Hikers Encouraged to Yodel at Designated Checkpoints along Austrian Trail
OutdoorHub Reporters 08.20.12
The tradition of yodeling has been around for centuries in Europe, especially in Germanic-speaking countries, and was especially popular in the beginning of the 1900s. In the 21st century, Austria is trying to revive interest in this style of singing along one trail designed to encourage hikers to “loosen up a bit with a simple yodel,” said Christian Eder, a hotel owner and local yodeler who came up with the idea.
Eder and fellow Austrians placed audio stations at rest stops along the Yodel Trail. A hiker can press a knob at a station, which then plays a yodel in two-part harmony. The hiker can listen to each yodel separately, practice it, and decide which one to sing with the other recorded yodel in harmony.
The Yodel Trail begins at the village train station Königsleiten in Pinzgau, Austria. The first audio station is placed next to the restaurant “Gipfeltreffen,” or “Summit” in English. The trail is open during the summer and free for anyone willing to participate. Access to the trail may depend on the operating times of the mountain cable car. It is also accessible to wheelchairs.
To get into the yodeling spirit, watch how one of the world’s master yodelers does it, Franzl Lang.
httpv://youtu.be/vQhqikWnQCU
