Deep Creek Lake Activities – Page 19

Winter Fest 2011-Deep Creek Lake

Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite Realtor

Winter Fest 2011 Deep Creek Lake

Winter Fest will be held again this year in Oakland, Maryland on February 18-20 and will kick off Friday with the annual Progressive Dinner. Diners will be treated to sleigh rides skipping from one restaurant to another ending up at the Oakland Historical Museum. Temperatures are forecasted to be in the mid 50’s until Saturday where they will drop in the 30’s and begin to feel like winter again.

During the weekend, Bill Sandusky form Frozen Assets Ice Carving Company will returning to wow you with his amazing carving skills. Kids will be treated to a personalized block of ice with their names carved in it. Ice sculptures will be lit at night and be on display the entire week until they melt.

Are you a scratch bowler? Try your hand at bowling frozen cantaloupes down an ice ally knocking down traditional bowling pins. Now that’s something you don’t do everyday! Horse-drawn sleigh rides will be available to the public throughout the event. The Oakland Trail will be open during the day and well-lit at nigh for cross country skiers and snowshoe’ers. Don’t forget to drop into Marvin’s to vote on the Prince and Princess “Snowflake Toddler”. Get your creative juices flowing and bring your props to enter the snowman making contest. Prizes will be awarded to the master snowman artist. As you enjoy the lighted snow sculptures dispersed around town don’t forget to gather around the huge bonfire and cook up a few smores.

The highlight for me will be the snowmobile races on Saturday at The Armory. Bring your hotrod and saddle up on the race track to see if you have what it takes to get the checkered flag. Winter Fest is destined to be another spectacular event around the Deep Creek Lake area for your family and friends so don’t miss it!

Deep Creek Lake, Maryland

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.

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.

Snowmobiling Deep Creek Lake At Night

Jim Morrison once sang; “Let’s swim to the moon, let’s climb through the tide, penetrate the evening that the city sleeps to hide.” Penetrate sleepy Deep Creek Lake evenings by snowmobile and be catapulted into enchanted nightscapes dominated by moonlight, feather-like snowflakes, and a carpet base of snow powder on top of an icy blue lake. Look through kinda spiritual glasses of Deep Creek Lake…from the center of the lake be captivated by surreal mountain silhouettes framing up mystical cloud formations highlighting a brilliant moon. I had the experience of shredding a drive belt on Saturday night to open my eyes to the brilliant silence that the night brings to the lake. My wife Betsy took off on a 30-minute trip to get me a replacement belt and as the roar of her sled faded into the darkness I was left in a tranquil state of peace and quiet, something I’ve never experienced in the winters on the lake. I instantly forgot that the Steelers/Ravens were starting the first quarter of a playoff brawl until cheers from rental houses across the lake echoed by me in a calm cool breeze and then in an instant subsided again to calm. The glow of the purple gray skies slowly eased to darkness giving me a gorgeous hazy wintertime sunset and the awakening low buzz of my wife’s sled chugging toward me breaking the still half-hour trance. I never get tired of discovering the many, many different facets of the lake that I discover through my searches or by fate. Come experience it for yourself on your next visit to Deep Creek Lake.

Ice Fishing Deep Creek Lake

Ice Fishing Deep Creek Lake

Now that we have come into the meat of winter and the ice has frozen to 8+ inches, the diehard ice fishing junkies are out in full swing reeling in the spoils of their efforts. It takes a special person to get up early in the morning (with sometimes negative temperatures) and go drill ten or so holes in the ice to prepare for some excellent fishing. Being from Virginia, I do not have a lot of experience on the ice…until today, when I went to check out some locals who had just set up their tip-ups over their fishing holes. As I gingerly stepped on the ice it felt firm under my feet, which gave me the courage to walk out to the fishermen. While talking to one of the gentleman, I heard a thunderous crack under my feet that shot like a laser beam toward the shoreline and sent a chill up my spine. I was sure I was going through the ice! The fisherman kinda chuckled a bit and reassured me that it was absolutely safe on the ice considering its current thickness. It’s so quiet on the lake you can hear the ice shifting, snapping and popping almost like it has a life of its own. In no time, the flags on the tip-ups are popping in the air signaling that there’s a fish-on. Yellow perch are the catch of the day, although walleye and some trout can be caught as well. On your next visit to Deep Creek Lake take some time to walk out on the ice and check in with some of the locals who are on their frozen paradise. Maybe you’ll be inspired to become a ice fishing junkie yourself!

Deep Creek Lake The Autumn Glory Festival

The Autumn Glory Festival

Beautiful autumn is here at Deep Creek Lake. We are enjoying cooler, sweatshirt weather at the moment as the leaves are slowly starting to show a bit of color as of late. Did you know that the Annual Autumn Glory Festival in next door Oakland, Maryland was voted #1 by travel.msn.com? What a great time to make an excuse to take a long weekend off from work and head out on a road trip to be with us here at Deep Creek Lake. You may miss the annual kick off reception dance/dinner on Wednesday night, but get here for the fireman’s parade on Thursday night. You will be elbow to elbow with folks of all ages lining the streets of Oakland watching this very popular local event.

Did I mention the Oom-Pah band?? The Oakland fire hall becomes the center of Octoberfest with German style foods and the old school sounds of the Oom-Pah band. Do not miss this event!! Be sure to bring the kids so you can get out on the dance floor and get into a delightful time-warp to the old world.

Friday you can watch the Maryland State Banjo and Fiddle Championship. If I’m not mistaken they will also have a Mandolin pick off as well. You will be amazingly entertained by the talent of the pickers who show up to get their bluegrass groove on.

Saturday the locals line up on beautiful 2^ndand 3^rd Street to watch the festival’s Grand Feature Parade. Front yards will be packed with locals in kind of a tailgating atmosphere getting ready for the parade to begin. Then the doors are opened to marching bands, clowns, mini motor cycles and go-carts, floats…you name it, it all comes together to make one heck of a fun afternoon.

The Autumn Glory Car, Truck & Tractor show finishes the weekend up on Sunday with polished classic beauties.

Take a few vacation days from work, call in with the sniffles, or just play hooky and bee-line yourself to see us this weekend at Deep Creek Lake and have a fun filled weekend before winter gets it’s claws in you.

Tag: Deep Creek Lake Activities