The thing that I think is crazy is stopping actually using stuff just because the water gets hard. If you just keep using your gear all winter long you never have to look overly crazy for pulling it out in Febuary. Just take a peak at the paddle when you're grabbing the snowshoes.
Allthough I have to admit, this was a bad winter for me as far as using gear goes. I'm in the middle of moving and everything seems to have found it's way into boxes that mysteriously ended up behind the things my wife finds imprtant. Somehow she seems to think our kitchen plates and my kid's dressers are more important and thus should be more accesible than my winter sleeping bag and headlamp. Eight years and I still can't figure out her prioritys.