Wisp Celebrates 70th Birthday With 19 Inches Of New Snow
Back in the 1950s when Wisp Resort first opened, the mountain was never groomed.
At times, the moguls would be as high as skiers shoulders. Thankfully, now we have groomers, but the Maryland resort is getting hit with snow like it’s 1956.
Wisp has received 19” of fresh snow in the past week. There are nine lifts spinning as of the evening of annuary 28, and 31 of 33 trails with open ropes.
This is good news any year, of course, but it’s particularly special for the folks at Wisp because the mountain is celebrating its 70th birthday this year. Last week, the birthday was celebrated with birthday cake, a torchlight parade, and commemorative displays. This past weekend, the resort held an Olympic-themed weekend ahead of the 2026 Games in Milano-Cortina.
They also released the film “Making of Maryland’s Ski Resort – Tribute to A True Pioneer” and held a watch party. The 34-minute documentary interviews members of the community as it tells the story of the ski area that once called itself Marsh Mountain.
Previous owner Karen Myers tells the story of how in the early days, the ski area made just $20 all year in revenue. It was at that moment the owner Helmuth Heise knew he needed to dramatically change things. Drawing some inspiration from a trip out west to Telluride Resort in Colorado, the family noticed how many people from Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware were traveling far away to get their skiing fix. I could continue to break down the documentary, but you really should watch it for yourself. It does a great job at telling the story while providing that Warren Miller aesthetic that is sure to induce some nostalgia.
