Outdoors

Minnesota DNR: Wild deer in Dakota County tests positive for CWD
A wild deer in Dakota County has tested positive for chronic wasting disease, the first case of the fatal brain disease discovered in that area of Minnesota, state wildlife officials said Friday.
For one sunny day, Minnesotans make the most of spring in February
As temperatures climbed into the 40s across much of Minnesota under sunny skies on Sunday, many people got outside to go for a walk, get their car washed — or check out the melting ice sculptures in downtown St. Paul.
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.