I’ve been wanting to do a cross country ski overnight trip for a few years now, but didn’t have all the gear I needed. For years I have had most of what I needed:

• 4 season tent
• 0 degree sleeping bag
• inflatable air pad
• skis, poles
• warm clothing
• cold temperature cooking stove

I have skied in the winter in Baxter State Park with a full pack on my way into Daicey pond and did not really enjoy the experience. What I was really missing was a pulk sled. This past autumn I found a beautiful wood pulk in the Freeport area on craigslist and I snagged it up.

Now, with all the accumulated gear, I have been waiting for a weekend that has these conditions:

• enough snow for skiing
• favorable temperatures (above 0 degrees F)
• no big winter storms

This has been a waiting game, so I decided I could verify that I was suitably prepared for low temperatures by sleeping in my tent in my back yard. I set up my tent. Loaded it up with a closed cell foam pad, an inflatable pad on top of that, and my sleeping bag.

I donned the following clothing:

• undies
• running tights
• fleece pants
• 2 pair socks
• down booties
• t-shirt
• 3/4 zip shirt
• prima-loft jacket
• runner’s gloves
• light weight balaclava

I crawled into my bag at 8:30 PM with an outside temperature of 18 degrees F. By 8:45 I was stripping off the prima loft jacket and gloves. Sleep came slowly as I cannot sleep on my back, and sleeping on my side in a tent bothers my shoulders. I made it through the night, waking up to an inch+ of new, fluffy snow. I think I’ll be all set for an overnight in the woods… 😉