In western Maryland, they just refer to it as The Mountain.

On maps it is listed as Marsh Hill, but its imposing size and the snow-covered slopes of Wisp Resort that rise high above Deep Creek Valley give it a stature of mountainous proportions in the winter.

"We have a good amount of natural snow here, more than 100 inches," said Tim Prather, COO at the 3,000-acre Wisp Resort, which is Maryland's only four-season resort. "However, for more reliable ski conditions, we added 250 high-tech snow guns after 2001 to increase the number of skiable acres to 132; that was a 40% increase. Also acquiring water use rights to Deep Creek Lake also made a big difference in how much more snow we could make."

Water from the lake is pumped up the mountain to a large reservoir at the top. A high-tech control center there allows the staff to check video cameras, snow depth sensors, wind, temperature to effectively monitor the variety of ski runs and terrain parks on the slopes and add snow depth where needed.

And there's is a lot to manage - 32 slopes and trails totaling 10.5 miles. The terrain available for skiing now includes downhill runs with ratings of beginner (41 percent), intermediate (28 percent) and expert (31 percent), as well as a super pipe, pro park, and terrain gardens.

Guests also have additional winter sports options available such as snow tubing or cross-country skiing. The Bear Claw Snow Tubing Park has its own structure adjacent to its 10 tubing lanes, ski carpet and tow rope. A Nordic Center offers 50 kilometers of trails for cross-country ski and snowshoe activities and also offers snowmobile tours with mini-mobiles available for children weighing less than 90 pounds.

For a unique experience, try the Mountain Coaster, part alpine slide and part roller coaster. With a 1,300-foot uphill track and 3,500 feet of downhill, the wild twisting, turning and dipping rails descend more than 350 vertical feet to thrill riders in all seasons but especially in the winter.

The beginnings of Wisp Resort in 1955 were humble: a basic downhill ski slope, a used rope tow, and a small shack warmed by a pot-belly stove. The resort grew over the years with additional expansions and renovations, especially since 2001 when it was acquired by Deep Creek Development. Now the Wisp Resort Hotel and Conference Center includes a 168-room hotel, a large conference center, a Sewickley Spa, plus a variety of dining experiences.

New at the top of the mountain are a number of properties with ski-in, ski-out residences - some available for rental. The rates are not cheap but with 4-5 bedrooms and multiple baths on many levels they adapt well for families to share. Cottage, townhouse and condo rentals are available along the roads that wind up the mountain and along the shores of beautiful Deep Creek Lake.

In the spring, snowmelt from the slopes eventually works its way down into the watershed from which it was borrowed. "We are working on a full "green" plan for the resort," said Prather. "The Deep Creek Lake area has long been known for its natural beauty and that is an asset worth protecting."

The resort has redesigned its golf course at the base of The Mountain to flow more naturally with the wooded hillsides and Hale Irwin is designing a mountaintop course with wide, sweeping vistas that embrace the natural beauty of the area.

Wisp Resort donated 550 acres of their land to a nonprofit organization, Adventure Sports Center International (ASCI), to manage and protect a large chunk of rugged Fork Run for a recreation area within the resort.

The mountain top whitewater course is its most visible presence. Harnessing the power of water released from the high reservoir (used for snowmaking in the winter) as much as 250,000 gallons of water a minute can fill the 1,700-foot long, 24-foot vertical drop, boulder-filled, re-circulating course to produce Class II to IV rapids.

Less visible but equaling important are the hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing and bouldering activities within Fork Run recreation area.

Another group, Wisp Outdoors, working from its facility in the resort complex at the base of the mountain, can arrange for some more unusual winter activities such as dog sledding, ice fishing or horse-drawn sleigh rides.

During its high season from spring-fall Wisp Outdoors is busy arranging fly-fishing, hiking, rappelling, flat-water kayaking and canoeing excursions for the resorts guests.

About 90,000 acres of surrounding Garrett County is managed by Maryland State Parks or Public Lands Wildlife Management for outdoor recreation, which means there is a lot of the great outdoors to enjoy in the Deep Creek Lake area, no matter the season.