Indianapolis Veal's Ice Tree Now Nearly 40-Feet Tall

INDIANAPOLIS, IN — An Indiana family's decades-long winter tradition is thriving, with many thanks to this winter's freezing temperatures. The Veal's Ice Tree is put together every year, and is nearly 40-plus feet tall at just over two weeks old, standing tall and bright at 11333 Southeastern Avenue in Indianapolis. The massive ice creation (shaped like an icy tree) is created each year with nearby pond water.

Veal's Ice Tree wasn't intended when it first appeared during the winter of 1961. According to the website, the Veal Family says they were spraying "a fine mist of water" on the hill south of their house to make an ice slide on to the pond. However, during the night the family says a strong east wind blew the spray onto honeysuckle bushes, which resulted in a beautiful creation, so they sprayed water directly onto the bushes and the Ice Tree was born.

According to the website, the second-generation Ice Tree builder's engineers/designers, colorist and helper, and third-generation assistants start work once the forecast has five or more days of temperatures below 30 degrees, and then most years the Ice Tree is melted in the first weeks of April, with one year it endured until the first week of May.

There are a few interesting facts to know thanks to the Veal Family regarding the construction and history of the Ice Tree:

• The Ice Tree's construction each year: "Using scrap lumber and binder twine, a frame is built. Traditional garden hoses with ordinary nozzles are tied to the frame. Tree limbs are added around the frame. The fresh cut brush are gathered from field fence-rows. After the ice becomes solid, more brush is added, the hoses are relocated, and the cycle starts anew."
• Color: "We mix powdered food coloring dye with water and spray the dye onto the Ice Tree with a garden sprayer/ feeder attached to the end of a hose."
• Height: "In an average year, it grows 35 to 40 feet. The amount of freezing temperatures and amount of time we have to work on the Ice Tree determines the height. In 2014, it towered at an estimated 79-80 feet! A. In an average year, it grows 35 to 40 feet. The amount of freezing temperatures and amount of time we have to work on the Ice Tree determines the height. In 2014, it towered at an estimated 79-80 feet"
• More facts: vealsicetree.wixsite.com

Now more than five decades later, the family still says "the beauty and grandeur" of the Ice Tree is "impossible to describe," and something you must experience in person.

The Ice Tree is free to visit, but the Veal Family asks that you stay on the black top drive due to safety reasons, if you choose to get out of your vehicle to take a closer look and take photos. Visiting hours are sunrise to 10 p.m. when lights turn off, seven days a week. The drive way is designed with two to three spots to park near the info. box (feel free to pick up a flyer) if you would like to get out of your vehicle for pictures.

The family says to follow these directions, not your GPS.

More: Veal's Ice Tree Facebook page, Veal's Ice Tree website

Photo credit: Getty Images/Karen Wall