At Wisp Resort it’s playtime in the snow

Here’s one of the best reasons for winter outdoor enthusiasts to stand up and cheer: At Wisp Resort in McHenry, Md., a daily forecast reveals 28 trails open with 6 inches of new snow. And each day’s update changes very little from the previous one! In less than a three-hour drive from D.C., the snow-covered mountains of far Western Maryland are a beacon to every traveler yearning for a winter playground.

“[On the] open road into Alleghany County, snow will appear in the distance and the mercury begins to drop in the thermometer,” said Lori Epp, director of marketing at Wisp Resort. “The Garrett County line really does signify a completely different climate — much colder, drier and snowier.”

In addition to a magnificent lodge with 168 guest rooms, Wisp Resort boasts 32 slopes (totaling 10.5 miles on 132 acres of skiable terrain) and a 700-foot vertical drop. The trails accommodate beginning skiers, intermediate skiers and the experts, with a summit elevation of 3,115 feet. In fact, the base elevation here in this Europeanlike wonderland is 2,415 feet, a real “high” for those whose day- to-day lives exist at sea level.

The outdoor managers at Wisp will ask your pleasure, for in addition to slope activity, the resort offers snow tubing, mountain coasting, ice skating, guided snowmobile tours, cross-country skiing and mini-mobiles for kids. In fact, at the family-friendly resort, Eric Jacoby is employed as the children’s programming manager.

“Three-year old children are fearless,” Jacoby said. “The smaller children will go straight down our slope without a care. It is our job to teach them to control themselves.”

Jacoby, who has worked at the resort for 10 years, teaches the older students about the skier’s responsibility code, allowing them to be familiar with all of the dangers as well as the rewards of skiing in a safe manner.

In a large group of winter travelers, there is usually one non-skier in the bunch. That person is welcomed with open arms and catered to in five-star fashion, both outdoors and inside.

For them, Lori Epp suggests a day in the full-service, Sewickley Spa or shopping at the on-site retail stores. Several different restaurants and cafes cater to all sorts of tastes and timelines. Wispers Mountainside Bar is the perfect place to warm up while enjoying hearty appetizers and hot or cold drinks.

“Relax in the main lodge by the corner fireplace and watch the skiers [and] boarders from the large windows,” she said. “Kick back, relax with a book and grab a drink in one of our lounges.”