TRIP DETAILS LENGTH 5-10 mi DIFFICULTY Easy and flat to Grinnell Lake, then hilly on the loop back. DATE July 5, 2017 MAIN FEATURES The trail follows the shoreline of Swiftcurrent Lake, Lake Josephine and Grinnell Lake with views of 5 Glaciers from the Many Glacier Hotel area. No synonym for God is so perfect as Beauty. Whether as seen carving … Continue reading Glacier National Park | Many Glacier
TRIP DETAILS LENGTH about 3 hours (I lost track) DIFFICULTY Easy with an awesome guide like “SOCCER MIKE”! DATE July 3, 2017 MAIN FEATURES Amazing views of Middle Fork of the Flathead River. Woke up at 4:45am, made the hostel coffee and headed out to Brownie’s front porch to enjoy the sunrise. I get the feeling that I am … Continue reading Glacier National Park | Whitewater Rafting
TRIP DETAILS LENGTH 7.9 mi (longer if you start at the visitor center) DIFFICULTY Moderate to Difficult DATE July 1, 2017 MAIN FEATURES Beargrass, wide mountain views, Hoary Marmot and Sheep My day started at 5am. Made a pot of coffee and relaxed on the Brownie’s Hostel porch with a mountain view for a good hour or so. Today’s … Continue reading Glacier National Park | Scenic Point
TRIP DETAILS LENGTH 5-6 miles DIFFICULTY Easy with some elevation up to Avalanche Lake DATE July 4, 2017 MAIN FEATURES Trail winds through towering Cedars and evergreen forest along waterfalls and rushing river to turquoise blue Avalanche Lake. Be sure to walk to the end of the trail for the best view. Woke up before everyone again and ordered … Continue reading Glacier National Park | Trail of the Cedars, Avalanche Lake and Paradise Point.
TRIP DETAILS LENGTH 4-5 mi DIFFICULTY Easy to overlook without snow, but extremely steep down to the lake. Moderate to Difficult with snow. DATE July 2, 2017 MAIN FEATURES Panoramic views across mountains, glacial lakes and snow fields, mountain goats. One of the benefits of adventuring with Scouts is that the Senior Patrol Leader and ASPL decide each night what time … Continue reading Glacier National Park | Logan Pass & Hidden Lake Trail
Welcome to the first post from last week’s trip to Glacier National Park! Last year, 18 of us went to Isle Royale, this year another group of 18 Scouts and adults to East Glacier for our Boy Scout Troop’s 2017 High Adventure Trip. We planned the trip 9 months out and held almost all of … Continue reading Glacier National Park – Day 1 & 2: Amtrak & Brownies
“Wander here a whole summer, if you can. Thousands of God’s wild blessings will search you and soak you as if your were a sponge, and the big days will go uncounted. If you are business-tangled, and so burdened with duty that only tweeks can be got out of the heavy laden year, then go … Continue reading Glacier National Park Part 1: Remembering our first trip.
TRIP DETAILS LENGTH 3 mi + 2 mi DIFFICULTY Easy, with a few blazing hot hills on the way out of the falls. DATE July 6, 2017 MAIN FEATURES Two hikes in one day! The trail to the falls follows the path of a recent forest fire, 3 miles out and back. Several great spots for lunch and enjoying … Continue reading Glacier National Park | St Mary, Virginia Falls, Garden Wall and Final Trip Thoughts
Hi, I’m Jen!
I’m so glad you’re here! I started this little corner of the internet to help empower people on their adventures, advocate for the outdoors, and share the things I’m learning along the way.
Wandering Pine is where you will find my trip reports, tips for getting outside, outdoor skills, gear reviews and more!
On January 1st 2017, I started this blog, as a place to write about my outdoor adventures, learning experiences, failures and encourage others to get outside at any skill level. In 2017, I also challenged myself to ask, before starting or continuing various activities, “Does this make me feel strong? Or will this build strength?” … Continue reading 2017 Year in Review
Wilderness and Remote First Aid/CPR/AED certification is 18 hours of intense training packed into two or three days. As a leader of High Adventure Treks with Scouts and as a Women Who Hike Ambassador, I am required to take it every two years. Last weekend was my 4th time going through the course and I … Continue reading WRFA/CPR/AED-Wilderness First Aid and Rule #1 for Staying Safe in the Wild.
Trip report from a quick overnight to Beaver Creek Valley and Great Bluffs State Park to enjoy scenic Southern Minnesota and Hike the Hiking Club Trails.
Continued from Part 1… Split Rock to Beaver Bay TRIP DETAILS LENGTH 11 miles: camped at Tettegouche State ParkDIFFICULTY Moderate, elevation and sun exposureDATE August 9, 2020MAIN FEATURES Classic Superior Hiking Trail up and down elevation with spectacular views of Lake Superior. We parked a car in the rear lot of Cove Point Lodge, which connects directly to a 2 … Continue reading Minnesota North Shore Weekend! Part 2: Tettegouche State Park, Superior Hiking Trail and a BEAR at camp!
TRIP DETAILS LENGTH 2.5-3 miles DIFFICULTY Easy, with caution DATE Jan 13, 2018 MAIN FEATURES Flat trail on a frozen river, use caution and traction devices. I have been taught to never trust a river, whether frozen or thawed…it is wild, dangerous and a tempting treat. I think there are more rivers in my future. Today’s adventure started at … Continue reading Snowshoeing on the St Croix River
TRIP DETAILS LENGTH 8 miles (6.2 mile Hiking Club) DIFFICULTY Easy wide trails. DATE Sept 10, 2017 MAIN FEATURES Wildflowers, Pelicans, 16 miles of trail and sleeping on an island. This summer started out full of hiking in preparation for our trip to Glacier National Park and ended with weeks of biking, camping, kayaking and paddle boarding. It’s been … Continue reading Myre Big Island State Park and Hennesey Hammock Gear Review
FUN NEWS! Our Superior hiking Trail adventure is being featured all week as a series on the BSA Instagram page. Volunteering with our son’s Boy Scout Troop has provided me with opportunities that have ignited a passion for the outdoors and empowered me to pursue adventure both inside and outside of Scouting activities. I’m grateful … Continue reading Lightweight Backpacking Tips: 5 ways I reduced my pack weight – Including packing list
I was a new Scout Leader, and knew nothing about winter camping but enthusiastically volunteered to coordinate a winter overnight as a camping merit badge requirement. From there, I led my first backpacking trip the following summer without any experience. Powered by this same enthusiasm and thirst for wilderness knowledge, we trekked to Glacier National Park. Lots of learning and we’ve survived every adventure since!
TRIP DETAILS LENGTH 10 miles DIFFICULTY Easy but very icy today (bring ice traction) DATE March 24, 2018 MAIN FEATURES 53 ft Minnehaha Falls and Pike Island My 18th hike of the 2018 52 Hike Challenge started at Minnehaha Falls Regional Park. One of Minneapolis’ oldest and most popular parks features a majestic 53-foot waterfall, limestone bluffs, and river … Continue reading Minnehaha Falls to Pike Island, Fort Snelling State Park
TRIP DETAILS LENGTH 4-10 miles DIFFICULTY Easy with a little ice DATE March 17, 2018 MAIN FEATURES Historic Fort Snelling and Pike Island My 16th hike of the 2018 52 Hike Challenge started at Fort Snelling State Park. It is a park that I have been to many times during all 4 seasons and can easily be modified … Continue reading Fort Snelling State Park: 4 miler turned 10 miler
Today is the 107th Birthday of the Boy Scouting movement in America. As a seasoned scout leader, I spent more time reflecting on what it truly means to be a Scout today than I have in the past. I woke up bound and determined to do a good turn and dutifully post it on social media, hash tagging … Continue reading #likeascout
