15-foot-tall recycled artwork adds a little bit of magic to the forests of Colorado. 

Breckenridge, Colorado, is known for many things; skiing, beer, colorful buildings, and year-round access to alpine fun. In August of 2018, a new reason to visit was added to the list: trolls. As many of us here in Colorado know, Breckenridge has a 15-foot tall wooden troll as a permanent resident. He is peaceful, kind of cute, very photogenic, and goes by the name of Isak Heartstone.

Constructed as part of the 2018 Breckenridge International Festival of the Arts, this gentle giant acts a guardian and secret keeper of the woods, greeting those who pass by with his welcoming smile and all-knowing gaze.

Isak Heartstone, courtesy of Thomas Dambo

There are a few things about the sculpture that folks might not know, so we decided to take a look at these five things that make Isak Heartsone the troll he is today.

Made from Trash

The giant troll was built by Danish artist Thomas Dambo near the start of the Wellington Trail and is made up completely of recycled wooden pallets, reclaimed wood, and other scrap lumber. When he was first constructed, Isak was intended to stay intact for three years, enduring the weather and outside elements.  Dambo builds art from recycled and reclaimed material around the world as part of his message.

"I make these sculptures out of local scrap wood, with the help of local volunteers. To show the world how much potential and beauty lays hidden in our trash." –Thomas Dambo, Facebook, on November 14, 2018

The History Behind His Name

His name comes from the heart-shaped stone gifted to the artist from some local school kids as he was building the sculpture, and it fits the friendly troll perfectly. The heartstone is built into the troll’s chest, much in the fashion of the Tin Man of Oz.

He Has Been Built Twice

Originally intended to be a temporary exhibit, Isak took 10 days to build and was a huge hit on social media, the wooden troll becoming an instant celebrity. Tons of people flocked to the mountain town to take pictures, and he was so popular that he was left up after the August 2018 festival closed so more people could come and visit him. Ridership of the local shuttle bus, dubbed the "Troll Trolley," doubled its ridership and the troll became a huge attraction.

This eventually sparked some protest from residents who lived near the trail people in the community vocalized discontent with his first location; raising concerns over illegal parking, litter, and lots of foot traffic in the area. They wanted him removed, while thousands vowed to save the troll. After much (and very heated) debate from both sides, the city council of Breckenridge decided to take Isak down over safety concerns.

Thomas Dambo started an effort to be allowed to reconstruct Isak after the city council’s decision, and many folks agreed with him. Isak was dismantled in November of 2018, however, Dambo was eventually allowed to rebuild the sculpture in May of 2019. 

He traveled to Breckenridge and spent another 10 days with a group of volunteers rebuilding Isak, with his heartstone intact in his new home. The heartstone was placed inside Isak’s new chest by the same kids who gifted it to Dambo the first time, keeping the magic behind the story alive. Located on the Illinois Gulch Tral, Isak’s new digs are dubbed "Trollstigen Trail." The area has been revamped to create a more accessible, sustainable, and crowd-friendly trail for people to come and see the troll without distributing those who live in the area.

The trail reopened in late June 2019 as part of this year’s Breckenridge International Festival of the Arts, and folks can now make their way up to see Isak again. He is resting about a fifteen-minute walk from the Breckenridge Welcome Center.

Isak Has a BIG Family

Isak is not alone in his quiet watch of the forest. Dambo has built 40 trolls across the globe as part of his work to show beauty from what is left behind and promote taking care of the planet.

Isak has a sister named Sneaky Socks Alexa, who lives with six other siblings—Niels, Brager, Furry Ema, Rocky Bardur, Little Arturs, and Joe the Guardian—in an exhibit titled "Troll Hunt" in Illinois.

Joe the Guardian, courtesy of Thomas Dambo

Another six troll siblings reside in Copenhagen; "The Six Forgotten Giants"—Teddy Friendly, Oscar Under the Bridge Sleeping Louis, Little Tilde, Tomas on the Mountian, and Hilltop Trine—are dispersed in municipalities around the region and tucked into forests, meadows, and parks around the area.

Little Tilde, courtesy of Thomas Dambo

Check out Dambo's website to see all of his creations and learn more about Isak Heartstone’s many siblings.

How to See Isak

Isak is back, for now, and ready to greet curious visitors, take pictures, and keep the secrets of those who pass, but he may not be around forever. Not intended to last forever, eventually, the sculpture will wear down. But maybe Dambo will come back and build another in its place, only time will tell. 

For now, there are a few things know if you want to go troll hunting and snap a selfie or just send a peaceful moment bonding with Colorado’s very own mountain troll:

• When: Plan ahead, open year-round, for now
• Where: Trollstigen Trail, Illinois Gulch, 189 Boreas Pass Road, Breckenridge
• Price: Free
• No Parking near Isak, you must either take the free shuttles or park elsewhere and hike up to him.
• Those who visit are asked to leave no trace, keep dogs on a leash at all times, stay on the trail, respect the natural world and others around you. 
• Remember Isak is a piece of art, and while sturdy, he is not a playground. Please do not climb him! Respecting the troll will keep him around that much longer for us all to enjoy. 

The story of Colorado’s mountain troll is just another cool Colorado thing we love to talk about. Have you been up to see Isak Heartstone in either of his two homes? Share with us your stories and favorite pictures of the troll in the comments below.