Try a weekend at a yurt in the 11,000 acre backcountry of The Birches Resort at Moosehead Lake.

I spent last weekend up there camped out in the sub-zero cold, but was plenty warm and cozy in my simple yurt.

The Overlook Yurt, my home-away-from-home last weekend, The Birches, Moosehead Lake.
Photo by Carey Kish

I packed in a sled full of goods on Friday night and enjoyed a most excellent solo evening--just me and the cranking woodstove, a delicious meal of beans and hot dogs, an awesome book (I Heard the Owl Call My Name by Margaret Craven) and one sweet rocking chair.

Saturday I strapped on the x-c skis and cruised a nice long loop of the extensive trail network while waiting for my pals Stryder and EW to arrive.

Ostensibly, they pulled in precisely at happy hour! And together we enjoyed a fun evening of socializing and chowing down at the main lodge, which we reached via snowshoes.

Then we closed out the weekend with a lazy Sunday of big breakfasting, followed by an afternoon of good skiing.

The Birches, located between Moosehead and Brassua Lakes, is a wonderful spot, and holing up in a yurt is quite the wilderness experience. Owner John Willard runs a fine operation--many thanks!

More pics and stories on yurtin' to come next week...