J., start later in the winter if you don't have proper gear. If you can bp, you can move onto winter/cold weather camping/bping. With the shorter days about to hit us hard pretty soon, maybe spend the next few months gathering clothes, gear. A good time to go would be when your gear intersects with expected temps, like February or into March for colder weather camping without the really cold temp penalty. I've had to pack in two sleeping bags to get to a warm sleeping temperature. Don't forget a good sleeping pad or two if the ground has snow or is frozen, a headlamp for reading and the book of course.
Duane