Isak Heartstone, the Popular Breckenridge Troll, Returns to Breck Just in Time for 4th of July Festivities

BRECKENRIDGE, Colo., June 26, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Some may remember the controversy that arose in Breckenridge late last Fall when it was decided that Isak Heartstone, an imaginative art piece created by Danish artist Thomas Dambo during the 2018 Breckenridge International Festival of Arts, would be disassembled and no longer accessible for tourists to visit.. Well, here in Breckenridge we are overjoyed to announce, he's back!

So, who is Isak Heartstone? Initially created as a temporary installation during BIFA (the Breckenridge International Festival of Arts), Isak Heartstone was a larger than life wooden troll assembled by Thomas Dambo, an artist and designer who specializes in creating imaginative pieces from recycled materials. Masterfully constructed out of pallets and recycled wood, the kindly troll acquired his name after three local girls brought Dambo a heart-shaped rock during his assembly. The captivating troll with soulful eyes and a friendly face rapidly gained traction on social media and, due to his popularity, Isak remained intact well past his initial deconstruction date in late August so that more would have the opportunity to visit him.

However, Isak's overwhelming popularity soon became his demise. Originally constructed along a trail behind the residential Wellington neighborhood, thousands of visitors flocked to this otherwise quiet corner of Breckenridge to catch a glimpse of the wooden creature. Use of the free shuttle bus from downtown Breckenridge to this neighborhood (soon nicknamed the "Troll Trolley") exploded after Isak's arrival – jumping from just 7,500 riders in October 2017 to 16,500 in the same month 2018. Many residents of the neighborhood began to feel inundated.

"Imagine 10,000 people knocking on your door, asking you directions," says Girvin, a member of the town's Creative Arts Councile, which commissioned the artwork for $40,000.

So, after several heated debates (from both Isak supporters and detractors) it was decided that Isak would be dismantled. However, realizing the magnetism of Isak, the town promised that he would return as soon as they could find a more suitable home and sustainable trail for his hoards of visitors.

So, in May 2019, Dambo returned to Breckenridge to begin the recreation of the friendly troll that had gained such a following the prior year. After a ceremonial placement of Isak's 'heartstone' (by the same local children who placed the stone in the original Isak last year) and several weeks of work by the town to create 'Trollstigen Trail' (a more accessible and sustainable trail for visitors) it was announced on June 24, 2019 that Isak Heartstone is ready for his comeback! Now residing on the Illinois Gulch trail (just behind the Ice Rink on the South side of town) the 15-foot tall wooden troll structure is ready to welcome visitors from far and near to his new home!

Tiana Shelton, a lifetime Breckenridge local and General Manager of the popular property management company, Ski Country Resorts, says, "I knew Isak since he was just a pile of wood and pallets. I was heartbroken to see him go last year, but am so excited about his return and delighted that people will have the chance, once agian, to discover him and feel the excitement that so many got to feel last year when visiting him!"

So how can you access Isak?
Visit : go.skicountry.com/isak-heartstone for directions to Isak and rules for visiting him.

SOURCE Ski Country Resorts