Every year, three brothers in Minnesota make a giant snow sculpture on their front lawn, and 2015's creation hasn't ceased to amaze. New Brighton residents Austin, Trevor and Connor Bartz recently carved a gigantic sea turtle on their suburban front lawn. They piled snow for weeks, packed the mound with plywood boards and used ladders to access the top of the sculpture. Now, their fully formed aquatic creature stands 12 feet tall and takes up a surface area of 31 by 37 feet.
The brothers seem to prefer an aquatic theme for their sculptures. In previous years, they built a 16-foot shark, a walrus and a puffer fish. It can take nearly four months for the creations to completely melt away. On their Facebook page, the creators now invite visitors to come take photos beside the sea turtle sculpture, noting that it's illuminated until 11 p.m. each night. They've gained national attention for these impressive snow creations, appearing in local and national news outlets – most recently on Good Morning America.
