Unusually warm weather this winter hurt ski areas in the early going and left resort owners hoping for a late dusting, but Maine ski stores enjoyed a solid season. Some items that sold were a surprise, other winter toys were bought at odd times, but stores now are clearing out inventory that sold well overall.

Cadillac Mountain Sports store manager Brad Ryder said the heavy snowfall in January saved his store in Bangor. As is true for ski resorts, Ryder said ski stores suffer if there is no snow in people’s yards. A blizzard not only gets people heading to the mountains, it has them spending in stores.

“In talking to dealers in New England. They all seem to be feeling the same thing,” Ryder said. “There were smiles when there was a good load of snow [in January]. That really carried the winter, at least for the local area. Right now, it’s rough. Once we got into January it was great.”

Ryder said at his store snowshoes were the big selling item before Christmas when a lack of snow stretched all the way up to Aroostook County. Once the snow hit, Nordic ski sales took off.

Down around Freeport, snowshoes were the item to keep in stock all winter long. At National Ski and Bike, assistant store manager Jamie Richardson said he didn’t expect the store would sell so many after increasing its inventory this year. Yet it saw an increase in sales of more than 200 percent from last year.

“Actually, that did come as a big surprise, seeing L.L. Bean is right next to us,” Richardson said.

In Bangor, it was a different story. The Ski Rack store manager Doug Oliver said what sold unusually well this year was Nordic skis. Oddly, he said they sold in December when even around the mountains had little snow. Oliver attributes the trend to a good economy.

“Nordic was a lot bigger eight years ago than it is now,” Oliver said. “I was shocked.”

Richardson also cited the good economy as reason for a slight increase in sales on most of his ski and snowboarding equipment.

“There has been a steady increase all year. We’re not sold out, but we didn’t have a blowout sale,” Richardson said.

Still, for some, end of the winter sales is the time to make a profit.

The last week of February during school vacation and the Eastern Maine basketball tournament, the remnants of the last snowfall inspired shoppers at The Ski Rack.

“We always go on sale in February. We went on sale and there was a bunch of snow on the ground and it was tournament week and it was an insane madhouse,” Oliver said. “We had so much snow on the ground and people didn’t recreate early. We had the best February.”

Oliver said now there isn’t a ski pole left in the store. What’s left will go for half price until it’s gone.

Play it Again Sports in Bangor, which sells used equipment, also has season-ending sales on various winter items going on now.

After their ski and snowboarding sale, Ryder said there’s little left at Cadillac Mountain Sports, but he added values can still be had.

Mainers ride lift cheaper at ‘Loaf

The ski representatives for Sugarloaf/USA say the latest bargain there is done to repay its core clientele for their loyalty. Whatever, it’s a great deal.

Sugarloaf will offer Maine skiers and riders $25 lift tickets every Wednesday throughout March. With a verification of Maine residency and Sugarloaf will provide skiers a ticket at nearly half price.

Marketing reps at Sugarloaf say March is traditionally the snowiest month. Despite a warm start to the month, the mountain has 94 percent of its trails open.