builiding a home ice pillar, advice needed.

I'm thinking about building an ice pillar in my backyard this winter. Ive known of people who've done this but i dont really know anything about it. right now my plan is something like climbing a big tree in my back yard and dragging a hose up there to let it drip down. but im a little unsure if theres a way you can do it so the hose doesn't freeze. any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I've done it (on a wood panel laying against our second floor deck, instead of a tree). I went with a small hose and a low dribble of water. And, yup, the hose froze. I don't know if there's an easy way to fix that if your hose is attached to the tree and encased in a couple nights' worth of ice. So think about it. The sweet thing to do would be to have a high flow of water through the hose (so it doesn't freeze), but don't have all of it gush out. Unless it's real cold, you'll just make a lot of wet ground, and potentially not get any ice (if the water is too warm). I'm thinking run the hose back to a drain; put something in the end to create some back pressure, and poke several holes in it atop the tree so it squirts out.

Have fun. It's a real kick to play with things like this, and you'll make your climbing friends jealous. (Even if the final product isn't so exciting to climb on, as mine wasn't).

i saw something in a youtube video about running the hose through 30 or so feet of pvc pipe just standing straight up and itll build a column around it. anyone know about this?

I've seen drilled pvc pipe 'sprayers' on top of a structure or a thick hose dribbling water all the time in cold weather to keep from freezing. Check out the guys in Fenton Michigan who have built that 50-60 ft twin tower on the farm for ice climbs. It was fabulous climbing January into Feb. last year.

The Lyndon State College campus has a small pond with a small fountain. During summer the fountain head sits only inches above the water level. In the winter however it forms a 20+ foot tall by perhaps ten foot diameter ice pillar. I've never been sure why they left it on all winter. Anyway the climate in northern Vermont is pretty conducive for ice with temps sometimes dipping to 20 below in January and not a whole lot of sunshine. $0.02.

http://www.siloiceclimbing.com/

The SiloIceClimbing site may have some contact info you can use to ask questions about their set up, and how you might apply it to your situation.

You could use heat tape and pipe insulation.

Kevin Friesen wrote:You could use heat tape and pipe insulation.

Yep, this prevents my kitchen sink drain pipe from freezing, sometimes. But I would say that heat tape along an entire length of hose would be $pendy, but so is going to Ouray.
I've never done it, but I would think a light spray over a piece of ply wood or a board would be better than down a tree. Save the trees man!

talkinrocks wrote: Yep, this prevents my kitchen sink drain pipe from freezing, sometimes. But I would say that heat tape along an entire length of hose would be $pendy, but so is going to Ouray. I've never done it, but I would think a light spray over a piece of ply wood or a board would be better than down a tree. Save the trees man!

i should have specified that my tree is a big oak that curves 90 degrees, going horizontal about 40' in the air, so it would just be dripping down on nothing.

builiding a home ice pillar, advice needed.

Dude, dont.

50 hours of work = 2 hours of play.... you will get bored with it real quick.

Kevin Kent wrote: i should have specified that my tree is a big oak that curves 90 degrees, going horizontal about 40' in the air, so it would just be dripping down on nothing.

Dripping on nothing is the hardest way to get an ice formation. Even with a string or rope hanging for the water to be directed it's a tough freeze. Most I've seen use a lattice work of wood, chicken wire, pallets and other lumber for the water/ice to take shape faster. Agree it's a tough job, and if weather doesn't cooperate it could all be for nothing.

does anyone have any recommendation on how to best get the water out of the hose? Is it best to let it flow or trickle? or maybe add a sprayer head to the end?

Was considering this for the back yard - we've got a river bluff that needs some livening up.

So we need hi flow for not freezing, but not too much flow to not freeze. So couldn't i just get some smaller diameter hose and run it to a garden fitting - so put the tap on half way to get the same speed/pressure with less water? Or is that idea totally flawed?

So maybe check-out the silo ice climbing rig...

I am not involved with this group, but I understand those diagonal lines in the picture, below, are used for hauling the watering hoses into place for overnight re-icing.

The KEY is draining the hoses before taking them down for daytime storage in the warming room.

Matthew Clifford wrote: So couldn't i just get some smaller diameter hose and run it to a garden fitting - so put the tap on half way to get the same speed/pressure with less water? Or is that idea totally flawed?

That's exactly what I did. It worked OK, but still froze a few times. PM me if you'd like my set-up; I don't use it any more. I think there's 40-50' of thin hose, plus the garden faucet/laundry tub fitting.

Hey Kevin,

Here is a link to another conversation about the same topic. Ice Farming

You do need a nozzle of some sort. I have found that a "soaker hose" works very well. I also like a "spot sprinkler" I use super glue to close some of the holes, this reduces flow yet still maintains pressure which reduces the possiblity of freeze up. I recommend temps in the low teens before beginning to flow water. Also you need something for the ice to form on. A rope is a easy and cheap way, I have found that screen works really well, like what one would use for a slinding porch door.