CHENA HOT SPRINGS, ALASKA - Don Erickson patented a new cooling refrigeration system fifteen years ago, but never actually built his invention for commercial use until this year when Bernie Karl, owner of Chena Hot Springs Resort, prodded him into constructing it to keep his new Aurora Ice Museum frozen all year-round.

The two-phase absorption chiller is only one of 93 patents Erickson holds. This chiller uses the geothermal heat from Chena Hot Springs and cold water from Monument Creek to keep the newest tourist attraction chilled to a constant 20 degrees Fahrenheit inside even when the ambient outside temperature is 90 degrees with nearly 24 hours of summer sunshine.

�This makes our ice museum of an ice hotel the only one in the world to stay open year-round,� says owner Bernie Karl. �It is one more attraction to bring people to our unique resort; people really need to come experience the hot springs and the ice museum for themselves to appreciate it.�

The Aurora Ice Museum is larger than the 2004 Aurora Ice Hotel at 134 feet in length, 42 feet wide and 32 feet high and has had several building modification to make it a year-round attraction.

Many of last year�s features have been carried forward into this year�s architecture however there are several new features as well. All ice came from the property this year, giving it added character � pieces of moss and bubbles are captured within the columns and blocks and in one case, even a small grayling affectionately named, �Steve� by the staff. Some ice actually looks like marble because it was mixed with snow in an overflow on the pond, giving it a milky white color. Twelve-time World Ice Art Champion Steve Brice used the contrasting ice to give a new visual experience for the guests.

A 23 foot turret gives visitors a bird�s eye view of the ceremonial stage, igloo, and Stoli Ice Bar and lounge, complete with an LED lit fireplace. Five fiber-optic lit chandeliers change colors casting a colorful hue to the ice and snow below.

Four ice galleries house various styles of beds, the favorite being a polar bear bed that looks like the University of Alaska Fairbanks mascot. All are topped with reindeer hides as are the stools in the bar and lounge.

Several weddings and one high school graduation have already been booked for the ceremonial stage. With an ambient inside temperature of 20 degrees, most ceremonies are fairly short, said Karl.

Brice just completed a large ice chess set featuring Alaskan animals and is now working on a replica of �The Joust� an ice sculpture that won him and his team first place in the 1996 World Ice Art Championships.

Brice is also teaching ice sculpting classes at the resort for people who want to learn this specialized art form. The front twenty feet of the ice museum is reserved for his studio and so art will be always changing in area.

Tours are offered daily at 11 am, 1 pm, 3 pm, 5 pm and 7 pm for $15 per person, $7.50 for children. Photography is encouraged.

*Chena Hot Springs Resort is a 440 acre year-round natural mineral hot springs resort located approximately 60 miles from Fairbanks Alaska. Founded in 1905 by arthritis- stricken gold miners, it has been rejuvenating guests for the past century. World renown for its views of the northern lights, Chena Hot Springs Resort has 92 rooms, cabins, suites and yurts and a campground in addition to its restaurant and lounge. Seasonal activities also include horseback riding, dog mushing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, hiking, biking, canoeing, rafting and gold panning. For more information, visit the website at www.chenahotsprings.com

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Media Contact: Brenda L. Hewitt +1(907) 488-1505 bhewitt@chenahotsprings.com