Those of you who live where 40°F is considered very cold must wonder about naturists in the North. It's true that our prime season is pretty short, but as the Finns discovered hundreds of years ago with their saunas, getting naked in the snow is not only possible but fun if you do it right.

    The first step in the process is fire - lots of fire!

    Once the cabin is up to a respectable temperature, you just soak up the heat for a while. I find that, depending on the company, soaking efficiency is often improved by a bottle of Pinot Grigio. My Davis Vantage Pro Weather System below is reading 35° Celius inside, or about 95° F, while outside is a reasonable -19C or -2F (yesterday it was -37, much too cold for any goofing around outside!).

    After getting your blood up to the proper temperature, you can go outside and play or "work" for a few minutes. There's no magic formula for how long you can stay out - it depends on how hot you got for how long, how cold it is outside, and whether there's wind or water involved (both require a higher core temperature). To a degree (no pun intended), it also depends on the people you're sharing the experience with.

    After a few minutes outside, you'll discover how incredibly good the heat blasting off the woodstove can feel! Aaaah - please pass the Pinot Grigio...

    You just might be surprised that after a little acclimatization, you can make the walk to the "forest house" wearing only a vest, even at 20 below.

HAVE FUN!