Camp Winton Songbook
Don't Hike Up to Twilight Ridge
(There Are No Cairns Up There)
© 2019 Bernadette Durbin
Permission granted to Royaneh staff to perform at will.
And please, country it up.
Camp Royaneh, near the Northern California coast, has a map of little cemented rock pillars called cairns. Maps of these cairns are, shall we say, a little vague, and one easy misinterpretation can take you miles out of your way.
Camp Event
"Cairn" is a single syllable. Call it "karen" and I will lose my mind.
Extra verse!
3 (for the folk involved)
Jaime was the trailblazer
with Kelly close behind,
with Bill, Bob, Sid, and Ashley
part of the intrepid nine,
Sebastian, Carla, Bernadette
(from Troop 288):
Been there, done that, and we got lost—
oh lord, it’s time we ate.
R. Don’t hike up to Twilight Ridge;
there are no cairns up there.
That trail is just for horses
so you really should take care.
Don’t hike up to Twilight Ridge;
your back will thank you bunches.
And hiking back down Stony Ridge
can make you late for lunches.
Okay, I was hungry.
1. You can hike on up to Pinnacle Peak
or down to Roman’s Plunge,
do Fern Glen Falls or Leader’s Point
or Buffrey Flat for fun,
then walk on down to Dead Horse Flats
and on to Oxen Flume,
but don’t continue on that trail or you will meet your doom.
R. Don’t hike up to Twilight Ridge;
there are no cairns up there.
The trail map is inaccurate,
so scoutmasters beware!
Don’t hike up to Twilight Ridge;
your feet will thank you bunches.
And if you hike to Twilight Ridge,
you’ll surely miss your lunches.
2. The trail to Lonely Tree-O
does not make its way past COPE;
You go up past the stinky pools
and look for it with hope,
Then walk back to the horse corral
if you are so inclined,
Or keep on hiking Suicide Hill
if you’re out of your mind.
R. But don’t hike up to Twilight Ridge;
there are no cairns up there.
The trail map doesn’t show that trail,
so hikers should beware!
Don’t hike up to Twilight Ridge;
your legs will thank you bunches.
And don’t breathe near the stinky pools
or you might lose your lunches.
3. Just remember what to do
if you would like to hike around:
Tell people where you’re going
just in case you can’t be found,
Hike with lots of people
‘cause they’ll help you on your way,
and a compass might be helpful
‘cause you can’t call triple-A.
R. Don’t hike up to Twilight Ridge;
there are no cairns up there.
The trail map shows a way around
that simply isn’t there.
Don’t hike up to Twilight Ridge;
your friends will thank you bunches.
And if they have to seek you out,
the staff will miss their lunches.
Get lost, get found, but either way
you want to eat your lunches.