Outdoors

Minnesota ice fishing contests adapt amid pandemic
Because of restrictions on large social gatherings aimed at preventing the coronavirus’ spread, organizers of many ice fishing events are considering whether to cancel their contests — or even make them virtual events.
Emily Harrington is 1st woman to free-climb El Capitan's Golden Gate route in 1 day
She made her way into the record books last week after becoming the first woman to climb the Golden Gate route of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park in a little over 21 hours.
Breaking hues: Most of state past peak for fall colors — but not southeastern Minn.
For those looking to catch a last glimpse of this year’s fall colors, head to the southeastern portion of the state. In an area where the leaves have already fallen? Here’s one bright spot: “(Y)ou actually have much better bird- and wildlife-watching opportunities,” says the DNR’s Rachel Hopper.
Bands continue moose hunts to maintain tradition, treaty rights
The Minnesota DNR has not authorized a state moose hunting season for years, after a sharp crash in the iconic animal’s population. But more recently, as the moose population has stabilized, three Ojibwe bands in northeastern Minnesota have allowed limited hunts to keep alive an important cultural tradition.
Fall colors emerge just in time for the start of autumn
Tuesday is the first day of autumn, but it’s already feeling like fall. And according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ fall color map, we’re well on our way to what seems to be a promising fall season.
Growing demand for wilderness education may widen learning inequality
Parents desperate to get their kids outdoors and offline are choosing wilderness schools for their kids, but poor, urban kids are missing out. Educators in Kingston, N.Y., are trying to change that.
Widened by erosion, iconic Mississippi headwaters to undergo restoration work
More than half a million people visit the headwaters of the Mississippi River at Itasca State Park every year, most stepping along the path of stones to cross the river at its humble beginnings. Over decades, those many feet have eroded the shoreline.