NEW BRIGHTON, Minn. — The brutal cold is forcing two of Minnesota's most famous snow sculptors to get creative.
Austin and Connor Bartz are, once again, making a massive sculpture - this time, for the New Brighton 'Brave the Brrr' event that celebrates winter throughout January.
Mother Nature, though, has had other plans this season.
"We'll get it done, it's just going to take longer than we thought," said Austin.
First, it was too warm and with so little snow, the two could only truck it in from parking lots across the metro and even asked for volunteers.
"We've spent more time collecting snow and trying to get it here than we have actually sculpting," said Austin.
Now, it's too cold to even make it, forcing them to improvise inside a shed they built by hand at the Brightwood Hills Golf Course.
"We're taking sleds of snow from outside on the pond, we're sledding it inside, bringing it around this way and into the snow factory," explained Austin, who used heaters to warm up the snow so that it's the right consistency.
"When we get the snow warm and full of moisture, we can work with it outside," said Austin. "We probably have about five minutes in this weather, so we get it outside, take half sled loads and pack it on as quick as we can."
The process is a painstaking one, but there's a heartwarming reason that drives them to do it.
"Most people think we're a little bit crazy," said Austin. "When we have our heart to something, we go all out."
The brothers solicit donations to raise money for countries that don't have access to clean water. This year, they're supporting the nonprofit World Vision and so far, have raised about $7,000. Last year it was almost 12 times that.
The Bartz Brothers hope to have a sculpture complete by January 19. For up-to-date information, you can visit - https://www.facebook.com/BartzSnowSculptures
"We're moving in the right direction," said Austin. "We can't take a break.
The festival's other events are going on as planned, for now, but some activities, like skiing at Trollhaugen ski area, are cutting hours short due to the cold.
Highland Hills ski area will close if the wind chill reaches 35 below.
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