The St. Olaf Outdoor Recreation Progarm (STORP) believes it may have the perfect cure to students' mid-winter blues and cabin fever: good, clean, outdoor activities.

STORP offered two outdoor clinics this month, and both were attended by students, staff, and faculty despite harsh winds and low temperatures.

Cindy Schroeder '87 a former runner and volleyball player at Olaf led a Snowshoeing clinic on Sunday, Feb. 11, for two hours in the afternoon. Schroeder is currently a professional snowshoe racer, sponsored by Tubbs Snowshoes, a company founded in Stowe, Vermont. After discussing outdoor clothing, boots, and types and brands of snowshoes, Schroeder and students trekked around campus.

A second clinic focusing on dogsledding was held on the afternoon of Sunday, Feb. 18. Craig Johnson, a member of the St. Olaf Nature Area Project (SNAP) program at St. Olaf, presented the clinic, along with five specially trained dogs.

Johnson discussed a number of topics, focusing especially on: sled dogs, feeding and care, breeding, and dog positioning. Johnson also discussed sleds and how they differed, displaying details on the two sleds that he had brought. The participants had the opportunity of harnessing the dogs and hooking them up to the line, after which Johnson demonstrated how the dogs pull and turn while on trail. In addition, Johnson talked a bit about the sport of skijoring.

STORP is offering another opportunity for winter fun on Saturday, Feb. 24 from 10 a.m. until noon. This clinic, entitled "Beginning Cross-Country Skiing," meets in the Skoglund lobby. There is limited school equipment available, and any interested students are asked to bring their own if possible. To sign up, send an email to zeman@stolaf.edu.