Outdoors

Finnish tradition endures at annual Laskiainen festival in northern Minnesota
Crowds are lining up this weekend to take their turn sliding down a pair of icy tracks onto a northern Minnesota lake. It's the 83rd annual Laskiainen festival held at Loon Lake in Palo, about 40 miles north of Duluth.
Mushers, dog teams begin John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon
Some years, mushers and dog teams in the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon have to contend with bitterly cold conditions. This year? Not so much. Temperatures at the start in Duluth on Sunday should be about 30 degrees above zero.
Photos: U.S. Pond Hockey Championships at Lake Nokomis
Hundreds of hockey players from Minnesota and beyond gathered at Lake Nokomis in Minneapolis this week for the 15th annual U.S. Pond Hockey Championships.
Minnesota taking steps to boost lagging sales of cross-country ski pass
A state fund to help maintain cross-country ski trails has been running low on money as ski pass sales have declined in recent years. Increasing the cost of the pass and informing skiers how the funds are used may be reversing the trend.
Sled dog teams hit the trail this weekend for Gunflint Mail Run
More than two dozen sled dog teams will hit the trails of Cook County on Saturday for the annual Gunflint Mail Run. The race serves as a kickoff of sorts to the sled dog racing season in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest.
CWD reported in captive deer in Pine County
A captive deer at a farm in east-central Minnesota has tested positive for chronic wasting disease, in a case linked to another CWD discovery last month.
Organizers stockpiling snow, preparing to greet elite skiers for World Cup race in Minneapolis
In just over two months, the world's top cross-country skiers will flock to Minneapolis for a World Cup event. And to make sure the trails are in top shape, organizers are working now to stockpile snow. Lots and lots of snow.