When I tell people just how much I love skiing, the first question I get is “Have you gone out west?” When I tell them no, the second question is usually “Then where do you ski?” People are unaware that there’s plenty of phenomenal skiing right here in the Mid-Atlantic!
It’s true Maryland only has one ski resort, Wisp Resort in Garrett County, but there’s plenty of close mountains that draw Maryland travelers. Whitetail and Liberty are just over the border in Pennsylvania, while Massanutten also draws Maryland crowds. Farther away are the very challenging Canaan Valley and Blue Knob, in West Virginia and Pennsylvania respectively.
My skiing obsession started at our very own Wisp when I was 6. My first run was Belly Flop, a trail that doesn’t even exist anymore. It became what is Central Park today, and a new beginner slope replaced it, Sunset Boulevard. I didn’t wear a helmet, and on my first chairlift ride, the chair smacked the back of my unprotected head as I dismounted. It’s pretty spectacular that I stuck with it. After Belly Flop, my first “real trail” was Possum, and even today, I end my day with a run down it.
Over the last 12 years I progressed to blues and black diamonds, even the rarely open Devil’s Drop and Bobcat Bowl. Today I head out with my season pass to Wisp nearly every weekend it’s open. I’ve seen a lot of change, both at Wisp, Deep Creek Lake, and my 2.5 hour drive out there. I’ve skied every inch of Marsh Hill, the mountain Wisp is on, including in the trees. In fact, I even helped make the Northern Glades. I cleared the section between Roadrunner and Deer Run.
One of the nicest and happiest people I’ve met was Mr. Bob, the janitor at Wisp. Growing up, it became routine to see him at the hotel, usually working by the indoor pool. Mr. Bob was known for his bushy beard, and that every time he shaved it, it would snow. It was true! One time when I was in the pool, I yelled “Mr. Bob! You shaved!” It had been a 60 degree late March day, and no snow was expected. Yet Mr. Bob opened the outside door and of course it was snowing! Mr. Bob no longer works at Wisp, and if I owned the mountain, I would cut a short trail named after him. It’s genuine people like him that get people attached to outdoors recreation, especially for 11 year old me.
So why do I love skiing so much? It’s a question that’s hard for to answer. I think it’s because I feel connected with the secret wilder side of all of us. Zipping between trees in the glades alone makes me feel attached to the landscape, a reminder that our surrounding environments were once untouched. That’s especially difficult to remember living in one of our cities, now that urban sprawl is spreading farther and farther into what were once fields and forests. To me, skiing is more than going down the slopes. I enjoy Friday nights with my high school ski club at Liberty and Whitetail. Chair lift rides and long car drives on Saturday morning give me time to pause and reflect. I love to take in my surroundings, and the drive gives me ample time to observe and interact with places most people drive by without stopping. I always make sure to stick around and support local towns and businesses as well. For example, an hour outside of Wisp is the town of Flintstone, in Allegany County. I stop at a small breakfast place, with only a few tables mostly filled with church goers or construction crews. By talking to and interacting with people different from myself, I feel I grow as a person. Ultimately, nature is more than just our parks, it’s a place where people live and depend on. Then I share my experiences here so others can develop a passion for the outdoors as well!
I’ve since expanded to other mountains in the Mid-Atlantic as well as up north, including some backcountry skiing in national forests. But I always thank Garrett County for giving me my start.
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