travelling-blogger

comments

It is the embodiment of the Alaska cliche, and now a giant 80ft-high igloo is up for sale.

The somewhat tasteless structure has long been a quirky must-see for tourists on their way to Denali National Park.

And now it is on the market for $300,000 (£177,600).

Slice of Alaskan paradise: The quirky igloo structure is on sale for £177,600 and is already a hit with tourists

Dilapidated: The bizarre building, which is more than 40 years old, has been left to rot at the side of the road and has also fallen victim to vandals

The incomplete building is more than 40 years old and was originally meant to be a hotel but it was left abandoned.

Sitting incongruously at the side of the road, it eventually became a bizarre tourist stop-off, where holidaymakers take photos to symbolise they are in Alaska.

But anyone considering buying the igloo to turn it into a true tourist attraction will have their work cut out.

Home from home: The igloo was originally designed as a hotel in the 1970s, but was abandoned mid-project, meaning that its interior is completely unfinished

Past its best: Up until 2005, there was hut accommodation and a petrol station alongside the abandoned igloo, but even those have closed now

It was never fitted with electricity, the interior is incomplete and before it was shut off to the public vandals set of firecrackers inside causing further damage.

Despite going through a series of owners since the 1970s, nobody has ever managed to do anything with the 'white elephant'.

Current owner Brad Fisher would love to see the igloo finally fulfill its purpose and become a hotel, perhaps an environmentally-friendly accommodation with a restaurant.

Alaskan haven: Tourists stop off at the igloo on their way to visit the spectacular Denali National Park

The building certainly has a beautiful view, looking out over the surrounding mountains, and already has a loyal tourism following.

It is also on the route to the six million-acre Denali National Park, home to the highest mountain in North America, which attracts around half a million visitors every year. It is also a wildlife-lover's dream, with moose, wolves, wild foxes and grizzly bears.

But new owners will need deep pockets to make the dream a success, spending millions to ensure the structure is safe.

Fisher, the owner since 1996, rented out four nearby cabins and ran a single gasoline dispenser at the site until 2005.