My family has been coming to Deep Creek, Maryland to ski for over a decade. In the first few years, we would rent houses and then we eventually bought our own vacation home in Deep Creek. After 15 years of skiing in Deep Creek, I have made most of these mistakes myself, especially in the early years. Hopefully, you can learn from my mistakes and this will save you precious time and alleviate some unnecessary stress!
These are the top mistakes to avoid when visiting Deep Creek Lake, Maryland in winter.
This post contains affiliate links that, at no cost to you, I earn commission from. Thank you for supporting my blog!
Mistake #1: Waiting to buy lift tickets for a holiday weekend
To manage crowds, Wisp will sell out of lift tickets. This has happened several times in recent years, especially on holiday weekends like President’s Weekend or Martin Luther King weekend. The same goes for ski lessons and ski school. Buy your lift tickets in advance online here. If you find that the lift tickets are sold out for a weekend you planned to go, check out the Deep Creek Facebook group pages–there are usually people selling tickets on there.
Mistake #2: Not Considering Other Ski Rental Options
The rental lines at the resort can be very, very long....especially on popular holiday weekends. You don’t need to wait in these long lines at Wisp. There are two ski and snowboard rental shops right down the street from Wisp Resort: High Mountain Sports and Deep Creek Ski & Snowboard Rentals. Stop by either shop on your way to the mountain to rent your equipment.
Mistake #3: Not Utilizing Ski School or Ski Lessons
Whether for yourself or your kids, both the ski school and ski lessons at Wisp are excellent. My kids all learned to ski at Wisp, starting when they were very young. When my youngest was 4 years old, we rented a house with a few families for a holiday weekend. My older two kids could already ski and the other families were also skiers. We decided to put our 4 year old in full day ski school, not really to teach her to ski as much as to just allow ourselves a chance to ski without her. I was shocked on day 2 when we saw her at the top of the mountain on one of the green slopes with her class. I couldn’t believe she had taken the chair lift up to the top! We stopped to watch her ski with her class and were just amazed at how quickly these little 4 year olds had picked up skiing. When they learn the proper technique young, it makes a huge difference, even if they only ski once or twice a year! Click here for information on ski lessons at Wisp.
Mistake #4: Leaving Your Ski Boots in The Car Overnight
This is a rookie mistake and one you will only make one time and then never again. A decade ago, we stayed in a small condo at the Silver Tree. The room was so small, we didn’t think we had room for our family’s ski boots, so we left them in the car overnight. The next morning our boots were frozen. They were almost impossible to put on. And when we finally got them on, they were ice cold. Not a good start to a day of skiing. Take your boots inside, your feet will thank you!
Mistake #5 Not Parking At The Top Parking Lot of Wisp
I actually debated whether to put this in or not, because it is the best kept secret at Wisp. There is a parking lot at the top of Wisp that is not nearly as crowded as the main lot by the lodge at the bottom of the mountain. If you already have your skis, you can park at the top and literally walk right out onto the slopes and start skiing immediately. If you have to pick up or purchase lift tickets, you can just ski down to the lodge from there to pick them up. No need to walk through several parking lots in ski boots like at the bottom. There is also a second lodge at the top parking lot that is open for lunch and dinner. Ok, now that I’ve told you about this best kept secret–let’s keep it between us!
Mistake #6: Not Making Reservations in Advance For Snow Tubing
Snow tubing at Wisp is definitely on top of the list of things to do in winter in Deep Creek. Due to its popularity, you absolutely have to book snow tubing reservations well in advance! Click here to make your snow tubing reservations.
Mistake #7: Not Packing Snow Boots For Tubing
If you plan to go snow tubing at Wisp, make sure you pack snow boots! It’s easy to overlook snow boots, especially if you know there is not fresh snow on the ground. You will definitely need snow boots if you plan to snow tube!
Mistake #8: Waiting until dinner time to order pizza from Brenda’s
Brenda’s Pizza is the go-to pizza place in Deep Creek for take-out. Due to its popularity, the wait for pizza can be literally hours if you wait until dinner time to call. Sometimes they are so busy that they don’t even pick up the phone. Don’t wait until dinner time to call and order your pizza. Call Brenda’s at lunchtime and place your order for a specific pick up time that evening.
Mistake #9: Not Packing a Bathing Suit
This is an easy mistake to make as packing a bathing suit for a ski trip isn’t something you are likely to remember. Most vacation rentals in Deep Creek have hot tubs, and soaking in a hot tub is a great way to Apres Ski! I wear a winter hat in the hot tub, because when it is really cold, my wet hair will freeze!
Mistake #10: Driving a front wheel drive car or minivan to a rental home at the top of Wisp
Former minivan driver here, and I made this mistake before. Let me preface by saying you can drive a minivan or front wheel drive vehicle in Deep Creek, the main roads are usually fine and even most of the residential streets. However, be sure to find out if your rental home is on the top of Wisp Mountain or has a steep driveway ahead of time. If it does and there is snow forecasted, you will have trouble making it up the steep road that leads to the top of the mountain in those vehicles. Inevitably, every year there is at least one car that gets stuck on Overlook Pass on the way up to Wisp Mountain Road on a snowy day. You will also struggle to make it up a steep driveway if there is snow. There are plenty of rentals that aren’t on top of the mountain and that have flat driveways. Just do your research ahead of time. (This also applies to the Wisp parking lot at the top of the mountain!)
Mistake # 11: Renting a Ski-In/Ski-Out House Too Early In The Season
Ski-in/Ski-Out houses are fabulous and so convenient…. that is when all of the slopes are open! At Wisp, there are only ski-in/ski-out houses on the North Camp and the East Ridge. Wisp Resort usually opens for skiing mid-December, and unless there has been a lot of natural snowfall by then, they will likely only open the front slopes (Chair 1, 2 & 3). If there is no natural snowfall, the North Camp and East Ridge may not open until mid-January, it all depends on Mother Nature! If you are coming up for Christmas or New Years, there is a good chance you will not have a ski-in/ski-out house.
MISTAKE #12: Driving to Deep Creek without a snow brush & ice scraper in your car
It is really important to have an ice scraper and snow brush in your car when you come to Deep Creek in the winter. The snow brush gets the accumulated snow off of your windshield, windows and roof of your car. The ice scraper is for that last layer of ice under all of the snow. You may come back to your car after a day of skiing and need to be able to clear your windows. A combination snow brush and ice scraper is your best bet. If you don’t have a four wheel or all-wheel drive car, you should put a portable snow shovel in your car, too.
Mistake #13: Not Having Appropriate Cold Weather Ski & Snowboard Accessories
I get it, skiing and snowboarding are expensive sports. You are already paying a lot of money for lift tickets and ski rentals. However, there are some items that are really just necessary to keep you warm and comfortable on the slopes. If you don’t want to purchase them, try to borrow them from a friend. TRUST ME when I tell you that you are making a huge mistake if you do not bring these items to ski or board with:
1. Helmet
You can rent a helmet along with your ski equipment. This is not just for safety–a helmet keeps your head and ears really warm! Much warmer than a hat!
2. Goggles
Even if it is not actively snowing, goggles are really a necessity. Wisp is always blowing snow from the snow guns to maintain their base. Chances are, you will ski through the snow guns at some point, or even go through them while on a chair lift. Goggles protect your face from the cold and keep the snow out of your eyes. True story: a friend came to Deep Creek with me to ski and did not have goggles. It was a bitter cold day, temps in the teens, and we skied through the snow guns on the North Camp. When we got to the bottom, my friend’s eyelashes were completely covered in ice! It looked like she had white mascara on them, and her face was bright red from being wet and cold. She ended up buying goggles in the lodge. Don’t make the mistake of not bringing goggles.
3. Balaclava or Face Mask
Another big mistake is not wearing a balaclava or velcro ski mask that covers your nose and mouth. In bitter cold temperatures, a face covering makes a huge difference. It protects your face from the snow, wind and cold. If you have a helmet, goggles and a face mask, you will not have any part of your face exposed to the elements, making skiing much more comfortable.
4. Touchscreen Liners for Ski Gloves/Mittens
Whether you wear gloves or mittens, having lightweight touchscreen liners under them allows you to take your gloves off to use your phone without exposing your hands to the elements. I personally prefer ski mittens to gloves. Mittens keep most of your fingers together, maintaining your body heat and I find them more comfortable with liners. Mittens also allow your fingers to feel your hand warmers and not just your palms.
5. Handwarmers
Handwarmers are essential for keeping your hands warm, if you don’t own heated gloves or heated mittens. I also like to put hand warmers in the back pockets of my ski pants for those really cold and sometimes icy chairlift seats.
Visit my Amazon Store for a complete list of my favorite skiing and snowboarding accessories.
Mistake #14: picking wisp trail as your very first beginner slope
Wisp Resort, like all other ski resorts, identifies their slopes by difficulty with three colors. Green is for beginners, blue is for intermediate skiers, and black diamond is the most difficult. The color system is really helpful in choosing which slopes you want to ski, however don’t make the mistake of thinking all of the same colored slopes are created equal. Within each color, the slopes vary in difficulty. For example, Wisp Trail is a green, which is the easiest color for beginners. However, Wisp Trail is the hardest green slope that there is. It has a couple pretty steep parts to it for a beginner. If it is your first time skiing, you would make a big mistake making Wisp Trail one of your first slopes. Big Dipper, Backbone Pass, & Possum are the best green slopes for beginners. Check out my post “Everything You Need to Know About Skiing at Wisp Resort” for a full breakdown of all the slopes, ranked from easiest to hardest.
Check out my post “What to Pack For Deep Creek in Winter” for a complete guide on winter necessities! Also be sure to read The Top Festive Things to do in Deep Creek in Winter.” Cheers to making memories–and being fully prepared–for a fun winter getaway in Deep Creek!
I would love to hear from you! Drop a comment below!
Pin It!
Use these pins to save this article to Pinterest for future use!
Follow Me on Instagram & TikTok for Deep Creek Videos
Search hotels and more...
VISIT MY AMAZON STore
Shop my idea lists for all of your Deep Creek Travel & Clothing Needs
Check Out My Other Deep Creek Lake Articles
Love your online magazine. Great info and user friendly!!!
Thank you! I appreciate your support!
Great list of must haves. Skiing since 1973 and learned at Wisp. I agree with everything on your list. Been there, done that.
Thank you so much! It really is a.great place to learn to ski!