UpNorthica

Researchers are studying the uncanny metabolism of Iditarod sled dogs, whose endurance among other creatures on Earth is almost unparalleled. In learning how the dogs can alter their own metabolism to “switch off” fatigue, the scientists hope to find a similar way for humans to better their endurance as well.
Me, if I had to […]

By now it’s well-circulated that Lance Mackey has finished first in what is often called “The Last Great Race on Earth.” You’ve probably heard that this, his second consecutive victory, was won in just under 9 1/2 days. And how he feigned sleep at one of the last checkpoints, only to steal away and regain […]

The dog, Lorne, belonged to Finland resident Jennifer Freking’s team. A snowmobiler apparently ran into the pack as they were on the course.Freking, her husband and co-competitor Blake were unharmed, though another dog, Aries, required medical attention.
Amazingly, the couple have decided to complete the race, though not competitively. They are about 2/3 of the way […]

Duluth musher John Stetson has dropped out of the Iditarod competition. He had pulled Zaster, one of his dog athletes, on Friday due to illness. The dog perished of pneumonia Saturday while in the care of veterinarians, prompting Stetson to end his race effort.
Blake and Jennifer Freking of Finland, MN, are still in the […]

Even if our beloved Minnesota home teams aren’t currently front runners, following the 2008 Iditarod (now at Day 4) is better than ever this year. The official site features live GPS musher tracking, fantastic coverage and commentating by Jon Little and plenty of photo action all throughout. It’s great to see such well-deserved coverage for […]

Props to Sue at Voyageur Canoe Outfitters, for pointing out this Wednesday night’s full lunar eclipse. From about 9:00 to 9:52pm, clear skies allowing, you’ll be able to enjoy the sight, but you won’t get another chance until the year 2010. Whether you ski, snowshoe, hike or other things of that nature, come on out. […]

Shoe up for a several upcoming events at Voyageurs National Park, including a guided showshoe hike and a bit of voyageur history for kids.

I’ve posted before about Minnesota’s vibrant ski culture, but this was completely new to me…
In 2005, a film crew journeyed into China’s mountainous Altai region, to document a people whose history with skis dates back thousands of years. The clip here is an excerpt from that project, “Skiiing in the Shadow of Ghengis Khan: Timeless […]

Most people don’t get involved in dog sled racing by say, trying out for their local junior varsity team, wherein it eventually develops into a lifelong passion. Let’s back up — most people don’t get involved in dog sled racing, period. Like mountaineering (another fun little pasttime uncommon to Minnesota,) it’s an exotic pairing of […]

In the Arrowhead, the name Joe Prijatel is to snowshoes, as the late Joe Seliga’s is to canoes. He’s been making traditional snowshoes in Ely for 70 (!) years and appears to have no intentions of stopping. The Duluth News-Tribune interviews this true Minnesota artisan and gets up close to his work. Be sure […]

As reported from the MN-DNR’s site:
CO Dustie Heaton (Willow River) reported an angler caught a northern on one of his tip-ups. As he laid the fish on the ice, his other tip-up went up. While he was tending to that fish, a bald eagle swooped down and grabbed the first northern off the ice and […]

Bright blue hyperlinks and yellow “NEW” tags announce the very latest cross-country ski trail reports on the homepage of Skinnyski.com. And just as with the blazing neon “HOT NOW” beacons in a Krispy Kreme window, the subsequent rush of endorphins cannot be ignored. In the wee hours of this morning, I read about trail conditions […]

Results from a recent study from the National Academy of Sciences are showing that “all major lines of evidence point to an ongoing and fundamental shift away from nature-based recreation.” And what is inciting this wave of laziness? Things like Xbox 360, YouTube and blogs.
Furthermore,
“The replacement of vigorous outdoor activities by sedentary, indoor videophilia has […]

For adrenaline junkies in Minnesota, the prospects for winter fun may seem…flat. Few ski hills to choose from. Just thousands of desolate frozen lakes, silent in their winter sleep. Hectares of snow-shrouded steppes laying fallow ’til spring thaw, right? Enter the Snowfer. Sails—no, flies!—over ice and even over snow alone. Looks wayyy cooler than snowmobiling […]

From heavy melts Monday and freezing rains overnight, to sled dogs eating their booties(?), it’s been a wild race so far. The weather conditions have definitely run a range, but they haven’t stopped the dogs nor the mushers yet. Don Galloway of Makinen, MN has been declared the winner of the Mid-Distance Marathon. […]