Touring the monthlong statues with the judges Thursday morning is always a blast, icy or otherwise. Usually, we scurry out to the sites, scribble notes, shoot photos, and get back on the bus. Fast.

At least that’s the way it was again this year. The temp was 4 degrees with a stiff 2o mph west wind. My camera actually froze up. But then, our photo crew, including plenty of student help, cover all the categories, including women’s groups, student orgs,  residence halls, community, and all-nighters.

It was nice to touch base with a couple of alumni judges, too. Lisa Fernstrum ’91 was a veteran of judging and was catching up with her children, Rachel and Jeremy, who are attending Tech. Jeff Sudderth ’06 was filling in for an alum who got stuck on his way up to Houghton. First Lady Gail Mroz ’86, was also judging and was getting a lot of help from granddaughter Stella.

This year’s theme, “Nostalgic Films of Childhood Days Come to Life in Frosty Ways,” had us all reminiscing about films from our childhood and from our children’s youth.

The Delt Sigs tribute to Toy Story was well done. Doors of ice looked like glass, and that wasn’t the only nice feature, ice or otherwise. They did their title in rope, which was by far the best we saw.Ben Maat, a second-year ME from Grand Haven, Michigan, watched the judges and was totaling the man-hours: just shy of 1,000. He was happy with it. Ready for sleep?

“My parents will be up in two or three hours, so I might just stay awake,” he said.

For ice features, however, it was tough to top winner Phi Taus and the second-place Tekes.  The Phi Taus’ take on Beauty and the Beast featured ice candelabra, weather vane, chains, serving table, and the topper: a rose frozen under “glass.” Michael Braun (who we met at the GLI and in the last TechAlum) said he had been up two nights in a row, and he said there were three alumni asleep in the house. The clever guys even had a snowmobile track lying on the ice bank to help us up, and the soundtrack from the movie was playing from the house.

The Tekes were outstanding again. Their Lion King had ice flames, animals, a monstrous mammoth, and beautiful lettering. All the ice animals proved challenging, according to Kevin Kyle, a third-year ME.

“We had four to five guys just working on them at the house,” he said. “Sometimes, you’d just get it immaculate, then they crack!”

Sig Taus had a nice nod to Iron Man. Their coolest features were a fin and eyes on the creature, and they had an ice windshield on an automobile. Ron Hagenbush, a second-year civil from metro Detroit was glad that they had thrown those features up in the last minutes.

After talking to Sig Eps’ Skyler Cavitt, he said, “Thank goodness! I can go warm up!” Their Peter Pan-inspired statue also had great lettering and two nice ice cannons.

Walking back to the office and taking in DZ’s Wizard of Oz, Air Force ROTC’s Jurassic Park, and Army ROTC’s Land Before Time, I was plenty cold.

It wasn’t long, though, before I had a surprise cup of hot chocolate delivered to me.

The Carnival spirit is alive and well.

You can view all the Carnival action here: http://www.mtu.edu/carnival/2014/gallery/

And the statue video is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gowYFeOiLHo&feature=em-uploademail

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Snowfall Totals

Overheard—Son: “It’s warm.” Mother: “It’s 15 degrees!” We are all a little off this winter.

Keweenaw County numbers.

Keweenaw Research Center  totals.