Warm-up means the end of man's quest to build world's largest ice sculpture

Warm temperatures are bringing an end to many winter activities – including a man's quest to build the world's largest free-standing ice sculpture.

Sculptor Roger Hanson, who goes by the nickname "Ice Man," has been working on Barker's Island in Superior, Wisconsin, since November. He's been trying to build the sculpture with the help of a robot he invented.

He was hoping to set a Guinness World Record. The title currently belongs to the People’s Government of Yichun City, in Yichun, China. In 2010 they built an ice sculpture in the shape of a dinosaur that measured 53 feet, 3.58 inches tall according to Guinness World Records.

Hanson's first attempt this winter measured in at 66 feet high – but warm weather caused it to come crashing down (watch video of the fall here) in early February.

But he didn't give up.

His second attempt topped out at just under 51 feet tall and weighed 5 million pounds, according to his Facebook page.

It's not clear if his first attempt will set a record.

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As with Hanson's other ice projects over the years, warm weather will take down the sculpture.

It closed to public viewing on Sunday, and Hanson is obligated by contract to take the sculpture down by March 15, he wrote on his Facebook page.

However, the warm temperatures forecast throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin this week may bring it down sooner, Northland's NewsCenter says.

This was Hanson's eighth ice project, and he plans to do it again next year.

"Everything I've learned here now, I'm going to take this back with me. I'm going to be working on new technology and a different process so that we can take advantage of the attributes that are true to this location," Hanson told the news station.

The City of Superior and the Superior Tourism Development Fund contracted Hanson to build the Lake Superior Ice Project. The city is hoping the tourist attraction will boost the local economy this winter.