The Capital Area Ski and Outing Club’s annual ski and skate sale will take place next Saturday, Dec. 2, at the old Sears building at the Steeplegate Mall in Concord.

From 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., winter sport enthusiasts will be able to purchase used skiing and hockey equipment at a discounted price.

Revenue from the sale will help the club invest money in cross country skiing in Concord. In the past, the organization has helped support the Concord High School cross country ski team and the Bill Koch League’s youth cross country skiing organization. They also maintain the ski trails at White Farm.

Anyone who wants to drop off equipment for the sale will be able to do so on Thursday, Nov. 30, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and on Friday, Dec. 1, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Michael Wierwille, a board member of the Ski and Outing Club, emphasized the desire for used equipment to be clean and in decent condition. In particular, they’re hoping for more cross country ski gear.

“It’s hard to find used cross country ski gear at some of the local stores, and it always is the first to go,” he said. “It’s a great sport for people to get into at a more affordable option, and it goes straight to the heart of our mission.”

A big part of that mission, Wierwille explained, is helping make skiing more accessible for the next generation of skiers.

“These old ski swaps – which are a tradition here in New England – can help reduce barriers for local kids to access the outdoors and play winter sports because we all know skiing can be expensive,” he said. “Anything we can do to lower that cost is a great way to get more people involved.”

The event is also a great way to prevent old gear that’s still in solid condition from just ending up at the dump, Wierwille added.

Last year, the Ski and Outing Club found itself scrambling to find a location to hold the sale, looking for roughly 10,000 square feet of space. The agreement to hold it at the old Sears building came together at the last minute. This year, though, they already have the location locked in, so they can focus more on all the other challenges that come with setting up a pop-up store in less than five days.

“It’s a great location with plenty of accessible parking,” Wierwille said. “And, we’re grateful to the new owners of the Steeplegate Mall property for allowing us to use the location again for another year.”