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Outdoor Activities

Want to cross-country ski? How and where to go in a snow-deficient Minnesota winter.

There are options for Nordic skiing on machine-made snow in the Twin Cities and beyond. Here’s how to get started.
January 14, 2025
Outdoors

Why are some skiers and snowboarders hiking up Buck Hill and Spirit Mountain?

The resorts are the only two in Minnesota that allow uphill access for those who want to “earn their turns.”
January 13, 2025
Sports

Anderson: The ice fishing is nice in Minnesota, for a change, but bring cleats

Snow or no snow, hundreds of thousands of winter anglers are returning to the ice, thanks to cold weather.
AuthoredDennis Anderson
January 11, 2025
Twin Cities Suburbs

Motor yacht still stuck on St. Croix’s Beer Can Island may inspire new state law

The boat stuck in the St. Croix River has Hudson, Wis., officials lobbying for criminal penalties over abandoned watercraft.
January 8, 2025
Outdoors

Snowy owl influx excites birders, keeps MSP airport officials on alert

The impressive Arctic owl has turned up in above-average wintering numbers in Minnesota and other parts of the U.S., including a return to the expanses of MSP.
January 8, 2025
Greater Minnesota

ATV riders shell out millions riding northern Minnesota trails, study finds

University of Minnesota Extension researchers found an economic impact of $36 million in St. Louis, Lake and Koochiching counties in 2023.
January 8, 2025
Spider Lake Recreation Area in Foothills State Forest was one of the first official ATV trails in the state, but the scars of high-intensity driving are still evident long after some of the worst areas were closed to riding. In this photo: Many of the steep slopes that are comon in Foothills State Forest, and are also a favorit for ATV drivers, have shown extensive erosion like this 5 foot tall gorge caused by ATV travel and erosion.
Outdoor Activities

Where to see Minnesota’s coolest natural ice formations this winter

This Week in Nature: Various forms of ice, including some shaped like pancakes and some like shards of broken glass, can be found around the state.
January 6, 2025
Things To Do

9 free things to do in the Twin Cities this week

Winter activities commence with sledding, skating and animal tracking.
January 6, 2025
photo of author Keenan Jones
Twin Cities Suburbs

Burnsville neighbors say they support more pickleball courts — just not near their beloved lake

Some residents contend a plan to build eight courts at Alimagnet Park will worsen runoff into the fragile lake below. The city says mitigation efforts will mark the project.
January 4, 2025
High Schools

Among Minnesota’s high school Nordic skiers, concern piles up as snow doesn’t

Teams might have to deal with extra travel and cost and get more creative if the weather doesn’t cooperate.
January 3, 2025
Greater Minnesota

John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon postponed to early March

The annual 300-mile race up the North Shore, which was canceled in 2024, was scheduled to begin later this month.
January 2, 2025
Ryan Redington pet each of his dogs head after winning the John Beargrease sled dog marathon on Tuesday evening. Redington finished the race with a total trail time of 29 hours 8 minutes and 19 seconds, finishing approximately 14 minutes and 56 seconds ahead of Keith Aili.
Midwest Travel

In search of the best saunas around Lake Superior

On a 750-mile road trip through the heart of sauna culture in the United States, a writer looks for the perfect combination of steam, heat and cold.
December 31, 2024
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