2017 Minnesota State Snow Sculpting Competition Teams and Winners

It was another year of challenging weather and snow conditions. The snow blocks were built with heavy, wet snow on a drizzly, 40° day, which was followed by below-freezing temperatures that turned the outer block surfaces to ice while the interior remained soft and wet. Sculptors had to contend with numerous ice and air pocket inclusions as well as pitting and uneven snow consistency. Fortunately, the weather was almost ideal during sculpting—cold enough to freeze up the soft, wet snow as it was exposed while warm enough that working conditions weren’t uncomfortable.

​​* Denotes team captain
1st Place
“When Nature Calls”

House of Thune
  • Dusty Thune* (St. Paul, MN)
  • David Aichinger (Osceola, WI)
  • Jessica Turtle (Osceola, WI)
2nd Place and People’s Choice​
“Under A Rest”

The Shadow Men
  • Tim Trost* (Goodhue, MN)
  • Jim Krueger (East Bethel, MN)
  • Jared Trost (Hastings, MN)
3rd Place
“The Hummingbird”

The SnowKitects
  • David Prom* (Champlin, MN)
  • Josh McKinney (St. Louis Park, MN)
  • Kyle Slivnik (Grand Forks, ND)​​
Artists’ Choice​ and Vulcans’ Choice​
“Focused on a Cure for MS”

​MS Krackers
  • Kurtis Klett* (Faribault, MN)
  • Keith Klett (Inver Grove Heights, MN)
  • Mike Leider (Mankato, MN)​
“Rubik’s Cube in White”

Artistically Challenged
  • Bob Austin* (Lonsdale, MN)
  • Jacqueline Austin (Savage, MN)
  • Anita McColly (Minneapolis, MN)
“Salad City”

Play It Cool
  • Nick Langer* (Minneapolis, MN)
  • Branden Anderson (Eagan, MN)
  • Logan Thomas (St. Paul, MN)
“Playtime”

Sno van Gogh
  • Bill Wegwerth* (Maplewood, MN)
  • Weston Johnson (Vadnais Heights, MN)
  • Dan Ross (Vadnais Heights, MN)​
“Snowflakeosaurus”

Snow Chiselers
  • Dick Mogren* (Cottage Grove, MN)
  • Logan Leal (Maplewood, MN)
  • John Mogren (Maplewood, MN)
“Grandiosity”

Snow Squirrels
  • Nate Otto* (Anoka, MN)
  • Mark Hoelscher (Cottage Grove, MN)
  • Steve Misener (Stockholm, SD)
“Winter Princess”

The Royal and Supreme Order of Snow and Sand Sculptors and Shovelers
  • Jonathan Baller* (Stillwater, MN)
  • Joshua Baller (St. Paul, MN)
  • Curtis Cook (Cottage Grove, MN)
“Split Rock Lighthouse”

Three Swedes
  • Blake Carlson* (Blaine, MN)
  • Scott Mattson (Blaine, MN)
  • Benjamin Wallen (Lino Lakes, MN)