Inside or Out, Winter Sports Thrive in Maryland

The ice and snow our region received this past weekend was a welcome sight for some athletes, but it didn’t leave other athletes out in the cold, either. On Saturday, the University of Maryland track and field team hosted its annual Terrapin Invitational indoor track and field meet at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex. Twenty-three collegiate teams competed in the all-day event.

Big Air, Deep Snow, and Thin Ice

Last Sunday was the Maryland Open at Wisp, a successful reminder that, according to the calendar and the mounds of snow in Western Maryland, there is still plenty of winter to enjoy and lots of adventurous folks to share it with.

The Maryland Open turned out to be a rollicking jam for snow surfers of all ages, who competed in big air, slope, and free style skiing.

This was a family event, with spectators filling the slopes and competitors as young as 7 years old vying for prizes.  It was a regional draw, with participants coming from West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Northern Virginia in addition to Marylanders.

Lori Epp at Wisp reminded us that although the temperatures are rising, winter sports are in full swing and this is a great time of year to enjoy them.  Ice fisherman are still huddled in their igloos on the lake.  As you can see from this picture, not all the yellow perch are waiting for the festival in North East.  Walleye and pike are also plentiful for those willing to tread on the thinning surface.

So enjoy the last few weeks of winter and journey to Maryland’s only four season resort.  The Merry Marketeers are holding Terry to his promise for a field trip, so maybe you’ll catch us tubing (more likely tumbling) down the slopes.

Surging Slopes –Maryland’s X-treme Show in the Snow

Did you know Maryland is stoked to host extreme action sports competitions on the slopes as well as sand?  In the excitement over the Dew Tour coming to Ocean City in the summer, we want to remind you that daredevils from near and far are gravitating to Wisp for the annual Maryland Open on February 26, 2011.

The Maryland Open is just that, an open event for freestyle skiers and snowboarders, with competition in various classes depending on the number of participants.

The throwdown will determine the top freestyle skier and snowboarder in the Mid Atlantic region after a day-long competition in slopestyle, big air, and terrain park. Contestants will be judged on style and amplitude.

This is a family-oriented event, since participants are all ages with classes determined by age and gender.

The competition will take place in the Pro Park, with the awards ceremony and apres-ski entertainment immediately after the last run.
 

Mountain Maryland does not limit its extreme sports to the winter.  Wisp offered adrenaline rushes to downhill bikers at past Gravity East competitions. The rugged terrain presents a tough challenge for this series of downhill biking runs.
 

Of course, the internationally recognized Adventure Sports Center whitewater course provides its own thrills and top level of competition.  It has hosted such high caliber events as the Canoe and Kayak American Open World Series, one of four whitewater national championships in three years.
 
(The good part is that Adventure Sports is also available for piddling paddlers to play.)
 
There are all sorts of personal challenge outdoor activities to enjoy at Wisp year round, including rock climbing and treetop swings.  So no matter what the season, or what limits you want to push, exhilarating Western Maryland is the place you want to be.

The Perfect Fit

Terry and the Merry Marketeers were brainstorming at the Turn Ten after work last week, trying to identify additional space for an upcoming tournament which is more successful than previous years. 

(You have to love the kind of success that keeps you scrambing for an overflow venue, Terry reminded us.)

Unfortunately, there was another overflow during the evening bohamie that was not quite so welcome.  The kind that arrives in the middle of winter when carbohydrate cravings have caught up with moribund metabolism and you realize “one size fits all” no longer applies to anything you are wearing or sitting on.  In fact, you curse silently, is there any place where One Size (truly) Fits All?

But of course, the muse reminds you –  the State of Maryland.  That compact geographic jurisdiction that offers everything in the pursuit of fitness.  And if we spent more time exploring and enjoying its many outdoor wonders and convenient facilities, we might not have have trouble balancing on the stools at the Turn Ten.

(NOTE:  Jumping in the Bay with the Polar Bears might be adventurous, but it doesn’t burn blubber.)

The Merry Marketeers have been lobbying Terry for a field trip to Western Maryland, where winter is not only welcome — it is celebrated as an important element in year-round outdoor sports opportunites.

We’re hoping to take this trip in February so we can see experience exhilaration and exercise at its snowiest.  Wisp, the only ski resort in the state, has received a blessing of snowfall this winter. The total now stands at 128 inches, more than the area’s traditional seasonal average of 100 inches.

Additionally, their world-famous snowmaking system, which covers 90 percent of the terrain, accounts for the length and reliability of that season.

Devotees and dilettantes (like the snow bunny here) have 32 slopes and trails spread over 132 acres, with 90% of the slopes available for night skiing.  And that’s just the beginning of what the region offers this time of year.

For although our state has absolutely everything you can imagine in outdoor facilities and natural resources, there isn’t any region that can do winter quite like Mountain Maryland.

So stay tuned for the next adventure of Tweety and Blogue, and also for some good news from Terry about a soon to be announced major televised event that’s hoping to come to Maryland.

Happy Birthday, Wisp !!!

Lest you think Mother Nature deposited all her white stuff in Buffalo, fear not.  Maryland’s only ski resort (and four season recreational facility) was gifted with over a foot in the past several days — just in time to start their season and celebrate their 55 years in business.

Wisp Resort, overlooking Deep Creek Lake in McHenry, had its humble beginnings in the winter of 1955-56.  That year, there was one slope and a tow rope.  Since then, Wisp has grown to 132 acres of ski terrain.  And in addition to the best state of the art snowmaking equipment, it averages 100 inches of the free stuff a year.

The birthday celebration on December 12 -13 features steeply discounted lift tickets, half-price rental equipment and group lessons, and family entertainment.  Plus some celebratory birthday cake from the renown Charm City bakery.

If you haven’t been to Wisp in a while, this is a good time to check out all the new features. Since 2001, Wisp has added more than $40 million in improvements, renovations and additions.  That includes ten new trails on the North Camp in 2005, the Mountain Coaster in ’07 and the Flying Squirrel Canopy Tour and Hale Irwin Lodestone Golf Club this year.

Future plans include more ski and snowboard amenities, a mountaintop village, retail shops, and restaurants.

Wisp (and Western Maryland) are the year-round playground of our state.  Be sure to check with Mountainside Maryland to see what else is going on in this exciting region.

Zipping over Garrett County

Terry promised to take the Merry Marketeers on a team outing to Western Maryland just as soon as he gets back (and we all recover from World Cup fever.)

This comes as great news, because a new feature has been added at the Wisp Resort as part of its four-season appeal.  The Flying Squirrel Zip Line Adventure is now available, offering the truly daring the opportunity to zoom between the treetops in the beautiful mountains of Garrett County.

In addition to being the home of Maryland’s only ski resort, Garrett County also has the state’s most rugged terrain — making it a natural for outdoor adventure sports.

Speaking of Adventure Sports, one of our stops will be the world-class watersports facility built on the mountain near Wisp.  Hopefully, the Marketeers will all get a chance to practice our kayaking skills.  I’d also like to get in a trip to Deep Creek Lake, one of the most popular area attractions, and maybe even a little cycling. 

The Savage River is nationally recognized for being one of the premier fly fishing streams in the country, which also contributes to the sports and recreation tourism Western Maryland enjoys.

Hopefully, we’ll also get to take a look at the site where a new $23 million Community Sports and Recreation Complex is under construction on the campus of Garrett College.  The planned project consists of a 32,000-square-foot aquatics center complete with two indoor swimming pools (you know how Terry loves those natatoriums,) a fitness facility and a physical therapy facility to be run by Garrett County Memorial Hospital.

A second phase will include a 34,000-square-foot gymnasium with three regulation-size basketball courts and seating for about 2,000.  These present all sorts of possibilities for bringing more events to the far west.

So stay tuned for the adventures of Team Terry as we explore more of the many assets Maryland  offers sports enthusiasts.