It is that period when spring arrives and the ski season is beginning to fall beyond the horizon.

Depending on the whims of Mother Nature, the second season could last anywhere between a month and six weeks.

Avid skiers consider it the best time of the year. With the sun high in the sky, its warm rays dancing off your cheeks and snow softening beneath your skies, it is time to have fun.

Spring skiers are a friendly lot. They really seem to enjoy frolicking in the snow. Some show up in Bermuda shorts or crazy costumes while others will just find an unusual hat to wear. Many groups of friends use spring skiing time for a tailgate party. A charcoal grill, some hot dogs and hamburgers, a bottle of wine, and it’s instant party time.

Spring skiing can be an exciting time of the year, but it can also be dangerous. When the snow softens up, or “corns,” the skiing becomes a little tricky. With heavy water content present in the snow, it takes a strong pair of legs to move around. Skiers have a tendency to sit back on their skis rather than getting over them. The wrong positions can cause numerous tumbles. Although the snow is soft to fall in, a high speed fall could result in a violent twist and serious injury.

Spring skiing is also very strenuous. Moving that heavy snow around puts a strain on your muscles. The wise skier will ski hard early and not try to hang in there to the bitter end. It is wise to leave the ski slopes when the snow gets heavy. Most accidents occur when skiers get overtired and reaction time is not as it should be. One rule I ski by: I make my last run the one before my last.

As the snow starts to melt at the lower elevations, spring skiers must travel into Vermont to find decent snow coverage. The higher the sun, the further one must travel. For most skiers the trek into the mountains becomes a burden and skis are finally replaced by golf clubs. Others search the Northeast for that last bit of snow that will carry them into the month of May. Those die-hards always end up at Killington where the closing date is always around the middle of May.

But many of you will be putting the skis away for another season.

Hopefully, you will give them a great cleaning, apply some Vaseline along the metal edges (to prevent rust) and find a nice, comfortable spot in the back of your garage.

Your boots should also be given some careful attention. Pull the linings out and let them dry out completely. Then reinsert the linings, buckle up your boots to prevent them from contracting and expanding and find a nice spot for them somewhere in the back recesses of your attic. Now it’s time to get out those golf clubs for those golf enthusiasts who are torn between seasons.

But for the rest of you with healthy bodies, you will find lots of bargains in ski country. All the areas will be offering discounted tickets to lure you to their slopes. They all realize that the majority of skiers quit skiing once the snow disappears from their front lawns. Resorts will do all they can to squeeze that last dollar out of you.

If you are still in the market for new equipment, this is a great time to go shopping for next season. It helps to know exactly what you want and then go searching for it in area ski shops.

Equipment and clothing don’t change very much from year to year and you can find some wonderful bargains. One suggestion is that you make sure you go to a reliable and established ski shop like the Alpine Sport Shop or the Olde Saratoga Bike and Boards in Schuylerville. Those businesses will not sell you equipment unsuitable for your skiing ability just to clear their shelves.

Buy your equipment now and store it away for the summer. When ski season rolls around again in December, you will be hundreds of dollars ahead with extra money for lift tickets, tickets that will surely be going up in cost if present trends continue.

And I truly know that the end of the ski season is upon us in our area when I drive down Northern Pines Road. “Dennis Hill,” as I call it, is completely devoid of winter sledders. The steep hill on McGregor’s 17th hole has been the playground for hundreds of Wilton children thanks to the generosity of Jeanie and Mike Dennis who allow them access to the hill.