21 Nov Round Up: Noteworthy: Ketchum, Idaho’s Icy Winter Wonderland

Something magical happens every winter in Ketchum, Idaho, and it’s not the world-class skiing on Bald Mountain. Every winter for over 20 years, as skiers are making hero turns on the corduroy slopes, another winter attraction has been gaining momentum.

Early mornings on the “Zam” can be breathtakingly cold, but necessary. The machine prepares the ice each morning for the daily throng of skaters.

Welcome to Atkinson Park, home of Ketchum’s outdoor ice rink. As the December temperatures drop, the recreation department gets busy laying down thousands of gallons of water for what has become an ever-growing pastime in this iconic mountain town. In a little over a week, the crew works around the clock to take advantage of the just-right temperatures necessary to build the rink.

Snow shovels are used to clear the ice of shavings made by skaters as the rink gets used throughout the course of the day.

Once the ice has set, the annual migration of figure skaters, hockey players, and winter enthusiasts descends upon the park. The ice is maintained every day before sunrise with an outdated Zamboni that smooths out the imperfections. Skating is free for all ages and abilities, tourists and locals alike. Visitors can bring their own skates or borrow — free of charge — one of the park’s many pairs of figure or hockey skates.

Skaters partake in a little more than skating for the Pond Hockey Tournament, as a cooler is moved to its designated location for the day.

And every year, the festivities on the ice continue with Ketchum’s annual Idaho Pond Hockey Classic, where teams from around the country dress in Halloween-like costumes in a Mardi Gras atmosphere. For this tournament, the prized gold-painted shovel is akin to the Stanley Cup trophy: Bragging rights are of utmost importance.

For about two months a year (if all goes well, and conditions remain favorably cold), Atkinson Park becomes a winter wonderland for all to enjoy. For a town known for skiing, Ketchum offers another enchanting little slice of winter just waiting to be explored. And after the short season on ice has passed and skaters have untied their laces for the last time, under warming sunny skies, the rink begins to relinquish its frozen resources back into the earth again.