I just returned from a week-long, 45-mile backpacking trek with the coed BSA Venturing Crew we volunteer with and wanted to report on ukuleles in the “wilds” of the Trinity Alps (Northern California). Yes–we spotted ukuleles on the trail; two of them were from our group (Tate, one of the hiking Venturers is in “Ukuleles of Paradise”) and the other was spotted more than 20 miles from the nearest trailhead, perched on the back of a hiker who hailed from Ohio. I was certainly more excited to see another ukulele in the wilds than I was to meet up with the three Western Rattlesnakes we saw later that day!
Our evening campfires featured ukulele singalongs and music from Jumpin’ Jim’s “Camp Ukulele” book as well as Joyce Flaugher’s PDF of campfire songs. Both feature a range of traditional and fun tunes that beg to be sung while relaxing after a long day on the trail.