Golfing at Wisp Resort on a Sunny Fall Day

From Golfing at Wisp Resort

I'm not a good golfer - at all. But I do enjoy spending time on a golf course checking out the sights & scenery. I had an opportunity to golf yesterday at the Wisp Resort course with two of my good friends, courtesy of Team One in Oakland. Aaron Newcomb & Steve Shaffer are both salesmen at Team One, and they just combined efforts to sell my wife a newer GMC Envoy last month. If you are in the market for a vehicle, check with Aaron or Steve at Team One - they gave us a more than fair trade allowance on our old vehicle and a great deal on the new one. The service department is great, too - John always takes good care of us!

I was happy to get the invite and we hit the course at about 11am. It was a bit crowded, but we enjoyed the time outdoors & the excellent autumn weather. They're both much better golfers than me, so I spent most of my time exploring the rough, trying to find my ball. I made it through 8 holes before I finally lost it in the water...

The new(er) holes at Fantasy Valley were a lot of fun. We were teeing off into the wind coming up the mountain from the quarry. Overall, as you can see, a beautiful golf course and a great way to spend an otherwise quiet day in the fall in Garrett County & at Deep Creek Lake!

Check out the photos:

From Golfing at Wisp Resort

From Golfing at Wisp Resort

From Golfing at Wisp Resort

From Golfing at Wisp Resort

From Golfing at Wisp Resort

From Golfing at Wisp Resort

From Golfing at Wisp Resort

From Golfing at Wisp Resort

From Golfing at Wisp Resort

I have to throw a shot out to Jaime, who drives the snack/beer cart. She was kind enough to drive back to DC's Steakhouse and have them make a special turkey wrap (dried fruits & fresh veggies) for lunch - and it was INCREDIBLE!

From Golfing at Wisp Resort

From Golfing at Wisp Resort

From Golfing at Wisp Resort

From Golfing at Wisp Resort

From Golfing at Wisp Resort

Steve was gracious enough to pose for an action shot of his 'Tiger Woods-like' swing.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Deep Creek Do It All specializes in cleaning services in Garrett County & @ Deep Creek Lake. Give them a call (301-501-0217) or visit the website - competitive rates and quality results from a locally owned & operated company!

Karen Myers offers Wisp Resort & Lodestone Update @ Railey Realty

Karen Myers was one of our guests at this week's Railey Realty sales meeting. I worked with Karen when I first got into the real estate business in 2000. She is a WEALTH of information and one of the most creative entrepreneurs that I have met. In case you did not know, she is one of the owners of Wisp Ski & Golf Resort, Mountaineer Log & Siding, and is a partner in DC Development, which is developing Marsh Mountain & the Lodestone Golf Course.

She shared a multitude of information with us, and here are some bullet points:

• Wisp Ski Resort was profitable in July & August of 2009 - it's very difficult for a ski season to remain profitable in the summer months. She also mentioned that Wisp is the 6th largest employer in all of Garrett County, with approx. 125 full time employees. During the winter months, that number swells to a staggering 750 employees!
• The Lakeside Club is operational on Deep Creek Drive. 'Re-callable' memberships are available for $37,500. This basically gets you a 'country club style' setting on the lake, offering lake access, kids play area, showers & mens/womens locker rooms, swimming, dining & drinks.
• The Lodestone golf course will be opening in June. All 18 holes will be playable. Hale Irwin will be here July 10, 2010, for a sort of grand opening. The course is intended to be private, but they are offering 'trial use' memberships starting at $2,000 for the season. (Check with them for specific rates/packages). She also mentioned that the large amount of snow that we got this year helped the golf course grass to grow in much better than they expected.
• Customers interested in real estate at Wisp Resort, or vacation rental guests are permitted to play the course for $125, and Wisp Golf Club members are offered a chance to play M-Th for $100.
• Plans still exist for a 'Mountain Top Village' surrounding the ASCI whitewater course on top of Marsh Mountain. The plan is to have commercial shops and more dining options for vacationers, locals and skiers.
• She also mentioned an exciting new addition to the Wisp Outdoor Center, but swore me to secrecy - stay tuned, it sounds exciting!
  

Some interesting trivia that she shared with us: DC Development has developed a total of 540 lots since 1994. Exactly 1/3 of those are built on. Imagine the total tax base that number has added to the county coffers?

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Deep Creek Highlands @ Wisp Resort - Deep Creek Lake, Maryland

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deepcreeklake/2263231128/, originally uploaded by deepcreeklocal.

Deep Creek Highlands, located atop Marsh Mountain and surrounding Wisp Ski & Golf Resort, is a private gated community of Wisp Resort. Breathtaking lake views and lake access, extraordinary natural rock and boulder formations, hiking trails and wooded parks are just a part of the experience of living in the Highlands. Deep Creek Highlands homeowners and their guests enjoy two recreational parks-Mountaintop and Lakefront-featuring a playground, an outdoor swimming pool, a children's pool and two pavilions.

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Of the 92 home sites, 24 have optional dedicated boat slips and 58 have lake access without boat slips.

Three classes of property ownership - some have water access privileges on Deep Creek Lake, others offer boat slips, while some lots do not share in these amenities.

Pavilion with fireplace.

Playground.

Outdoor swimming pool and children's pool.

Restrooms.

Hiking trails to lakefront common area.

Enclosed trash dumpsters with regular dumpster pick up.

Snow removal.

Gated entrance to community.

Lakeside pavilion on the shores of Deep Creek Lake.

Play area.

Close proximity to Wisp Ski & Golf Resort & Adventure Sports Center.

www.flickr.com deepcreeklocal's Deep Creek Highlands at Wisp Resort photoset

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Deep Creek Highlands Community at Deep Creek Lake & Wisp Resort - Community Plat
Deep Creek Highlands Community at Deep Creek Lake & Wisp Resort - Declaration, Bylaws

Deep Creek Highlands at Deep Creek Lake & Wisp Resort - Master Association Wisp Resort Documents

Deep Creek Highlands at Wisp Resort & Deep Creek Lake - Wisp Resort Master Plan

Deep Creek Highlands at Wisp Resort & Deep Creek Lake - Comunity Photo Gallery Flickr

Deep Creek Highlands at Wisp Resort & Deep Creek Lake - Comunity Photo Gallery Picasa

Deep Creek Highlands at Wisp Resort & Deep Creek Lake - Community Profile Page DCLinfo.com

Deep Creek Highlands at Wisp Resort & Deep Creek Lake - I Love Deep Creek Blog
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For more information about real estate for sale in this community, contact Jay Ferguson or call any of the numbers below:

Wisp Ski Operation Intact, Despite Filing Against Development Group

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Aug. 25, 2011

If Mother Nature cooperates, snowmaking at the Wisp Resort in McHenry will commence in less than 90 days, and skiers and snowboarders will be back on the slopes beginning the day after Thanksgiving, Nov. 25.

That is according to Karen Myers, president of Recreational Industries Inc., who met with reporters this week after it was learned that Branch Banking & Trust (BB&T) Corporation has entered judgments against the Wisp's land development company, called Wisp Resort Development Inc., and various loan guarantors because of lagging payments on loans of over $28 million to fund the new Lodestone Golf Course and home sites atop Marsh Mountain.

The guarantors of the loan, all of which are named in the judgment, are Recreational Industries Inc., DC Development Inc., and Clubs at Wisp Corporation, as well as Myers, Gary Daum, and Steven Richards, owners.

Since the filing in Garrett County Circuit Court last month, rumors have abounded that the Wisp Resort either has been or will be sold because of the current financial situation.

"This is probably the same story that is being told by a lot of other developers around the country," Myers said, noting the continuing lag in the housing market, adding, "The 'illness' [in our operation] is just related to the land development segment of the business."

Meanwhile, Myers described the Wisp Resort as "a vibrant and profitable business" that will begin its 56th season of skiing this fall.

It was in February 2007 that BB&T provided a loan of $23.5 million as a revolving line of credit to fund the construction of the golf course and the Lodestone home sites. Because this type of loan is predicated on sales of home sites to pay down the loan balance and because the lot sales were sluggish, as construction on the golf course neared its end in 2008, an additional $5 million was borrowed "because we believed it was better to have a finished golf course than a partially finished golf course," Myers explained.

More here.

Buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland? Call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues!

877-563-5350 - toll free

How Golf Communities Came to the “Fore”

Lodestone Golf Course at Wisp Resort - Deep Creek Lake

Second homes: Live along some famed fairways
Updated 5/14/2010 10:59 AM
By Larry Olmsted Special for USA TODAY

When W.G. Tarrant purchased nearly 1,000 acres outside London in 1911, he changed real estate history. His invention? What claims to be the first golf community, St. George's Hill, with a course by designer Harry Colt. It was immediately successful — and still is, with houses running about $5 million. By using golf to sell residences, Tarrant let a genie out of the bottle.
A century later, there are thousands of residential courses. In China, they can't be built fast enough. Mission Hills near Hong Kong has 12 courses and thousands of members. Second-home golf communities are around the globe, but the majority of North American buyers looking beyond the Caribbean and Mexico choose Western Europe.

The biggest appeal is high-quality golf.

"For decades, the U.S. residential golf market has followed a model of name-brand designers commanding higher prices, and now that model is being marketed abroad," says Michael Patrick Shiels, author of Secrets of the Great Golf Course Architects.

Read the rest here.

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Some of Deep Creek Lake's Golf Course Communities & Nearby Courses:

Waterfront Greens

The Greens at Wisp

Greenbrier at Lodestone
Sandy Shores Estates

Sandy Shores Heights
Thousand Acres
Country Club Acres

Fantasy Valley

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Deep Creek Lake Info, Business Directories, Calssified Ads, Events & more! Advertise on http://www.deepcreekalive.com/!

Wisp, Bear Creek All Set For Warm Weather Recreation

OntheSnow.com talks about the Wisp & the warmer weather activities available:

Mar 29, 2010 Mary Jo Tarallo, Associate Editor

Fly fishing is among many summer recreations at Wisp and Bear Creek.

At A Glance
Where: Wisp Resort;

Info: More Information
Wisp Resort in Western Maryland and Bear Creek in Pennsylvania are two mid-Atlantic resorts that have a strong line-up during the summer months.

The man-made white water facility at the top of Wisp is unique in the region. Beginners and experienced paddlers can enjoy white water rafting and kayaking on the re-circulating water course. The venue hosts the Open Canoe Slalom Nationals and North American Championships will take place Aug. 6 - 8.

The Adventure Sports Center International runs the water facility. The group also offers rock climbing, bouldering, mountain biking, hiking, and geo-caching on a 550 - acre forested reserve.

The Wisp Resort features a championship 18-hole golf course, fly fishing, paintball, disc golf, and boating on nearby Deep Creek Lake.

Read the rest of the article here.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

History of the Wisp Ski Resort

History of the Wisp

Over the years the resort has grown from a former cow pasture into one of the premier destinations in the Mid-Atlantic. Below are some of the many historic landmarks:

Winter 1955 - 1956: Mr. Heise forms Recreational Industries, Inc. and offers skiing on Marsh Mountain for the first time. A cow pasture owned by a local farmer becomes a makeshift ski area. A one room hut with a pot-bellied stove serves as the first lodge and the bed of a pick-up truck operates as the first ski rental shop. One slope, The Face, is serviced by a rope tow.

Winter 1956 - 1957: Recreational Industries first attempts to make snow, using equipment resembling lawn sprinklers, which emitted frozen pellets of water.

1965: The first double chairlift (Chair #1) is installed. For the first time skiers are able to ski from the top of Marsh Mountain.

1969: WISP offers night skiing, with the addition of lights on the slopes

1971-1979: Wisp expands to 16 trails and adds snow makers, more lights, and two additional chairlifts. The first motel, The Village Inn, opens at the base of the ski mountain. The snow making system is converted to an airless system, increasing power and efficiency.

1981: Wisp opens its 18 hole golf course, and is now recognized officially as the only four-season resort in the State on Maryland.

1985 - 1986: The Village Inn Motel is renovated and transformed into a Condo Hotel and is renamed the Wisp Resort hotel.

Winter 1987 - 1988: The East Ridge Trail and Life System are added, with 2 triple chairs.

1994: Developers purchased 2,400 acres of land adjacent to Wisp.

2001: DC Development, LLC purchases the Wisp from Mr. Heise and begins a major capitol improvement project. Chair 5 is extended, Chair 4 is relocated and Highline Trail is added. Bear Claw Snow Tubing Park opens.

2003: The Lodge undergoes renovation and is expanded by 11,000 sq.ft. Triple chairs replace the double chairs of 2 & 3 and a ski carpet replaces the rope tow.

2004: Completion of 8500 sq.ft. "State-of-the-art" pump house increases snow making capacity by 18% and is fully automated. Recreational Industries assumes management of Wisp Resort Hotel.

Winter 2005 - 2006: Opening of the first two phases of a four-phase ski area expansion. New beginner and intermediate terrain with 10 new trails, adding over 25% more skiable terrain and 2 quad chairlifts.

Summer 2007: Opening of White Water Course

Over $30 million in renovations and capital improvements since June 2001.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Ski and golf resorts honored

S.R. Sandy Black

2:16 p.m. EDT, May 23, 2011
The National Ski Area Association gave out awards at its May convention and Sugarbush Resort was among the winners....

...Wisp Resort in the greater Deep Creek, Md., area, was awarded the Affinity Award in 2009 via the Golf Course Industry Builders Excellence Awards for enhancing the overall golf experience.

The resort is home to the Wisp Resort Golf Course and the Lodestone Golf Club, which boasts a stunning Hale Irwin Signature Design Course.

The Lodestone Golf Club is located on an expansive mountain ridge above Deep Creek Lake and is one of the most popular mid-Atlantic courses to play.

Read full article here.

If you or someone you know is considering buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.

877-563-5350 Questions about ANY listed property? I can help! Call me!

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Hale Irwin Celebrates Opening of Lodestone Golf Club

Posted by Scott Kauffman 06/24/10 2:20 PM EST
Real Estate Channel

(MCHENRY, MD) -- An area of Western Maryland known as the "Lake Tahoe of the Atlantic" recently celebrated the opening of a new 18-hole private golf course called Lodestone Golf Club.

The 18-hole facility, which opened June 5, is a Hale Irwin Signature design in collaboration with golf architect Todd Schoeder. The golf course sits in the sits in the mountainous region above Deep Creek Lake and the well known Wisp Resort.

The par-72 Lodestone plays 7,507 yards from the 'Irwin Tees' and features bentgrass greens, tees and fairways. Lodestone Golf Club is a truly natural mountain golf course highlighted by bold, tree-lined fairways, eye-catching bunker complexes and dramatic rock outcroppings. Native fescue grasses frame many of the course's scenic holes enhancing its natural feel. Not only does Lodestone have the highest elevation of any course in Maryland at 2,973 feet above sea level, but this premier club boasts several eye-opening elevation changes and sweeping views of the mountainous region that sits above Deep Creek Lake.

"We knew that Lodestone was going to be a challenge to present nature without over powering the golf (and vice versa)," said three-time U.S. Open Champion Hale Irwin. "We really worked extremely hard to uncover and highlight the many attributes that the site was blessed with in the first hand...to bring out the land, bring out the natural topography, highlight the dramatic views. I feel we accomplished that quite nicely and that both Lodestone members and guests will find the course exciting, fun filled and memorable. They will definitely have bragging rights

Read the rest here.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350 Deep Creek Lake Info, Business Directories, Classified Ads, Events & more! Advertise on http://www.deepcreekalive.com/!

Flying over Deep Creek Lake

A good friend and client of mine, Rick, offered to take me up in his Cirrus sr20 yesterday at the Garrett County Airport (by the way, the renovations are GREAT). Rick has a vacation rental property (Cloud 10) here at the lake that he flies up to check on & make repairs. (Shameless plug: the house is awesome: indoor pool, views of the lake & ski slopes, full arcade, more).

We spent the morning looking at other homes for sale - he insists that the market conditions are ripe for some unbelievable deals (I agree) and plans on investing in several more rental properties in the coming years.

We took off from the airport around 12:45 or so and spent a half hour cruising the skies. His plane is impressive, it even has a parachute! As you can tell from some of the photos, I got to see the Lodestone golf course from the air (looks great), the Adventure Sports Center (ASCI) & the Wisp golf course (I had two of my good buddies playing at the time - didn't see them, though). It's really neat how it all pieces together. Another thing that was unique is seeing just how high these hills are - there is a considerable drop off in elevation when flying over Marsh Mountain and then seeing how far the lake is below. It gave me a better feel of the terrain, as well as the 'hidden' things you don't see from land. A few examples of this: a large, cleared out spot near Lodestone golf course, perhaps the cleared out spot for the future clubhouse or where they keep their sand, etc; a large pond/lake near Mosser Rd with some sort of rock wall in the middle of it (had NEVER seen that before); and lots of carved out spots in dense woods & forests for farms & crops. It's a great perspective of the terrain we are all familiar with.

Of course, I was able to get a good view of the windmills as we flew overhead. I'm starting to get used to seeing them on the horizon now, but it was interesting to see just how high they were in the sky when flying beside them. The southern part of the lake is pretty flat, save for these few ridges and a towering 'hill' at Thousand Acres. I remember seeing the golf course there, as well, but due to the flight path, I couldn't get a clear shot of it. I'm sure Bill Franklin has a photo or two...

Overall, it was a spectacular opportunity to see Deep Creek Lake from a bird's point of view. I'm sure someone offers flights over the county, I'll check into it and report back. Also, go up and check out the 'new' airport - it can accommodate private jets, which is really neat, and makes our area that much more accessible. It's also nice to see federal tax dollars at work in Garrett County. Thanks again to Rick for the flight! Check out his vacation house - Cloud 10.

Here are some photos and a link to the full gallery on Facebook.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Deep Creek Do It All specializes in cleaning services in Garrett County & @ Deep Creek Lake. Give them a call (301-501-0217) or visit the website - competitive rates and quality results from a locally owned & operated company!