Ove Arup Foundation

ICE heads to Alps for 2011 event

A lively group of would-be engineers has just completed an enlightening trip to the French Alps as part of the Institution of Civil Engineers’ annual ICE & Snow event.

The initiative has been running since 2004, and is supported by the Ove Arup Foundation. It uses skiing and creative projects to enthuse and inform under-19s about a career in engineering.

For the 2011 event a 65-strong group, including 26 students aged 7-19, took to the slopes of Meribel Mottaret, high in the French Alps, all (or partly) in the name of engineering.

For the first time this year a ‘skiing geocache’ was introduced, giving the group experience of geospatial engineering. The ICE & Snow teams used highly sensitive GPS trackers to find hidden boxes dotted around what is the largest ski area in the world.

Inside the boxes were engineering questions, which the teams then researched in the evenings. Runner-up Connor Boland commented: “I wasn't interested in the GPS trackers, but after the 'Geocache' around the 3 Vallees that was all I wanted to win – and we did.”

Other evening challenges set up by the organisers included building a ski park, ski jump, toboggan run and a cable car with legomindstorm equipment. Points were given for engineering, innovation, design, teamwork and engineering knowledge.

Details of the last few trips, including videos of the grand challenges, are available at the Institution of Civil Engineers website.

Plans are already developing to return to Meribel Mottaret for ICE & Snow 2012, provisionally on 16 – 23 December. Contact  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more details.