KEYSERS RIDGE — Holiday travelers rolled — or slid — into Keysers Ridge Auto-Truck Stop on Tuesday night, taking refuge from a winter storm that dumped 9 inches of snow in Garrett County.

“It’s Alaska up here,” said assistant manager Shaun Skidmore. “Last night, for a November storm, it was similar to a January storm. We got close to a foot of snow.”

Skidmore and fellow workers helped several patrons out of their parking lots.

“Both of our lots were packed with stranded travelers. One family needed windshield blades and their windshield fluid was frozen. There was a deaf family that was stuck in our lot and we helped them out,” said the Frostburg native who has lived in Garrett County for the past 13 years.

The third major snowfall in the county since the end of last month extended the holiday period for Garrett County students by closing schools Wednesday. Garrett College and Mountain Ridge district schools in western Allegany County were also closed.

As the latest in a series of lake-effect snows complicated holiday travel, the Wisp Resort at McHenry reveled in ideal snow-making conditions that began in late October.

“This is a skiers and snowboarders dream. We’re all like a bunch of little kids around here,” said Lori Epp, the resort’s director of marketing.

The Wisp launches its 53rd skiing season Friday. “Our grooming fleet has been working overtime to prepare our mountain. Many folks in Garrett County and here at the Wisp believe this will be one of our best openings in years with these wonderful snowfalls and snowmaking conditions,” said Epp.

While recreation was accented at the Wisp, the State Highway Administration contended with another winter storm. “We’ve had 30 inches of snow so far. Typically, we have about 130 inches annually in the county,” said Tony Crawford, SHA District 6 assistant resident maintenance engineer.

“We had a significant amount of snow in Garrett County, 9 inches at some locations. Travel conditions are good on state routes and the snow plan remains in effect.”

SHA spokesman Chuck Gischlar offered a word of caution. “On ice and snow, take it slow. Speed limits are posted for ideal conditions, so motorists need to slow down for the conditions,” he said, while urging use of the marylandroads.com Web site for latest weather and travel information.

Crawford also urged motorists to make way for snow plows. “Don’t pass a snow plow. Keep a safe distance. These folks are out there providing a service and trying to keep our roads safe,” he said.

And when the roads do become hazardous in far Western Maryland, where snow whiteouts are as common as 10-foot snowdrifts, an oasis awaits on U.S. Route 40 at Keysers Ridge.

“We’re here to help people coming off the highway and we’re open 24-7 with our restaurant, convenience store, and gas and diesel fuel,” said Skidmore, wondering when the next storm will hit.

“So much for global warming. It looks like we are going to be back in a pattern of rough winters,” said the 46-year-old Skidmore. “When I was a kid, we would get winters like this all the time.”

Contact Jeffrey Alderton at jlalderton@times-news.com.