Garrett County Activities - Deep Creek Lake Blog

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.

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.

Deep Creek Lake Late Summer

Mystical mornings and crystal clear afternoons have dominated the last couple of weeks here at Deep Creek Lake. Here we are in the middle of August, a month where time seems to slow down with some calculated understanding that slowing your mind down helps your senses focus on what a special time it is here on the lake. This morning the lake was blanketed in a cotton ball fog. From our deck you could see the sun beautifully dissolving the mist revealing another super day here in Garrett County.

Lazy, late summers has a cult attraction for some visitors who understand that the traffic on the lake slowly starts to scatter after last week’s Garrett County Agricultural Fair. Humidity is always low in Garrett County, MD in the summers, but this time of year it seems that it is nonexistent. The clarity and depth of mountain and lake views reigns supreme during the last couple of months before what I hope to be an upcoming Indian summer. Note: Indian summer is an expression given to a period of sunny, warm weather in autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, typically in late October or early November, after the leaves have turned following an onset of frost but before the first snowfall. Source Wikipedia.

I love the soothing lifestyle here on healthy Deep Creek Lake and intend on maximizing every minute away from work enjoying all that it has to offer here in late summer.

Deep Creek Lake’s Chili Splash

5^th Annual Deep Creek Chili Splash

Wisp Resort will be holding their infamous CHILI COOK-OFF this Saturday August 7^th from Noon-5:30 pm. Come taste many different interpretations of this famous San Antonio dish dating back to 1731…yes, that’s right…Texas that is! I have researched it and there is a misconception that chili is a Mexican dish. The history books will steer you to San Antonio, Texas where early Spanish settlers by order of King Phillips V arrived from the Spanish Canary Islands and made a spicy “Spanish” stew that later became what we now know as chili.

Deep Creek Lake's Chili Splash — 5th Annual Deep Creek Chili Splash

The key ingredient to this world re-known “stew” is hot peppers and in some cases, a lot of them! Some chili enthusiasts pride themselves in preparing a chili that is nuclear hot with the hot pepper being the star. Other cooks like to layer the smokey flavors of cumin, chili powder, onion, beef, and kidney beans, with a hint of spice from the hot pepper. I believe the key to a great chili is a delicious flavor base, and for me that is a bottle of Newcastle beer. I also like to combine ground beef, ground pork, and ground turkey with the other “regular” ingredients. If you think you can take the heat, then bring your brave taste pallet over to the hot pepper eating contest. Size up your hot pepper eating skills against other fire bellies.

General admission is $5 for adults, $3 Children (7-12yrs), 6 and under is free, which includes entrance to the event, Music, Children’s events and 5 tasting kits.

Cooks may contact John McCracken at 301.387.4911 ext. 2211
or email jmccracken@wispresort.com for information.

Here is a schedule of events
11 am Lighting of the Stoves
12 pm Gates Open
1 pm Mr. Hot Sauce & Ms. Chili Pepper
1:30 pm Salsa Turn In
2 pm Splash Contest
2:30 pm Chili Verde Turn In
3 pm Pepper Eating Contest
3:30 pm Red Chili Turn In
4 pm Wet T-Shirt Contest
5:30 pm Awards

Deep Creek Lake-Hale Irwin-Lodestone Golf Caddy

Deep Creek Lake Lodestone Golf Caddy

Last year around this time I had a great opportunity to caddie for Hale Irwin when he christened the front nine at Lodestone Golf Club. I felt that I nailed it, but after the round Hale half jokingly told me I was the worst caddie he ever had in his career….Ouch!

Deep Creek Lake-Hale Irwin-Lodestone Golf Caddy — Hale and Steve Irwin

Although I have spent 24 years building golf courses, I never really had time to grasp exactly what a caddie does other than carry the bag. It was news to me that each club actually had a specific place in the bag. Go figure. My take on it was the same as when I play and I just stuff the club wherever it fits. It was news to me that I was supposed to bring a wet and dry towel to keep the clubs and golf ball clean. I had to grasp the critical caddy duties that keep the golfer focused on his game. Thankfully for me, this was a practice round and I wasn’t responsible for taking any food off the Irwin family’s table!

This year I made sure I was on my “A” game so that if I was called to duty in the caddying department I wouldn’t be smacked around for my lack of skills! I got back in the gym, got into strong physical shape and studied PGA game films of caddies who worked for the best golfers in the world. Now I felt I was ready to assume the role as super caddy!

This year it was my responsibility to caddy for Steve Irwin, who is Hale’s son. I had a wet towel ready to wipe down clubs and golf balls, and returned clubs to their proper place with scientific precision. Steve actually used a few suggestions about putting lines and shot trajectories into greens. I think Hale even had a chuckle or two about my born-again effort to be a decent golf caddy.

I have hung up my golf course construction boots for good and have happily put on the real estate cap here in Deep Creek Lake, but there will always be this feeling deep down in my heart wondering if my calling all along was to be the best caddie ever on the PGA tour!

Tag: Garrett County Activities

Deep Creek Lake, Maryland

Drag Racing Snowmobiles-Deep Creek Lake

Deep Creek Lake The Autumn Glory Festival

Deep Creek Lake Late Summer

Deep Creek Lake’s Chili Splash

Deep Creek Lake-Hale Irwin-Lodestone Golf Caddy

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