.  I hadn’t spoken to Tim Linhart in a while, since the ski resort days, in fact, but said I would see if I could find him.

After a quick search, there he was, right where he should have been, on Facebook, doing his ice music.  I sent a short message explaining the idea, not knowing whether or not he would even respond.  I knew he would remember me, as I had previously photographed a number of his ice sculptures.  To my surprise, he responded within a few hours, was excited about the idea, and the next thing you know, we all had tickets to Sweden.

Tim’s Ice Music was in a place called Lulea, in the Swedish Lapland, far to the north of the country.  We quickly realized that we would then be relatively close to the original Ice Hotel, and as avid travelers, we could not resist the opportunity to check It out.  After all, from there, it was only a four-hour train ride, above the Arctic Circle, to Jukkasjarvi. And besides, what were the chances we would ever find ourselves in the north of Sweden in the middle of winter?

Upon arrival, the first thing we noticed was the cold, even more so than Lulea.  And I mean, bone-chilling, wind-blowing, below-zero kind of cold.  After trudging around to find our hotel and settling in, we set out to see what Kiruna (the town the train stopped in) had to offer. We spent a day in town getting our bearings, shooting some interesting winter town scenes, and finding the local pub.  Bartenders are always good for information, so we were given instructions on the fundamentals of the local bus system and how to get out to Jukkasjarvi, where the hotel is located.

The next day, we decided to head out there in the afternoon, in order to catch dusk at the property.  After about a 30-minute bus ride through very “Lapland-looking” scenery, we had finally arrived at the point farthest away from where we started.  Before leaving the US, we had emailed ahead, mentioned we were professional photographers, and we had press passes and a guide waiting for us when we got there.  We did a quick tour and heard some of the history, then were left on our own to photograph the place for as long as we wanted.

The Ice Hotel is truly an architectural wonder.  Exceptional artisans create something to be used and admired for such a short period of time, then it literally melts back into the river from which it came.  These days, they have built a permanent structure that is the beginning of the hotel for future sculptors to work from, but at that point, the entire thing (except the doors and electrical, obviously) was made of ice and snow.

You walk into the grand foyer area first.  It was a domed structure, about 20 ft high and maybe the length of a football field, with ice pillars all the way through.  Off to the sides were hallways that led to the guest rooms, each unique in its own way.  At the end of the foyer, there was a grand ice throne, complete with chandeliers and other sculptures throughout.  

We spent a good portion of the afternoon checking out all the rooms and common areas, then went over to see the chapel, and finished at the “Ice Bar” for a refreshing beverage or two. 

Overall, this place is a highly recommended excursion for anyone at some point in their life.  While it’s fun to take pictures, it is very difficult to explain the grandeur and uniqueness of the property without experiencing it in person. 

If you are looking for something truly out-of-the-ordinary and have a sense of adventure, consider the journey to the Ice Hotel; you will not be disappointed. But, fair warning, dress warm!

Happy Travels!