Even out in Alaska, this gigantic urethane igloo sticks out like a bizarre, misplaced structure on the side of Parks Highway. It's long been a curiosity for tourists whizzing by on the way to Denali National Park. And now the famous landmark is for sale to the tune of $300,000.
Let's be clear, the igloo is in no livable condition. Intended as a hotel in the 1970s, the 80-foot-tall structure was abandoned and never finished. It's been slowly deteriorating at the side of the road ever since. Vandals have set off fire crackers inside. The exterior is looking decidedly less ice-like as it peels. Also, there's no electricity.
The igloo has passed through a chain of owners since the 70s, none of whom have bothered to renovate the structure. Brad Fisher, the owner since 1996, hopes that an enterprising buyer could turn fulfill the igloo's original promise as a hotel. It's 20 miles from the closest town, but right next to prime snowmobiling and hiking territory. The thirty-eight acres of land the igloo sits on is also part of the $300,000 price tag.
Any buyers would have their work (and money) cut out for them if they want to turn this dilapidated igloo into a functional hotel. But it's already a tourist attraction—pulling buses and cars off the road with its sheer weirdness. They just need to be convinced to sleep inside a giant, fake igloo. [Associated Press]
Photo credits: Malcolm Manners/Flickr, sandwich/Flickr, Bob Keefer/Flickr