Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite Realtor
Wild Ramps at Deep Creek Lake
Ramps deep creek lake
Wild Ramps Deep Creek Lake. April is here, and for the Mountains surrounding Deep Creek Lake that means that wild ramps, which are classified as wild leeks, are just about ready to harvest. These wild leeks have a very strong and pungent flavor that taste to me like a mixture between onions, garlic and leeks. My favorite way to eat them is to put them in fried potatoes with some salt and pepper. Cooking them tames down the flavor some but understand they always pack a delicious punch. Eating them raw is another matter. Only the hardcore brave eat these wild treats fresh from the ground. The intense flavor will have you committed to its enjoyment for many, many hours…or days. I’m not sure if tooth brushes and toothpaste ever have a chance at getting the bold taste of ramps off your breath, but when you are up here in the Mountains you are among the majority!
Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite RealtorDeep Creek Lake fundraiser for The Little Youch Music Festival
Deep Creek Lake fundraiser for The Little Youch Music Festival. Come join the fun at Deep Creek Lake at The Mountain State Brewing Company on April 9, 2010 6 pm – 9 pm for a fund raiser benefiting The Little Youch Summer Music Festival. Come join Guest Bartenders Rob Michael, Scott Lohr, and Arlene Murray for what is sure to be another successful event. Local favorites The Hillybilly Gypsies will be throwing down the bluegrass jams throughout the night. All bar tips will be donated to the Little Youch Summer Music Festival. Come out and have a homemade brew and munch on some flatbread while tapping your toes to the Hillbilly Gypsies and supporting a good cause. I’ll see you there.
Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite Realtor
Springtime Water Skiing on Deep Creek Lake
After a record breaking snowfall this past winter which led to epic skiing and snowboarding conditions, spring has opened up the window to warmer summer sports. “Warmer” might be a stretch when talking about water temperatures, but the air temperatures have been midsummer- like for the last 3 weeks. A couple of passionate water skiers disregarded talk about the ice cream headache cold waters here at Deep Creek Lake this time of year and decided to have a go at being the first ones on the lake. The only unorthodox detail that I left out is that these skiers would have to saddle up in 3mm dry suits to be able to tolerate the 45 degree temps the lake is serving up this early in the season. The only vulnerable body parts were the feet, hands, and head which didn’t keep these hardcore guys from enjoying an exciting Easter Weekend on the lake. What a great experience to see friends enjoying a wonderful day of water skiing while watching the snow skiers enjoying the final weekend of winter sports at Wisp Resort.
Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite Realtor
Lodestone Golf Club Trial Use Privilege. The elevated excitement about the grand opening of Lodestone Golf Course is going to a higher level with the introduction of the new Trial Use Privilege Program. This already legendary golf course, on top of Wisp Mountain, has people blown away by the natural aesthetic beauty of this thoroughbred golf paradise. The grassing scheme alone takes this rolling mountain course to the pinnacle…. Lodestone used the most modern bent grass hybrids on the tees, fairways, and greens, while framing it all in with fescue/bluegrass outer roughs. The combination of the upscale grass and the amazing design work that Hale Irwin and Design Workshop executed puts this track in a league of its own by a long shot.
Lodestone Golf Club Trial Use Privilege
This new trial membership is stunningly affordable considering what this masterpiece has to offer. Sign up now so you can have a chance to walk with Hale Irwin in the spring as he christens 18 fabulous holes. Deep Creek Lake is fortunate to have owners with such a well thought out vision of improving the quality of life and activities while continuing to stride towards excellence in everything they do for the people who live here. Click the picture above for details or call 310 616 4035 for more information.
Next Easter you want to put the Sunrise Service at Wisp Resort on your list of amazing things you want to experience in your lifetime. The whole experience starts with a chairlift ride to the top of Wisp Mountain at 6:00 am. Behind you is the faint glow of dawn that warms the mountain peaks with a calm clarity that intensifies as you near the top of Maryland’s favorite mountain. You are greeted with smiles, hugs, and warm “Happy Easter’s” from friends and strangers as you make your way to a clearing on top of Odin’s Chute that overlooks miles of mountain ranges and beautiful Deep Creek Lake.
Sunrise Service
As Pastor Scott Robinson started his Easter sermon with the sky slowly blooming fire, and the most magnificent colorful sunrise was cast over a mirror-glassed lake. The service penetrated the soul of spirituality as a new day was being born along the sleepy springtime mountain line. The Easter service ended in perfect cadence with the sun etching into the distant skyline with sunbeams reaching out like hands from our great creator.
Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite Realtor
There’s a story in ’em ‘er woods…or more like it, a whole lot of stories! Swallow Falls State Park is just outside of Deep Creek Lake, Maryland and stretches to about 257 acres along the scenic Youghiogheny River. Hiking trails will lead you to 2 large falls, Swallow Falls and Muddy Creek Falls, as well as several smaller whitewaters. Tall Hemlocks dominate the silent woods, which are estimated to be 300+ years old.
Muddy Creek Falls
As a native to Garrett County, Maryland I’ve walked these paths on many occasions but I learn something new about the historical park each time I visit. On my most recent trip to Swallow Falls, I noticed a few things about the trees that adorn its forests.
Tolliver Falls
Youghiogheny Grove is a 37-acre area of virgin Hemlock and White Pine and is the last stand of its kind in Maryland. Another grove of trees a little closer to the river is known as Towering Giants. Because of their age, the trees’ root systems are shallow and particularly vulnerable to storm damage. Some of the treetops and limbs have been stripped over the years, but to look up and see the sunlight glistening through them is a spectacle you’ll want to experience.
Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite Realtor
With just under a month left to ski at Wisp Ski Resort, the Cardboard Box Derby is on everyone’s radar this coming weekend. I have been in attendance the last two years and I have been in awe of the creative design and the speed of the entries. I have seen fire engines, ambulances, motorcycles, bi-planes, and even the Flintstones car straight out of Bedrock. The fun really starts when the contestants saddle up on their cardboard, duct tape, and string creations. This year, Long and Foster Manager Bob Carney and I are trying to build an aero-dynamic speed demon to dominate the speed category. Win or lose, everyone competing or spectating understands that we are doing this to raise money for the Deep Creek Lake Lions Club Blind Skiers Program.
Cardboard Box Derby
There are three categories by which the entries will be judged: 1.) Design, 2.) Speed, 3.) Judges Choice. The fun starts at 1:00PM at the Bear Claw Tubing Park on Saturday March 20th. Bring your family and friends and come experience a fun afternoon watching cardboard creations wrapped with miles of duct tape taking center stage for this gratifying cause. If you are interested in participating you still have time.
Here are the rules:
1. Boxes may be constructed only of cardboard, tape and string.
2. Decorations, painting and flags are permitted and encouraged.
3. Push-off at Start by non-rider is permitted.
4. No limit on number of passengers or size of box.
5. Participants are asked to remove boxes/remnants at finish of race.
6. Each entry will run individually against the clock.
Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite Realtor
Deep Creek Lake Springtime
Spring blossoms geese
There is something thing to be said for the changing of the seasons and the anticipation and excitement of things to come. After a fulfilling winter of activities there is an eagerness for spring to arrive so we can hear the birds chirping on a warm sunny morning, or to once again witness the familiar smells of the flowers and grass after months of snow on the ground. Then as we transition toward summer and the lake comes alive with activities and my mind becomes fixated on simple pleasures like summer tomatoes, Maryland blue crabs, or fresh silver queen corn. Each season has some familiar thing that pleasures one of your senses and the anticipation makes it all the more satisfying.
Deep Creek Lake Springtime
The last five days here in Deep Creek Lake we have seen crisp sunny blue skies and a slight rise in temperatures signaling the approach of brilliant springtime. As the snow levels subside and the streets and back wood paths begin to thaw, you can feel the energy level pulsing throughout the community. How exhilarating after a cold snowy winter it is to go for a jog, or take you dog for a walk or in warm sunshine. I have always believed that if you love and appreciate something in life you must let it go sometimes to see if it returns to you another day. My love for wintertime has always returned year-after-year. And I spend the rest of the time enjoying all the other seasons and the thrill of what they have to offer.
Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite Realtor
Deep Creek Lake Ski Season Update. What an amazing weekend we’ve just experienced at Deep Creek Lake! The skies were blue and the slopes were nothing but corduroy. We couldn’t have asked for better conditions. If you think you’ve had your fill of winter, the last 4 days of sunshine will make you appreciate the exhilaration of spring skiing.
A record snowfall of 262+ inches will easily carry us well into April (and probably even June!), but the one month alarm has just sounded. Wisp Resort will remain open through Easter weekend allowing us 4 more weekends of fun on the slopes. The fresh powder we’ve had has been a dream, but there’s also something to be said for skiing without all those layers. Then again, who’s to say we won’t see one more snowstorm! 🙂
Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite Realtor
News Release…Record Snow Fall at Deep Creek Lake May Result in Unprecedented Spring Melt
Deep Creek Hydroelectric Station to Lower Lake Levels; Lake Users Encouraged to Take Extra Safety Precautions
March 3, 2010, Oakland, MD – Sooner or later the record snow fall at Deep Creek Lake must melt and that could cause a record spring runoff. To a limited extent, Deep Creek Lake levels can be controlled by the Deep Creek Hydroelectric Station which operates under a Water Appropriation and Use permit from the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). Under the permit conditions, the Station, which is owned by Brookfield Renewable Power, uses water to generate hydropower, but keeps Lake levels within a defined “rule band” with upper and lower limits. This year’s unprecedented snow fall will likely result in an unprecedented snow melt, particularly if temperatures warm quickly.
To avoid serious and potentially damaging high water conditions at the dam and on the Lake, the Maryland Department of the Environment has approved Brookfield’s request to draw the Lake level down two feet below its permitted March lower limit. The draw down, which began on March 1, will take place gradually, with a maximum of 0.5 feet reduction per day. David Barnhart, General Manager for Brookfield’s Mid-America Operations said, “Together with MDE, we are doing what we can to anticipate and mitigate the impacts of the spring thaw. As this winter proves, you never know what Mother Nature will throw you and an early, sustained thaw may result in higher than usual water levels.”
The lowered water levels beneath the ice cover, combined with warming temperatures, pose unpredictable risks to recreational users of Deep Creek Lake. Carolyn Mathews, Manager of the Deep Creek Lake Recreation Area advises, “People should remember that there are always hazards to recreating on naturally-formed ice. Lowering the Lake to make additional storage space for the anticipated above normal spring runoff may destabilize the Lake’s ice and we urge everyone to take special care to stay safe.”
The MDE, Brookfield, and the Department of Natural Resources continue to monitor the Lake levels and weather conditions to determine whether additional actions for safety of recreational users may be required. Lake levels can be found at www.deepcreekhydro.com.
(Source: Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Brookfield Renewable Power Inc., Maryland Department of the Environment)
