Deep Creek Lake Blog - All About Deep Creek Lake

Deep Creek Lake, Maryland

Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite Realtor

Deep Creek Lake, Maryland

Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Just a hair west of the Eastern Continental Divide on a large Plateau called Tablelands, and just a bit East of Morgantown, West Virginia home of the Mountaineers, you will find the up and coming resort town of Deep Creek Lake. Maryland. The mighty Youghiogheny River carves through the panhandle of Maryland’s Garrett County mountains as it flows north through Pennsylvania and finally merges with the famous three rivers in the steel town of Pittsburgh then funnels to the Mississippi River and eventually drains into The Gulf of Mexico. Deep Creek Lake was a very popular get away for the rich and well-to-do folks who were trying to escape the brutal humid heat that dominated the East Coast at the turn of the century. Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone and Thomas Edison often camped at Maryland’s highest waterfall, Muddy Creek falls which is only minutes from the northern end of the lake. Deep Creek Lake was in fact created when the DCL Dam was constructed in 1928, which gave this tranquil mountain environment another valuable asset and catapulted the area into becoming Maryland’s diamond in the rough. The lake slowly evolved to support lake recreational activities such as boating, sailing, fishing, swimming, and waterskiing and whose main stream popularity gained momentum through the decades to become the centerpiece for tourism in the state of Maryland. In 1955, Mr. Ace Heise turned the cow pastures of Marsh Mountain into a make shift ski area that slowly evolved into one of the premier ski resorts on the east coast, Wisp Resort. The power trio of Wisp Resort, Deep Creek Lake, and the Youghiogheny River stand as the nucleus to the county thriving abundantly with recreational activities year round. Activities include; hiking, river and lake fishing, camping, snowshoeing, boating, sailing, wakeboarding, slalom skiing, ATV riding, snowmobiling, kayaking, snow skiing, snowboarding, zip lining, dune buggy trails, ice skating, a roller coaster, and jet skiing to name a few. With the popularity of the lake came more and more events to entertain locals and tourist alike. Events like: The Autumn Glory Festival & Parade, The Deep Creek Dunk, The Cardboard Box Derby, Deep Creek Lake Art and Wine Festival, K-9 Tunes and Brews, Winter Fest, Aquapooloza and many more throughout the season. Take a little time before your next visit to DCL and dig up some facts and history in the archives of the internet so your appreciation for this special town can be fully understood.

Drag Racing Snowmobiles-Deep Creek Lake

Drag Racing Snowmobiles Deep Creek Lake

I have been seduced by the mountain life and loving it!!! Bucket list…Snowmobile drag racing…CHECK! I can’t reiterate how much I enjoy life here in Deep Creek Lake after the work bell rings! I am a self-professed surfing and beach junkie and wondered if I could ever be disconnected from the ocean life that has always been my roots and co-exist with the mountain lifestyle. The answer easily screams YES!!

Yesterday I participated in snowmobile drag races, an event that was put on by The Snowdrifters Club. Temperatures ranged from cold to freezing with stiff 20-25 mph West winds bringing horizontal snow and walloping wind chills. Sign up’s started at 8’ish and went on until 10am. The event kicked in with the classic old snowmobiles leading the charge. Next came everyone’s favorite class which was the Kitty Kat class. Little youngsters were getting their feet wet in a sport that surely will be engrained in their hearts forever. The smiles of these wonderful children and the cheers from the supportive spectators really kicked this ice cold event off with warm feelings by all. The rest of the day rotated classes ranging from 400 cc’s to 1100 cc’s and were separated by classes – Stock, Super Sock, and Pro Mod. The rush of sitting at the starting line awaiting the stage light to go green can only be experienced; words do not describe these types of emotions. As the light goes green and you hammer the throttle, you explode off the starting line like a rocket ship and the peripheral vision blurs as your focus becomes the finish line. Sure, these sleds hit speeds of 100- 120mph on the lake but you only have 500’ to reach your top speed when drag racing. Factors influencing speed are where you take off and the snow conditions beneath your sled, how you distribute your weight on the sled, the line you choose, visibility, and most importantly how quickly you get into the throttle as the light turns green. Unbelievably exciting event!!

We have one more drag race coming up next weekend for those of you that missed it this year. Check out Deep Creek Home this week for more details.

Cardboard Box Derby Design-Deep Creek Lake

Cardboard Box Derby Design Deep Creek Lake

Cardboard Box Derby Design-Deep Creek Lake. March 19, 2011. That means you only have 37 days to come up with a design, get the necessary cardboard, purchase a couple dozen rolls of duct tape, and try to put together a team of people who will be willing to sip a few beers and help build a cardboard rocket ship for this year’s cardboard box derby. Last year, Long and Foster manager Bob Carney, and myself (Bob Holcomb) from The Spiker Team put together our first entry in this event which was a two man Bob Sled, AKA “The Bobs’ Sled”. Long and Foster agent Doug McClive had the cardboard connection from an anonymous source, and fellow agent Mark Utterback came through with cases of duct tape to get the build started. What better way to get down a track of packed snow than on a Bobsled? So, from there the construction journey began on some old saw horses with many different kinds of cardboard products. It didn’t take too many 3- hour build sessions to get our design laid out and put together.

BLOG STOP! Seriously folks, it is not that hard to build a cardboard box entry. The whole experience from putting it together until you cross the finish line is exciting and rewarding. BLOG RE-START!

Did I mention this is to raise money for the blind skiers program??? I bet I can find more reasons for you to participate then you can invent excuses not too. You have 37 days. Get together with your family, friends, coworkers, or make some new friends and put your best effort in building a cardboard box masterpiece and pilot the vessel to victory. If you finish first or last, consider it a victory in life for supporting a great cause and having a heck of a lot of fun being a part of the process.

PHOTO’S BY BOB CARNEY

Snowmobile Drag Races Deep Creek Lake

Let’s get ready to RUMBLE! Leave the boxing gloves at home this weekend, fuel up your snowmobile and head on down to the big drag races this Saturday February 12^th, 2011. This weekend the crowd will be at Harvey’s Farm, 2482 Sandflat Road watching the bold and brave flex their ego’s and horsepower at this classic Garrett County event. I am bursting with excitement because this is my first sled drag race other than racing my husband Bob for bragging rights on the lake. I’m still on the fence whether I will suit up and represent the ladies in this all day event. Watching my new husband race may be about all the excitement I can stand in one day, personally. I can’t wait to watch the thunder in all the different classes which go from Stock, Super Stock, and Pro Modified. Word is that the big dogs are bringing in their super hot rods that will be thrilling to watch as they can reach some rally insane speeds. Bring your family, and tell your friends about this supercharged winter event.

Garrett County Special Olympics Dunk

Garrett County Special Olympics Dunk. This year’s winter season is far from over and in my mind we have a few more annual events left that help define what a special place we have here in Deep Creek Lake. It’s early February and we have snow flurries coming down at the moment. Tuesdays are always a great time on the slopes considering that the traffic has thinned out from the weekend. As we look ahead at the must-see events calendar, we have in our crosshairs the Deep Creek Dunk. This event takes place at DCL’s party hub, The Honi Honi Bar, and you can be sure that it will be standing room only, as always. People make their way by car, truck, snowmobiles, snowshoes, cross country skis, and I’ve even seen a lady pulling her children on a sled across the frozen lake. The event sponsors come in weeks ahead of time with chainsaws and other implements of destruction to cut out a huge area along the shoreline through the 1-2 foot lake ice to set the stage for the insanity. Dunk (not drunk as you may suspect!) participants get people to sponsor them ($50 per sponsor) and they literally bare all and jump into icy Deep Creek Lake to raise money for Maryland’s Special Olympics. Well, not bare all, but last year I did see a guy in Speedos with swim fins and a snorkel mask on, as painful as that may sound. That’s where this gets even more interesting…Aside from the body bearers, some people come dressed up in all kinds of unique, wacky, fun costumes which add even more enjoyment for spectators. Make the decision now; are you a dunker or a watcher? No matter what you do, don’t miss this exciting and fun event that revolves around raising money for a first class charity organization.

Snowmobiling Deep Creek Lake

Snowmobiling Deep Creek Lake. I consistently discover new things to do, being a “newer” resident at Deep Creek Lake. In a very short time, this special place has offered me opportunities to snowboard, wakeboard, fish, kayak, golf, paddle board, play on a manmade whitewater course, and has even inspired me to pursue photography and painting because of the immense beauty that surrounds me daily. This winter, I have become a snowmobile junkie. My wife, Betsy, and I have looked at DCL and Garrett County through a new and exciting pair of glasses since being introduced to “sledding”. We explore the lake, ride to breakfast and dinner, or just race each other on these 4-stroke Yamaha hotrods across the frozen lake. I have had my sled torqued out to 100 MPH on the smooth icy lake which will start a floodgate of adrenaline senses streaming through your veins and leaving chills of excitement down the back of your neck.

Out of towners and second home residents always give you a raised eyebrow look when you mention that you actually ride across a frozen lake on these monsters, but we are much thicker than the 6” minimum at the moment. We are closer to the 24” mark now. Some nights you will see many huge groups of snowmobilers riding in what looks to be motor cycle gangs. Get up here and join an experienced club so you can safely enjoy a sport that puts you maximizing life! www.gcsnowdrifters.org

Four Season-Deep Creek Lake

Four Season Deep Creek Lake

Imagine with me for a minute a beautiful lake nuzzled into majestic mountain ranges that boasts four spectacular seasons with literally hundreds of different activities to quench your thirst for living. Close your eyes and spin an imaginary wheel with the four seasons on it, and wherever it lands you will be rewarded with a special time to visit us here at the lake. Deep Creek Lake is truly an amazing four season area to come explore with your family and friends. It will not take long for Garrett County to feel like home as you experience year-after-year perfect mountain conditions, one season at a time.

Winter time here at the “Little Tahoe of the East” can be more fun and excitement than you can take. There is plenty of snow to provide a picturesque background to many winter activities. I suggest after getting your fill of skiing or snowboarding that you go take a hike in one of Garrett County’s 7 State Parks. Swallow Falls State Park is my personal favorite in the wintertime because of the partially frozen falls that are covered with hundreds of little icicles. Bring a camera and some snowshoes after a big snow and be prepared to enter a winter wonderland.

As spring starts to slowly melt the snow, again the waterfalls and Youghiogheny River swell dramatically and you will witness some of the most spectacular waterfalls the East Coast has to offer at Swallow Falls State Park. Listen to the sound of water flowing that rivals that of thunder and feel the freight train power of the Yough exploding all around you. Spring is also a good time to get your boat tuned up and head to the lake to begin capitalizing on some productive fishing.

As summer arrives, you are in the heart of my favorite time of the year here. Enjoy low humidity, warm air and lake temperatures, and a zillion things to do. Every day here during the summer season is sacred to me and I count my blessings every car ride to work. Summers here possess a positive, beautiful aura for being alive. Activities? Hmmm…it would take days to list all the things I enjoy doing here during the summer. For a start, go on a hike, go Kayaking, go wakeboarding, go fishing, those are the obvious. Go chase every day with the eyes of an explorer and you’ll be amazed at what you uncover.

Fall here brings people from all over the East Coast to enjoy the stunning fall foliage as the trees prepare to shed their leaving and turn into the most amazing kaleidoscope of colors. Find a spot on Wisp Mountain that has mountain views and you’ll be in awe of colorful mountainscapes. It is also a prime time to go fishing on the lake and in the rivers so don’t forget your fishing gear.

Come visit the only home I’ve ever known and see the brilliance of all four seasons.

Steelers/Ravens Rivalry Deep Creek Lake

Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite Realtor

Steelers/Ravens Rivalry Deep Creek Lake

Steelers/Ravens Rivalry Deep Creek Lake

Steelers/Ravens Rivalry Deep Creek Lake

I moved to Deep Creek Lake 4+ years ago from the Outer Banks to supervise the construction of the new Lodestone Golf Club at Wisp Resort. My football roots hailed from the great state of Texas, Dallas to be more specific. I grew up a diehard Cowboy fan in Redskin country and never really felt moved by any other football rivalries. Living here in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland has changed all that for me, as it is truly a unique football fan situation here at the lake. Okay, here is why…. Fans here live in the great state of Maryland…You would think this would be a shoe-in to be a Baltimore Raven fan, right?? Not so much. Remember, we are 3 hours West of Baltimore but only 2 hours south of Pittsburgh. Our primary TV station here is Pittsburgh’s own WTAE-4 coming straight from downtown P-town. Every morning and evening we hear about Pittsburgh’s weather, news and sports; this is where you hear about the black and gold year round. Sure, you hear about the Penguins and occasionally the Pirates but make no mistake about it, Steeler Nation’s head quarters hails from this three river steel town. But just as Steeler fans bleed black and gold, DCL is split in half by Raven fans that have purple blood running through their veins. The Ravens fans here at the lake take as much love and pride into every game just as their rivals do. I think to say that each team respects each other is just downright false! These teams and their fans have no love for each other!! As we step out of our beds and plant our feet on the floor of Super Bowl Sunday (which is playing in Dallas in the Cowboy stadium, Ouch!), there are still Ravens fans that feel like they didn’t get a fair shake on the last Ravens Steelers Brawl. Just as some baseball fans feel that the Red Sox/Yankees playoff duels ARE the World Series, the same sentiment is felt here at Maryland’s favorite lake/ski town. Ravens fans/players feel like they were cheated out of a victory at this year’s Ravens/Steelers “Super Bowl” and they are angry and hungry for the re-match next year. Until then some friendships and business relationships may be strained until the tables are turned next football season.

North Camp Development, Wisp Resort, Deep Creek Lake

North Camp Development, Wisp Resort, Deep Creek Lake. Let me let you in on a little secret here in Deep Creek Lake. On the Northwestern side of Wisp Mountain there is an up and coming community that is destined to become a favorite among second homeowners here at the lake. Wisp Resort’s newer community, North Camp, has tremendous personality that day-time visitors and winter sports enthusiasts cannot fully appreciate unless you visit at dusk, when most are home cooking dinner with their families. You cannot believe the sunsets on this virtually undeveloped side of Wisp Resort. It is only a few minutes from my front door and I routinely put dinner on hold to buzz over to relax and absorb some tranquil sunsets.

Most people interested in mountain real estate visit during the day and have no comprehension of fiery calm sunsets that consistently grace Garrett County. Homes and homesites look 50+ miles across a maze of mountain ranges and spectacular views extending deep into West Virginia. Don’t forget that you are only a few strides from the new Wisp Resort ski slope expansions with great ski in/out opportunities right off the ski lift seconds from primetime runs. Take a little time next visit and give Betsy Spiker Holcomb a call; let her team show you around an amazing mountain that we are proud to call our home.

Willy Wisp,Wisp Resort Ski Lessons

Willy Wisp,Wisp Resort Ski Lessons. I know we have a lot of young families that are choosing Deep Creek Lake as their second home get away. Young families need a special place they can count on to help instill confidence and love for winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding. The Willy Wisp program at Wisp Resort will provide your youngsters with professionally trained instructors teaching groups from 3-7 years old to 8-14 years old. Believe me, you will be amazed how quickly the young ones latch on and learn these sports. Even if your children are grown you should still drop by and become a spectator of some heartwarming moments.

My mother-in-law, wife and I brought down our niece who is a hair past 2 years old for her first attempt at skiing. It didn’t take long at all before she was cruising down the slope by herself! What a wonderful experience to be involved in. Check out the rates so you can be prepared on your next visit to DCL to start your child on a lifelong love for winter sports.