Now that Breckenridge has closed it is time to be thinking about taking care of your gear for the summer. A good cleaning of your skis, boots and poles now will have them ready to go when the snow flies in the fall.

The most important aspect of preparing your skis is to make sure they are dry and clean. The slightest amount of moisture on the edges will cause them to rust. Spring skiing is wonderful but the snow is at its worst as far as dirt and debris that can negatively affect the performance of your skis. A tune will insure that the edges have been cleared of any burrs, those nasty nicks from running over rocks and other hard stuff in the snow. Rough spots on the base as well as gouges will be repaired giving you a smooth running surface. Tuning will also result in your bases being cleaned and then coated with wax. The wax will protect the bases from dust and grime that might build up over summer storage. The only thing that you will need to do in the fall is scrape the ‘storage’ wax off leaving you with skis that have been tuned and are ready to go.

Be sure to let your boots dry out thoroughly by removing the liners from them. Inspect them for any wear that may need attention. Shops will be able to work on your boots during the summer so that come fall, they are in shape for skiing.

Don’t neglect your poles, either. Leather straps will last longer if treated with a quick cleaning with your favorite leather treatment such as mink oil. If your poles are metal, check them for dents that might lead to breakage the next time out. It is better to replace them than to have an unexpected failure ruin your day.

Your ski pants, jacket and other soft goods deserve some loving as well. Run the through the laundry, as appropriate, so you’ll show up in the fall looking all cleaned up and ready to go.

If you decide to go ahead and have your skis or boots tuned up this spring, you can also enjoy spring ski rentals. Breckenridge may be closed, but Loveland and Arapahoe Basin ski areas are still open for those last runs of the season. As a matter of fact, it is snowing while I write this article…