Nude Hiking and Soaking in the Pacific Northwest

Article: The History of Nude Psychotherapy

2011-11-19T18:57:00.001-08:00

By MARGARITA TARTAKOVSKY, M.S.
Associate Editor

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2011/11/18/the-history-of-nude-psychotherapy/all/1/

It all started in 1933 with a paper by Howard Warren, a Princeton psychologist and president of the American Psychological Association, who spent a week at a German nudist camp a year earlier.

According to Ian Nicholson, Professor of Psychology at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, in the Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences, Warren’s article, “Social Nudism and the Body Taboo,” “was a qualitative and largely sympathetic consideration of the social and psychological significance of nudism.”

Warren “described nudism in therapeutic terms, highlighting the ‘easy camaraderie’ and lack of ‘self-consciousness’ in the nudist park, in addition to a ‘notable improvement in general health,’” along with the principal perspective to return to nature.

Soon after, other articles were published in psychology journals that highlighted the benefits of nudism in contributing to healthy, well-adjusted kids and adults.

But it was psychologist Paul Bindrim who actually pioneered nudepsychotherapy in 1967. Bindrim was no quack; to the contrary, he was a qualified professional whose idea was inspired by the well-respected and regarded Abraham Maslow. Nicholson writes:

Bindrim himself was a licensed psychologist with academic qualifications from Columbia and Duke University and he was careful to package his therapeutic innovations in the language of scientific advancement. Moreover, his therapeutic discoveries drew heavily on the work of the then-president of the American Psychological Association: Abraham Maslow. World-renowned as one of the fathers of humanistic psychology, Maslow had a long-standing interest in nudity dating back to his graduate work as a primatologist in the 1930s. Although he had never written extensively on the topic, Maslow’s work was the inspiration for nude psychotherapy and as APA president he publicly endorsed the technique as an innovative avenue for growth.

As a student, Bindrim became interested in parapsychology. He studied extrasensory perception (ESP) with J.B. Rhine at Duke University. (Rhine coined the term ESP.) When Bindrim moved to California, he started his private practice in Hollywood and also was ordained a minister in the Church of Religious Science.

Again, Maslow was a big influence for Bindrim. Maslow became disillusioned with psychoanalysis, behaviorism and the focus on psychopathology. He called for a focus on personal growth, authenticity and transcendence. And he viewed nudism as a viable path to those things.

In his early work, Bindrim created “peak oriented psychotherapy,” which involved four stages and was conducted in groups: recalling the peak experience, identifying the activities and things that contributed to peak experiences; immersing yourself in them; and extending these experiences into dreams. This was based in part on Maslow’s ideas about peak experiences. According to Nicholson:

Likening the experience to a “visit to a personally defined heaven,” Maslow (1968) described peak experiences as moments of maximum psychological functioning. “He feels more intelligent, more perceptive, wittier, stronger, or more graceful than at other times” (Maslow, 1968, p. 105). Not only was a person generally enhanced during a peak experience, but he also felt a heightened sense of oneness with himself and the world around him. “The person in the peak-experiences feels more integrated (unified, whole, all-of-a-piece) . . . and is more able to fuse with the world” (Maslow, 1968, p. 104).

The encounter group movement was another inspiration. Here, groups of people got together for the purposes of openness, self-discovery and honesty. (No doubt you’ve participated in something similar like the “trust fall,” one of the techniques used where people fall back and their partner catches them.)

The techniques were meant to produce strong emotions and thereby breakthroughs. Another technique was time. Some groups met continuously for 18 to 36 hours. According to Nicholson: “The lengthier format and sleep deprivation was thought to allow participants to build up a psychological momentum.”

The first session of nude psychotherapy took place on June 16, 1967 at a California nudist resort with 24 participants. Other sessions were held at swanky hotels that offered natural surroundings and great amenities. There were typically 15 to 25 participants. The cost was $100 per participant for a weekend or $45 for a day. According to Nicholson:

Like other encounter groups, nude marathon participants traversed culturally anomalous emotional terrain. Most of the participants were strangers to each other, yet they were expected to share an unparalleled level of emotional and physical openness with the group. Aware of the anomaly, Bindrim moved quickly to create an ersatz community.“Basically, I conceive of the first half of the marathon as a means of producing a good functioning group in the nude” (Bindrim, 1972, p. 145).

Bindrim began this process by employing familiar encounter group techniques. Participants were invited to “eyeball” each other (stare into each other’s eyes at close range) and then to respond in some physical way (hugging, wrestling, etc.). After this ice-breaker, participants disrobed in the dark to musical accompaniment before joining a small circle to perform a “meditation-like” hum. This process, Bindrim felt, gave rise to the “feeling of being all part of one human mass” (1972, p. 145).

Like a psychological impresario, Bindrim carefully walked his “human mass” through a series of emotional displays. Freely blending psychoanalysis and Maslovian theory, Bindrim told his participants that they needed to reenact the hurt and frustration in their life in order achieved a psychologically hallowed state. “The idea is to regress, if possible, to the trauma that caused the distortion. That’s the way to start toward a peak experience” (cited in Howard, 1970, p. 95). Under pressure to disclose, participants offered up their intimate secrets and Bindrim masterfully sought out those human dramas that could deliver the greatest emotional payoff. During the first marathon, a participant “Bob” complained that his wife didn’t give him any love:

Paul grabbed a rolled package of magazines, pulled over a bench, shoved the package into Bob’s hands, and screamed to him, “Hit her, hit her, get it out. She wouldn’t give you any love.” Bob in a frenzy, started to hit the bench harder and harder, screaming and swearing vindictively. Paul cried with him. The group cried with him. We were all swept into it. . . . When it was over, we were all limp. (Goodson, 1991, p. 24)

The naked body was viewed as a window into the soul, into one’s true self. Bindrim devised uncomfortable exercises that would supposedly support the process of baring your soul.

Nude therapy was based on the idea of the naked body as a metaphor of the “psychological soul.” Uninhibited exhibition of the nude body revealed that which was most fundamental, truthful, and real. In the marathon, Bindrim interrogated this metaphor with a singular determination. Bodies were exposed and scrutinized with a science-like rigor. Particular attention was paid to revealing the most private areas of the body and mind—all with a view to freeing the self from its socially imposed constraints.

“This,” Bindrim asserted gesturing to a participant’s genitalia and anus, “is where it’s at. This is where we are so damned negatively conditioned” (cited in Howard, 1970, p. 96). Determined to squelch the “exaggerated sense of guilt” in the body, Bindrim devised an exercise called “crotch eyeballing” in which participants were instructed to look at each others’ genitals and disclose the sexual experiences they felt most guilty about while lying naked in a circle with their legs in the air (Bindrim, 1972; cited in Howard, 1970, p. 94).
In this position, Bindrim insisted “you soon realize that the head end and the tail end are indispensable parts of the same person, and that one end is about as good as the other” (Bindrim, 1972, p. 146).

Nude therapy had such a great appeal because people were searching for spiritual transformation and authenticity. According to Nicholson:

There was an extensive popular and academic literature on the “decline” of the self-made “inner-directed” man and the emergence of a feeble, mass produced self who passively responded to the blandishments of consumer culture (see Gilbert, 2005). Nudist motifs and nude therapy in particular promised deliverance from modern despair through a nostalgic invocation of an idealized biological self. Taking off one’s clothes would restore “authenticity” by taking the self back to its precommercial, biological foundation.

By the late ‘190s, Bindrim replaced nude psychotherapy with “aqua-energetics.” He became interested in Wilhelm Reich’s theories, specifically the idea of “orgone energy.” Bindrim oversimplified the concept and came up with the idea of life energy, which contributed to health, kindness and peak experiences. Reich also conceived of the idea of negative energy, which could be absorbed by water. So Bindrim adopted this as well, and took his therapy to the pool.

Reactions to Nude Therapy

Considering the cultural climate of the 1960s and 1970s, it’s not surprising that the media embraced nude psychotherapy, and many magazines published positive pieces. (But the tides would turn, and the media soon started portraying Bindrim as less of a genuine practitioner and more as an extremist in a weird movement.)

Even the professional journal American Psychologist featured a favorable article in 1969. Conservative politicians took issue with Bindrim and so did psychologist Sigmund Koch. Even the APA’s Ethics Committee decided to investigate him, but, again, due to the cultural climate and the fact that the nudity was consensual, the organization dropped it.

Also, Maslow, who was the APA president at the time, endorsed Bindrim and his work, even though he had reservations. Still, other psychologists and psychiatrists questioned and criticized Bindrim and his nude therapy. The American Psychiatric Association wrote a letter to Modern Medicine Journal opposing the therapy.

Other Uses for Nude Therapy

If you can believe it, in the late 1960s, a Canadian psychiatrist used nude psychotherapy for another purpose: to cure psychopaths in prison. Journalist Jon Ronson describes these nude sessions in his book The Psychopath Test. (If you’re interested, here’s my review of the book.)

At Oak Ridge Hospital for the “criminally insane,” psychiatrist Elliot Barker began conducting “the world’s first-ever marathon nude psychotherapy session for criminal psychopaths. Elliott’s raw, naked, LSD-fueled sessions lasted for epic eleven-day stretches,” according to Ronson. (He received the LSD from a government-sanctioned lab.)

Because the psychopaths seemed normal, Barker surmised that this “was because they were burying their insanity deep beneath a façade of normality. If the madness could only, somehow be brought to the surface, maybe it would work itself through and they could be reborn as empathetic human beings,” Ronson writes.

In the 1990s, several researchers looked at the recidivism rates for psychopaths in Elliot’s program and tracked what happened to them. According to Ronson, when released, 60 percent of criminal psychopaths will reoffend. The rate for the psychopaths in the program was 80 percent! And the crimes committed were horrific. Peter Woodcock, a multiple child murder who participated in the program, brutally killed another inmate and patient who rebuffed his advances. He said that the program actually taught him to be a better manipulator and to skillfully hide his “outrageous feelings.”

The Final Days of Nude Therapy

By the late 1970s and early 1980s, nude therapy fell out of favor. Social attitudes started becoming more conservative. Americans yearned to revert back to the moral climate of the 1950s. Bindrim’s private practice thrived, but his nude therapy, which was increasingly viewed as unethical, dissolved.

And Bindrim and his nude therapy largely were forgotten. “His death in 1997 was unacknowledged within psychology and provoked only a sharply worded obituary in the Los Angeles Times (Oliver, 1998),” writes Nicholson.

(By the way, I first learned about Nicholson’s insightful paper on the excellent blog Mind Hacks. You can find a link to the full piece in their post.) (Also here: Baring the Soul: Nude Psychotherapy) pdf file

The Nude Hiker is still out there ...

2011-10-12T22:43:00.000-07:00

Been a long time since I last posted. Much of it has to do with my health and a goodly portion concentrating what free time I do have in supporting Scenic Hot Springs.

Healthwise, I continue to remain in remission and in the chronic phase of the leukemia. The Glevec works but monthly treatments take their toll. Otherwise, I feel good and I'm able to get out and do most things.

As I said, much of my time has been involved with Scenic and the attempts to get better control over illegal access up there. So I'm up there very often. We have a number of trail cams on the way up to the springs (no, none at the pools). Since I am the Nude Hiker, I hike Scenic nude almost all the time . . . and so, I've seen myself on the trail cam images many times. So I've put together an album of just a few of those images and vids. Hope ya'all enjoy it. Doing my best to make clothing-optional the de facto norm at Scenic.

Examining the new Honor Box on the upper trail late at night.

The photo album is here.

No Clothes, No Problem on Some BLM Tracts

2011-06-11T21:52:00.000-07:00

The public lands offer something for everyone in Southern California, including those who prefer to recreate in their most natural state.

The Bureau of Land Management's California Desert District this week issued new regulations for public nudity, drawing a line in the sand, so to speak, for where nudists may hike, camp and fish on public lands.

The final supplementary rules came in response to concerns from the American Association for Nude Recreation that BLM's interim rules issued last summer, which banned nudity at "developed sites" and areas open to off-highway vehicles, were too vague and could allow nudists to inadvertently enter developed areas.

"There was a concern that they could be hiking in an area and there could be a well or a fence or something that would allow the area to be classified as developed," said Lynnette Elser, planning and environmental coordinator for the agency's Southern California district, which covers some 11 million acres east of Los Angeles. "They could stumble upon it by accident, not intending to go into a public site."

The new rules clarify that wilderness areas, which cover well over a million acres in the district, are open for nude recreation as long as there are not large groups of people.

But public nudity in developed areas can create controversy and conflicts among users and cause crowd-control concerns, BLM warned.

The new rules prohibit nudity near campsites with picnic tables, toilet facilities or visitors centers, in addition to off-highway vehicle trails, BLM said.

"There has been some concern in some of the areas of high concentration of use when people are not fully clothed when there are families there with young children," Elser said.

Last summer's interim rule grew out of concerns over riotous and potentially dangerous off-highway vehicle use, including vehicle crashes and people falling off of overloaded OHVs. Nudists who ride OHVs risk more serious injuries when they fall off of vehicles because they're wearing no clothes, said Dave Graber, government affairs chair for AANR, who lives on a nudist resort south of Battle Creek, Mich.

"Nude recreation is increasing," he said. "As time goes by, it's going to be more acceptable. It's tremendously more acceptable than it was 15 years ago."

Tom Mulhall, who owns the clothes-free resort Terra Cotta Inn in Palm Springs, said nude hiking and camping are on the rise in the area thanks in part to the desert's dry, bug-free climate.

"You've got people who might want to camp away from the hustle and bustle of most campgrounds in California, who want to be out in the stars," he said. "Lots of people obviously do it clothed, but there's also a lot of people who do it nude."

Nude hiking trails, beaches

Mulhall said there are three nudist resorts in Palm Springs and a handful of nudist campground areas, in addition to travel nudist clubs that meet at members' homes or beaches.

He pointed to a growing acceptance for nude hiking in Germany, where a nude hiking trail was recently opened in Dankerode, according to Time magazine.

Mulhall said nude hiking is a favorite among locals at nearby Joshua Tree National Park, which features cultural sites and "surreal" geologic features, according to the National Park Service.

NPS also manages a "clothing optional" beach at its Sandy Hook unit of the Gateway National Recreation Area in New Jersey across the bay from Brooklyn.

Muhall said he has lobbied BLM to set aside certain public lands in Southern California and elsewhere for nude recreation, but so far to no avail. He said more people would try nude recreation if it were legalized in more places.

"You'll find that most nudists want to live and let live," he said. "They want to get along, and that's why if they are going to be using public lands, they'll go away from where other people are."

Elser said BLM received more than 40 comments on last summer's interim nudity rules. Several commenters stated that nudity is not offensive, that the public supports nude recreation and that BLM should regulate sexual or lewd acts, not nudity.

One commenter urged BLM to adopt a the ruling of a San Francisco court that women have the same right as men to be topless, but BLM said the ruling does not apply to federal lands.

Last year's interim rule followed complaints from some about mobile strip shows, naked motorcycling and women flashing their breasts, according to the Riverside, Calif., Press Enterprise.

David Govedare, “Runners,” Seattle's PI Building near Sculpture Park

2011-06-07T22:49:00.000-07:00

Bare Buns Fun Run time yet?

These sculptures are seen at the south end of the PI Building on Elliot Avenue (just north of the Olympic Sculpture Park). They've always reminded me of some of the essence of the Bare Buns Fun Runs.

Collins Beach on Sauvies Island: Inundation

2011-05-19T20:31:00.000-07:00

Some aerial photos of Collins Beach on Sauvies Island. Just ain't no sand exposed to enjoy at all with these abnormally high river water levels. Credit goes to Lewis Clark for these images.

From the USGS Water Resources site here

A Little Bit of Nude Spring Cleaning

2011-05-12T20:15:00.000-07:00

Cleaning up my Green House

Nude Rain Hike to the Sunset Mine Site

2011-05-07T20:20:00.000-07:00

Emerging from Adit #2 of the Sunset Mine

Enough of waiting around for good weather. I just had to get out for a reasonable length hike. I've done a number of shorties (an hour or so) but always been held back because of a lack of endurance and bone pain. Felt really good about this one so off I was on a jaunt to check out the route to the long abandoned Sunset Mine site within the Wild Sky Wilderness and up Trout Creek for a couple of miles.

The weather was marginal . . . rain forecast. So a hike would be chancy. Good thing about the weather though. Everybody else felt the same way and by the time I reached the trailhead where I'd begin the hike there were no other cars around. Perfect! So what if it was a little on the overcast, cool side. I'd have the hike to myself.

Sunset Mine is a couple of miles inbound to the east along Trout creek as it wends into the Wild Sky Wilderness from the trailhead on the Index-Galena Road . . . right where the main road is closed from the 2009 road washout. The mine access road used to be in very bad condition . . . accessible only by high-clearance 4-wheel drive vehicles. What I noticed as I hiked up the switchbacks of the road was that gravel had been brought in to make the road much more navigable. For myself, I wondered 'why'. The first, lower leg made sense . . . as a lead-in to a new route for the washed-out Index-Galena road. But further up? The road only got better the further in I hiked.

The answer came when I finally reached the mine site, itself. Posted on a tree was a Notice of Intent to Hold; a formal process establishing a mineral claim to the area. Someone had staked a claim to the old Sunset Mine.

The Sunset Copper Company was formed in 1897 to mine and extract copper, silver, and gold from the Sunset outcrop. Mining operations expanded to cover 960 acres and 12,000 feet of tunnels, almost all of which have collapsed or been submerged. Ownership of the area changed hands a number of times before operations ceased and the property was ceded to the US Forest Service in 1985. By that time, over 13 million tons of copper had been hauled out of the ground. Today, all that remains of the production site is the crumbling cement foundation of the mill.

The mill site is about all one sees nowadays . . . unless you go looking for the three mine shaft adits and the two stopes that define what remains. The mill site is a large open area that mainly sees a lot of target practice on old computer monitors lined up on the pock-marked cement foundation of the mill site. Trout Creek runs nearby and you can still find rusting remains of milling and ore washing equipment buried under the ground.

A vigorous stream run down the roadway beyond. If you follow the stream you are lead right up to Adit #2 . . . the easiest mine shaft to find. I don't normally go into mine shafts, being slightly claustrophobic. However, today I put on the headlamp and squeezed myself slightly into the mine shaft opening. Not far because there isn't much to see. The shaft is caved in just inside the opening. Further up on the overgrown slope are other entrances . . . one of which is not caved in, and two open stopes that, frankly, I wouldn't want to accidently come across and fall into. Stope 2 drops a great distance into the ground. Today I didn't bother with trying to find them . . . no machete to clear the overgrown blackberry bushes that are the nude hiker's bane.

In any case, I was much more interested in the very recent brush clearing that had made new trails throughout the area. I spent some time exploring a few of them, figuring whomever made them knew something I didn't. Came across some old relics like rusting spring-metal bed frames embedded in the overburden of the forest.

I went up the road just a little bit further . . . to where there is a decaying log bridge spanning Trout Creek to other claims much further in on Gunn and Merchant Peaks. But then it was drizzling enough for the skin to wetten, so I started on the way back, determined not to redress or seek out the flimsy emergency rain poncho I carry in the backpack.

Hey, and guess what? I made it all the way back and just ignored the rain as it got heavier. By the time I reached my car I was soaked thoroughly . . . and I figured, what the heck. Right up to the car nude. No one was going to be coming down the road in this weather. A great tonic for the soul. I enjoyed my hike.

The photo album of this hike can be viewed here

Shirley's Oregon Coast Nude Hike

2011-04-19T21:54:00.000-07:00

Nude hiking in Oregon is at best challenging. Not because you can’t find a great location but because the weather discourages it. I am a warm weather hiker and it had been awhile since experiencing the joy and freedom of a nude hike. Rick's postings about nude hikes motivate and encourage me. Good gosh Rick hikes in the snow.

The coast is only about an 80-minute drive from my house. The old RV was cooperating in that it started without hesitation. The RV Park with cheap rates that I love is a 12-minute walk to the beach. On a previous trip I accidently found a very large BLM land park. Previously the park was enjoyed by ATV’ers and recently it appears any motorized vehicles are not allowed. I don’t own one nor do I want one but if I did this would be a perfect place to ride one. Now that the area is off limits to ATV’s it appears to get little use. The only sign at this park is one that says “no motorized vehicles allowed.” It would be a perfect place to set aside for nude use.

So around 10 am I entered the park and kept my eyes open for footprints in the sand. The only ones I spotted were a set of human and dog prints going in and returning out. So I felt fairly secure that I had the park to myself. I have only been able to find one entrance. No one was using the small space available for parking.. I believe that only the locals use this park as most people prefer to be on the beach.

I was able to spend almost two hours nude hiking. It was if the sun decided to give me a gift. The sand dunes blocked the coast wind and it was wonderful. Every once in awhile I would be at the top of a dune and the wind was strong and chilly. The silence of being there was a gift in itself. The blue sky and sunshine were like an added gift that I did not take for granted. I wish I had the skill Rick has at take pictues.

I own (lifetime lease) a RV site at the http://www.Willamettans.com and use it a lot in the winter. But come this time of the year I long for nude camping in the mountains, hiking the trails, and ending the day soaking in some hot springs. This hike will be added to the top of my favorite list. Such a visual joy and gift.

Incredible that there is a place in Oregon where one can be nude, hike and be alone. One of Oregon's treasures for sure. I hike a lot in the national forest but this hike is one of my favorites.. no people, no dogs, no noise and no litter.

Shirley

What a beautiful area . . . you make me jealous, Shirley. We are going to have to hike it together . . . prior to those promised hot springs trips we've been planning all these years. Shirley has permitted me to publish the pictures of her adventure. You can experience her hike here in a Photo Album I've set aside just for Shirley.

Rick

Going for a nude hike? Take that camera with you.

2011-03-12T22:18:00.000-08:00

"There are times when the beauty that surrounds a nude soul goes unnoticed until the photos are reviewed."

Ken Freehiker, recounting on his blog about several nude hikes (or freehikes) taken recently in the El Paso, Texas area.

I could not agree more with Ken. The experience of nude hiking (or as Ken and many others prefer to call it . . . freehiking) is sublime and not easily explained after the fact. The experience is both physical and spiritual . . . lasting some time after a hike. You just feel so good about everything, having immersed and involved yourself so intimately with nature.

Like Ken, simply going over images of the hike afterward immerses you into the experience all over again. I'm often at a loss of words to convey to friends and readers the full extent of the experience. Photos are like a time machine taking me right back into the moment. I share them to share the same experience with my readers.

Ken's excellent blog on everything nudism can be read here.

February Nude Hikes

2011-03-05T17:09:00.000-08:00

On the viewpoint atop the Upper Wall above Index, WA.
It is a sheer 1,200ft drop from the edge.

So . . . the snows are back . . . la Nina doing her thing. But we did get at brief warming spell at the beginning of the month and a few opportunities to get out and hike nude.

The highlight was the exploration of the Index Town Walls, a promenade of sheer granite cliffs and crags that is relatively unknown outside of the rock climbing community. I came across them by accident while driving the Index-Reiter road route looking for possibilities to get in a hike . . . came across this small gravel parking lot full of cars and . . . wondered. Was this the trailhead assemblage for the rumored-about cliffs?

It was but it took several trips and some exploring to figure out the layout . . . and an eventual hike nude to the top and a marvelous lookout over the town of Index and the mountains surrounding. Unlike the brave folk who endangered their lives by climbing the sheer granite faces, I stumbled upon the trail to the top in a less technical fashion. And I had it all to myself.

I did a few other hikes off the Index-Galena road plus a visit to Scenic Hot Springs and a logging road near Grotto. Cold weather hiking but nonetheless, challenged and invigorating.

The jAblum of these hikes is here.

Article: Dare to be Bare (Western Washington State eZine from Bellingham, WA)

2011-03-05T02:07:00.000-08:00

WRITTEN BY TESSA JOHNSTON

FRIDAY, 04 MARCH 2011 00:04

The thought of walking around nude leaves many feeling vulnerable. But for some, nakedness is normal.

Western senior Zac Robertson said living in the buff is something he has grown up with.

“I grew up in a culture where people have sweat lodges, sing songs to the earth while naked in the dark to feel connectedness,” Robertson said. “To me, it feels totally alright and normal.”

Megan Santos puts the finishing touches on a set of wings for Western junior Chasse Gunter. She said she liked the club’s relaxed atmosphere and positive attitude toward body image. “It’s really pro love-your-body, and it makes you feel comfortable in your own skin. And that’s really important,” Santos said. Photo by Mark Stayton // THE WESTERN FRONT

Robertson said he grew up in Eastern Washington and came to Western expecting to find an extremely liberal school.

He said he was surprised there wasn’t already a nudist group established. This did not stop Robertson from finding his niche.

For a while he showed up naked more often than not to friend’s parties.

“Some people started to join in at these naked parties,” Robertson said. “I thought, ‘wow. when people do this they feel a lot more free so why not make a club?'”

That's how the Students for Optional Clothing club was born.
Where skin meets paint

Living in the nude is empowering, Robertson said.

Club president Gavin Gladsjo said their mission is to promote positive body image and to build faith with each other in a non-sexual way.

The club meets once a week and the meetings typically include cooking dinner, hanging out and talking about body image and nudity, he said.

Most recently, the club held a body painting party Wednesday, March 2, at the Alternative Library, at 717 N. Forest St.

To start the club, Robertson went through the Associated Students board, which includes a process of consultation before creating a new club. AS Club Coordinator Mikaela Trott said she liked Robertson's idea.

“I like them because they provide a great outlet for that kind of lifestyle,” she said.

One belief the club has is supporting the National Organization for Women who are trying to legalize women’s rights to being topless in public, Gladsjo said.

The club members feel that women have the same rights as men to be topless.

“We like to normalize nudity,” Gladsjo said. “I feel like in our society we have created a stigma with it. It’s a natural state, so it should be more of an expected thing.”

The club meets at the Alternative Library every Wednesday night.

About eight people consistently show up to the gatherings, and most people will start out partially clothed.

The way Gladsjo sees it, it’s all about personal choice and how the individual feels. He always leaves his socks on in case his feet get cold, he said.

Connecting with nature

Club members go hiking in the nude. Non-members are welcome to join as well, he said.
Hiking hits Robertson on a more personal note.

“When I go hiking, I feel like my eyes are closed and my nose is clogged,” Robertson said (about being clothed). “I can’t see anything if my skin is clothed. I need to feel the earth and what we are doing to her.”

Riding free

Robertson co-created the annual Bellingham chapter of the “World Naked Bike Ride,” which is a separate entity from the club.
The bike ride typically takes place during the spring. For the past two years, about 30 to 50 participants showed up, Robertson said.

Last year the bike ride was on graduation day, which led to two people being arrested on campus.

Zoie Gaidos, Western graduate and co-creator of the bike ride, said her and Robertson had a permit set for their route. However, once the bike ride was over, Gaidos said she headed to campus for her commencement ceremony.

By the time she and a few others got to campus, the police were there and arrested two people, one of them being a Western student.

Gaidos said the student involved was wearing underwear, but was still arrested on suspicion of indecent exposure.
Robertson and Gaidos have written a formal letter to Bruce Shepard expressing the need for university police to have a better response to student activism.

Robertson said normally when the club has outings like this, people are all smiles.

"Really this is for people to have some fun," Gladsjo said. “It’s not like we have dirty orgies. There needs to be open-mindedness.”

Boss Creek Nude Rain Hike

2011-02-07T08:09:00.000-08:00

. . . well, actually more of a stroll as it was short, aimless and I was certainly not in a hurry to go anywhere.

Anyway, working on my hiking legs and stamina and a real desire just to get out there and feel good. Enjoy . . . I did.

The rest of the album is here.

My First Nude Hike of 2011-The Backtrail by Scenic Creek Falls

2011-02-04T15:23:00.000-08:00

Entering the back trail on the way down to the lower Scenic Creek Falls

My fellow steward at Scenic Hot Springs has been keeping me up to date of the conditions up there (myself not able to visit because of cancer issues). The other day he called to give me news on a landslide at Scenic. The way he described the mess tempted me to attempt an impromptu visit to Scenic . . . so off I went . . . dressed against the cold.

I never did make it all the way up to the springs, dallying around the site of the slide. The damage to the BPA road surfaces was significant as can be seen in my Scenic Hot Springs blog post, Winter Storm Damage at Scenic Hot Springs.

Coming back down I like to take the back route via the lower Scenic Creek waterfalls. On a lark I decided to try the last mile or so nude. So off came the clothes . . . heavy parka, fleece outers, thermal underwear. It's been a long time since I've been able to enjoy hiking the way I like to so this was very refreshing despite the air temperatures hovering just below freezing . . . and dropping as the sun set lower. What really surprised me was how easily my body took the cold weather. No shivering or feelings of cold whatsoever. I have no explanations . . . I haven't gone through any cold weather aclimization. One note is, dressed as heavily as I was on the trek up, I did feel the chill. Nude . . . colder out and minus all that unnecessary clothing, I felt entirely comfortable. Makes one think . . . do we really need all those clothes, all the time to protect us from the elements. Nude is entirely natural!

Anyway, I am now hungry for getting back out there and hiking nude.

The JAlbum Photo Album of this hike is here.

The photo album of the Winter Damage to the Scenic Hot Springs area is here.

Bagby Hot Springs (A Photo Treat): Construction of the Bagby bathhouses in 1983-86

2011-02-03T20:31:00.000-08:00

From Mike Rysavy: A treat on the history of Bagby Hot Springs.

As some may know, Bagby has recently been threatened with being turned over to a private concessionaire as well as threats to enforce the No Nudity rules of the Forest Service. These two issues are still under consideration with both AANR and TNS involved. For the meantime, reports are that the Forest Service has no intention of citing bathers for mere, simple nudity at the hot springs . . . that these rules were meant for developed sites like the campgrounds.

Meanwhile, enjoy these photo albums that Mike has graciously put together and shared.

Open publication - Free publishing - More oregon

Open publication - Free publishing - More oregon

A similar treatment of the construction at Scenic Hot Springs can be found at here.

Canada: Nudity laws to be subject of constitutional challenge

2011-01-25T02:44:00.000-08:00

Canadian laws prohibiting public nudity are an infringement of constitutional rights, an Ontario court north of Toronto will hear Tuesday.

Prominent defence lawyer Clayton Ruby was expected to argue current laws in Canada prohibiting nudity in public places, or on private property exposed to public view, are overly broad — thus they should be struck down and the laws under the Criminal Code updated.

According to the Federation of Canadian Nudists, these laws are archaic because they define nudity as generally "indecent" and intended to cause "harm" to those who witness it.

Bagby Hot Springs, AANR-NW eNews Alert

2011-01-14T20:36:00.000-08:00

January 18 Open House Input requested concerning proposed management changes at Bagby Hot Springs

The U.S. Forest Service is hosting an open house on Tuesday, January 18 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the national forest headquarters in Sandy, Oregon (see directions in final paragraph). The purpose of the event is to host discussion on allowing private management of Bagby Hot Springs and a number of campgrounds in the Mount Hood National Forest. The Forest Service already put out the bid information and, although two management companies showed interested, no bids were received. The bid process, if completed, would add Bagby and 28 campgrounds and day-use areas to a concession permit that already covers three dozen recreation sites. Increasingly, as Forest Service personnel budgets have shrunken, private management has been looked at and contracts in other areas (including the Willamette National Forest) have been awarded.

An environmental assessment evidently will be completed before Bagby and the campgrounds will be included in a concession permit. A public letter was issued by the Forest Service saying they are doing an Environmental Analysis (EA) regarding the possibility of a concessionaire at Bagby, and there will be a 30-day comment period soon for written public input. Here is a part of that 1 1/4-page

letter:

"The Developed Recreation Site Concessionaire Permit Environmental Assessment (EA) is still in the process of being completed and no decision has been made yet. The Forest is requesting your comments on this project to help guide the final decision. Upon completion of the EA, there will be no further public comment period. As such, this 30-day comment period represents the final pre-decisional opportunity for public review of the project. Comments must be received or postmarked within 30 days of the date that notice for this comment period is published in The Oregonian."

The Forest Service is also apparently seeking some public input on Bagby at this open house. If you choose to attend, and are allowed to speak, please identify yourself as a nudist, be civil, keep your speech short and on-target. Our position is that simple nudity in and around the hot tubs, absent any other type of illegal conduct, is a long-time tradition at Bagby Hot Springs and should be allowed. We also intend to request and submit written comment during the 30-day period.

During a recent meeting of an AANR Government Affairs representative with Mount Hood Forest Supervisor Andrei Rykoff concerning Bagby, Rykoff stated that the existing anti-nudity order could only be changed by doing an EA. Perhaps the new Assessment could revisit the prior anti-nudity Order. At the very least, this will be an opportunity to make a strong statement that the 1992 anti-nudity Order is unnecessary and needs to be changed. Also, it should be emphasized that a major reason the Forest Service is not getting comments to change the Order is that most of the public still don't know about it.

Here is the Forest Service site with some information on what is proposed to happen concerning concessionaires at Bagby and other locations:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mthood/projects/nepa_project.shtml?project=32471

Update on Bagby Hot Springs physical site: Ranger Rykoff stated in the recent meeting that the old log tubs had been degrading for quite a while and the Forest Service had decided to replace them. The Forest Service installed a new round tub and one ofuro 2- or 3-person oval tub on the lower deck before winter weather set in. They will be installing two more ofuro tubs on the lower deck this year, to replace the three old log tubs.

Please consider coming to this open house if you care about allowing nudity at the Bagby Hot Springs area.

The Forest Service headquarters is located at16400 Champion Way in Sandy, Oregon. The headquarters is the first building on the right (coming from the west), about 300 yards before you reach the first stoplight west of Sandy. If you miss the turn off, you can turn right at the light and loop around on back roads to get there.

Bagby Hot Springs, NAC Action Alert

2011-01-13T12:48:00.000-08:00

**********************************************************************
                     NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE
                           ACTION ALERT
**********************************************************************
                   http://www.naturistaction.org
**********************************************************************
Copyright 2011 by the Naturist Action Committee, which is responsible
for its content. Permission is granted for the posting, forwarding or
redistribution of this message, provided that it is reproduced in its
entirety and without alteration.

DATE   : January 13, 2011
SUBJECT: Oregon - Bagby Hot Springs
TO     : Naturists and other concerned citizens

Dear Naturist,

The Naturist Action Committee is asking for your immediate involvement and action on behalf of Bagby Hot Springs in Oregon. Bagby is a popular and traditional clothing-optional site on public land in Mount Hood National Forest.

U.S. FOREST SERVICE IS PROPOSING PRIVATIZATION OF BAGBY HOT SPRINGS

The Forest Service managers at Mount Hood National Forest have already taken significant steps that have changed the traditional character of Bagby Hot Springs. Without advance public notice, Forest Service personnel have removed the historic wooden tubs from the bath house at Bagby and have destroyed the tub materials by chopping them up and burning them. New tubs have been installed. The new tubs lack the leaks of the old ones, but they also lack the character and history.

The Forest Service management at Mount Hood has also prohibited nudity in the large common area of the Bagby bath house. Nudity is allowed now only behind the closed doors of rooms with smaller tubs.

The action is part of the Forest Service's preparation for finding a private concessionaire to operate Bagby.

NAC ASKS FOR YOU TO TAKE ACTION

The Naturist Action Committee is requesting that you
1) attend an open house that's being presented by the Forest Service
     AND
2) write to the Forest Service to express your concern

ACTION 1: ATTEND THE FOREST SERVICE 'OPEN HOUSE' ON JANUARY 18

If you're anywhere in the area of Mount Hood National Forest, NAC asks you to attend a public open house at Forest Service headquarters on January 18, 2011.

DATE: Tuesday, January 18, 2011
TIME: 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m
LOCATION:
Mount Hood Nat'l Forest Headquarters
16400 Champion Way
Sandy, OR 97055

If you're planning to attend the meeting, please contact:
NAC board member Don Zirbel
orcoba@live.com
(503) 970-6674

or NAC executive director Bob Morton
execdir@naturistaction.org
(512) 282-6621

ACTION 2: WRITE TO THE FOREST SERVICE

Whether or not you're able to attend the meeting, you can still help. NAC asks that you write to the Forest Supervisor at Mount Hood National Forest. Send your comments by e-mail, fax or surface mail. Those who will be at the open house on January 18 are also encouraged to write.

WHO SHOULD WRITE?

NAC is asking ALL NATURISTS and other concerned individuals to contact the Forest Service, regardless of your place of residence. National Forests belong to all citizens.

Send a letter, a fax or an e-mail. Phone calls will likely be ineffective in this specific context.

   Acting Forest Supervisor Kathryn Silverman
   Mount Hood Nat'l Forest
   16400 Champion Way
   Sandy, OR 97055
   E-MAIL: ksilverman@fs.fed.us
   FAX: (503) 668-1794

NAC encourages you to send copies of your faxes and paper mail to:

      NAC, P.O. Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903.

Send copies of your e-mails to:

      bagby@naturistaction.org

WHAT SHOULD YOU SAY?

When you write:

   a) Be polite.

   b) Be known. Give your name and address. If you are a frequent visitor to National Forests, be sure to point that out. Anonymous letters have very little impact.

   c) Be focused. Keep your correspondence brief and on target.

   d) Be productive. You may certainly express your indignation over the poor decisions made by the Forest Service concerning Bagby Hot Springs and the abrupt and destructive change to the tradition of benign nude use there. Who could blame you for being upset? However, you must do more than simply scold and complain. You must point out that the Forest Service has the opportunity and responsibility to manage FOR the historic and traditional clothing-optional use of Bagby Hot Springs.

   e) Be part of the solution. Volunteers and activist groups, including the Naturist Action Committee, have expressed a strong interest in working WITH the Forest Service for the benefit of the public and the preservation of treasures like Bagby Hot Springs. When the Forest Service ignores help from volunteer groups and fails to keep them informed, it squanders a valuable resource. Emphasize the value of involving the public in the care of public land.

   f) Be clear. Say that you OPPOSE the notion of privatizing Bagby.

Additional writing points:

   a) The destruction of the historic tubs at Bagby Hot Springs is just the most visible indicator of the intent to change the traditional nature of Bagby without seeking public input. Despite specific requests to be included in considerations at Bagby, individual volunteers and interested parties like the Northwest Forest Conservancy and the Naturist Action Committee were ignored. That's simply NOT a proper way to manage a public resource.

   b) The changes to the traditional configuration of the bath house and the nudity restrictions there are a slap in the face to naturists and others who understand that nude soaking is the historically authentic way of enjoying Bagby and many other natural hot springs.

   c) Like most individuals and other government agencies, officials of the Forest Service are presently faced with funding shortfalls. Shedding areas and features and assigning them to private operators may seem like an attractive solution, but it creates a long term policy that shortchanges the public and is not likely to be undone when economic hard times abate.

   d) Visitors to Bagby already pay for parking, and the reality is that the Forest Service is not likely to give up that revenue. A private operator will have to charge an additional fee to justify its own effort. A concessionaire will likely choose not to keep Bagby open during less profitable night time hours. Suddenly, a public treasure like Bagby becomes less affordable and less accessible.

   e) The Forest Service has already sought private bidders to operate Bagby. One of those that was expected to bid has said that it's not interested AT THIS TIME. That changes very little about the concern over the lack of public notice and diminished opportunities for public involvement.

MORE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES

Additional information and links are available, along with this NAC Action Alert on the web site of the Naturist Action Committee.

   http:// www.naturistaction.org

Select "Alerts" and find this NAC Action Alert under Current Alerts.

PLEASE HELP NAC TO CONTINUE HELPING NATURISTS!

The Naturist Action Committee is the volunteer nonprofit political adjunct to The Naturist Society. NAC exists to advance and protect the rights and interests of naturists throughout North America. Fighting for the clothing-optional recreational use of public land is expensive. To do its job, NAC relies entirely on the voluntary generosity of supporters like you.

After you've contacted the officials on the list, please take a moment to send a donation to:

   NAC
   PO Box 132
   Oshkosh, WI 54903

Or call toll free (800) 886-7230 to donate by phone using your MasterCard, Visa or Discover Card. Or use your credit card to make a convenient online donation: http://www.naturistaction.org/donate/

Thank you for choosing to make a difference!

Naturally,

Don Zirbel
Board Member
Naturist Action Committee

---------------------------------------------------------------
Naturist Action Committee (NAC) - PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903
Executive Dir. Bob Morton       - execdir@naturistaction.org
Board Member Don Zirbel         - orcoba@live.com
Online Rep. Dennis Kirkpatrick - naturist@sunclad.com
---------------------------------------------------------------

Note: See Also http://nudehiker.blogspot.com/2009/10/bagby-hot-springs-letter-to-acting.html Rick

2011-01-06T13:15:00.000-08:00

The Richmond Retreat is a clothing optional spa and retreat center located just north of Seattle in the Richmond Beach area of Shoreline Washington. It features an in-door pool, hot tub, sauna, separate quiet/social room, and private sunning lawn & patio. All areas have a spectacular view of the Puget Sound and the shipping lanes.

Outside the glassed-in pool area during an earlier swim.
Panoramic views of Puget Sound from this grassy area.

Eugene, OR-Nudie Rock posted No Trespassing

2011-01-02T15:58:00.000-08:00

Photo from Nude Tribe (net) - Enjoying Nudie Rock

A comment on my Clothing Optional Map notes that on a visit to Nudie Rock along the McKenzie River in Eugene, OR that the entire area has recently been posted with No Trespassing signs.

The Gated Sanctuary, Centre for Healing

2010-12-22T23:55:00.000-08:00

Recent posting in a naturist forum ...

The outdoor area of the hydrotherapy with hot and cool pools.

Hi Everyone!

We wanted to let everyone know about our new clothing optional day retreat spa, The Gated Sanctuary, Centre for Healing. We are in a beautiful setting in the countryside on 6.5 private acres. We specialize in massage therapy and hydrotherapy. Our clothing optional hydrotherapy circuit includes two jetted hot pools and a cold plunge set outside on a private deck surrounded by old growth cedar trees. We also have a eucalyptus steam room, showers, and lockers. Please call us at (425) 334-6277 or visit us online at:

http://www.thegatedsanctuary.com

We have exclusive days for men, women, and also coed days.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration!

Danny and Frederick

Massage or hydrotherapy . . . or both! The facilities look well-appointed and situated on a few acres of beautiful forested land in Snohomish County east of Lake Stevens. I am particularly intrigued by the outside hydrotherapy pools and may just book myself for one of their all-day $35 sessions of soak and relax in what looks like very peaceful settings.

The Gated Sanctuary is a business offering clothing-optional opportunities. These opportunities are few and far between. Let's support these efforts by patronizing nude-friendly businesses.

http://www.naked-people.de/

2010-12-11T19:26:00.000-08:00

A nice tidbit from Shirley:

I just viewed this photography art project and found it unbelievable. I think you will enjoy it to. It took me a while to load. Then you click on the mans body and go through all 36 photos. What a wonderful project.

http://www.naked-people.de/

Enjoy,

Shirley

This project uses the Javascript library called Slimebox to animate images of volunteers clothed and unclothed. Nice job.

Why are you here?

2010-12-04T22:57:00.000-08:00

Really. The hit counter shows 2.7 mil hits . . . the real-time visitor gadget in the sidebar shows people coming and going. It's intriguing. What are the visitors to this blog looking for.

According to the stats a large number are simply doing a search for anything nude . . . prurient interest. Nothing erotic or sexy here. They quickly move on.

Others seem to be curious based on the pattern of articles they follow in this blog. Yet others seem to be searching for something specific. I hope you find it.

A large majority, I suspect, are looking for validation . . . reasons to convince themselves to do it themselves. I'd really like to know if there is anything I can help out with. This blog is supposed to be an educational dialogue on the 'rightness' of naturism. My main aim is to prod and convince as many people as possible to just try it. I'd like to know if I'm succeeding.

Interest mainly as I sit at home wanting to get outside. So tell us your story by clicking the comments. Make it anonymous if you must but I am really interested as to why you are reading this blog . . . what you are looking for . . . what you hope to find.

Cold Weather Nude Hiking (Repost)

2010-11-28T05:34:00.000-08:00

Be Prepared When Nude Hiking in Cold Weather

Originally posted Thursday, January 17, 2008

A repost of this article for the upcoming cold weather die-hard . . . wish I was amongst you

36 degs F. and comfortable

I've gotten a few emails from readers wanting to get out there and hike nude in the snow. For most of us the mere thought of getting naked in near-freezing weather does not sound like very much fun, but I can assure you that the human body is very much capable of dealing with cold weather and the experience can actually be very comfortable, serene, invigorating and freeing. You just need to take some commonsense precautions. If that weren't enough to get you out there, trails and routes that are otherwise too popular or overrun by textiles and families in the warmer months are often all yours with nary another soul to bother you (heck, the lack of tracks in the snow tells you no one is on the trail ahead of you!)

Perhaps I should call it "nude backpacking" as opposed to nude hiking or free-hiking. During the warmer months on shorter day routes I prefer to hike with the least amount of covering possible (a hat, hiking shoes and a fanny pack slung over my shoulder . . . sometimes absolutely nothing at all.) I've been known to take all my clothes off, stack them neatly and wander off completely naked as the day I was born. One writer describes that type of exercise as an epiphany for the now, newly converted nudist. You will never want to hike in any other form . . . except when the weather requires it.

In winter (or any weather that is likely to turn inclement) you'd be foolish to hike without the essentials to insure your survival should things go wrong. One reader commented on the size of my backpack, asking how much it weighed. Well, it does look big on my back but if you pack judiciously a 'survival' pack could weigh in about 15-25 lbs which is easily carried in a well-balanced backpack. For me, the most cold-sensitive portion of my anatomy is my back . . . a cold chill down the spine can instantly send me into shivers. Since the pack sits slung over my back I tend to stay warm in that area.

"Clothing" for when you need to warm up

Look at what it takes to keep you warm, dry and comfortable while standing in the snow next to your car at the trail-head and that is what you need to carry with you in your backpack. I pack (after I undress, no need to duplicate):

Thermal, wicking undergarments (remember, no cotton; it gets wet or soaked from perspiration and you freeze),
Two extra pairs of wool socks and an extra pair of wicking undersocks,
Wool Sweater (tight-weave, thick fiber has the best insulating properties and insulates even when wet),
Snow pants (insulated, the type you'd wear skiing or snowboarding),
Your windproof, water-resistant outer-shell parka,
A second pair of snow gloves or mittens,
A small towel to dry yourself off with should you get wet.

I carry these items in a 45-gal 3mil black plastic trash bag (the contractor cleanup type) stuffed back into the pack to keep them dry. The trash bag can serve double-duty as something to sit on, on wet ground or snow, an emergency shelter or as an impromptu poncho by poking three holes in the bottom and pulling it down over your head and arms. I also carry a second trash bag in the pack. Pack your clothes near the top where you can get at them easily should the weather get ugly or you need to warm up. A little trick . . . activate one or two of those foot or hand warmer packets and fold your inner clothes around them to keep them nice and warm for when you do need them.

Food

Food is an essential even if you are only going on a four-hour day hike. What would happen if you got lost or were forced to weather out a sudden snowstorm. I carry the following supplies in a separate ditty bag in the backpack:

9- Top Ramen (easy to prepare comfort food to warm your soul, body and spirit),
3 foil-sealed packages of tuna (for protein), one of the cellopaks of saltine crackers from the 4-pack boxes, an assortment of individual-serve mayo, relish and salt and pepper packs shamelessly stolen from BurgerKing,
9 hot chocolate singles, baggies of instant coffee, creamer and sugar, a few plastic spoons and forks,
4-5 large bars of chocolate; full of slow burning fats and sugar energy . . . the hikers friend and an essential when you are burning large amounts of calories to maintain your body temperature,
My whisper stove and a few canisters of butane (above 5,000 I would carry a multi-fuel stove as butane doesn't work very well at altitude),
My trusty GI-mess kit,
The fire kit: A good supply of waterproof, strike-anywhere matches (make your own, coat matches in paraffin and store in a waterproof container. Add a striker surface (emery board, small piece of sandpaper). Add a 30-hour candle or two, a magnesium striker and tube of fire-starter paste and you should be able to light a fire in pretty much any situation.

I don't expect to have to dig into the food bag on a day hike. It's there on the off-chance that I'm going to have to survive on my own for a couple of days . . . and yes, I have. I overextended myself on one hike into the Glacier Wilderness, running out of daylight to the point where I had to stop and make camp out of my emergency supplies. It can (and will) happen.

I always practice bear-protocol, even when any sensible bear should be hibernating in winter. The food bag has a 50 ft length of strong nylon cord inside that can be used to raise it up out of bear reach. The cord would come in handy for a lot of other uses, as well.

Paraphernalia in the Outer Pouches

In the outer pouches of my pack I carry the paraphernalia of modern society. The most important one a First Aid Kit. The first aid kit doesn't have to be elaborate but should have a few hiker's-essential supplies like moleskin for blisters, band-aids, ointments, gauze pads, some safety pins, etc. to cover the typical scrapes and bruises all hikers get. I carry the old style styptic pencil that shaver's use to use to stop minor scratches from bleeding. A small roll of duct tape in the pack along with a couple of emergency mylar space blankets cover many other potential repair and emergency situations.

I carry my cell phone, my camera and my GPS unit when I hike. When I hike with friends I also like to hike with a set of FRS radios to stay in contact. I also carry one of those neon headlamps for nighttime use. All of these require batteries. You should have a set of backup batteries for all items and you should try to keep these batteries protected from the cold. Cold drains a battery in half the normal time.

In another pouch I carry my maps and charts, compass and a few other essential items.

My Bear Deterrent spray and my hunting knife seem to permanently be on the belt of my backpack. I leave them there . . . never had to use the spray.

On the back rigging I carry a small, collapsing snow shovel.

Water

While it may seem that with snow all around there is no need to carry a lot of water, dehydration is a serious problem for cold-weather hikers . . . and even more for nude, cold-weather hikers. Very cold air is also very dry air, as moisture condenses out with dropping temperature. That dry air sucks moisture from your skin and breath very efficiently. Constant hydration is very important. So three important points:

Carry plenty of water and be prepared to obtain more. My backpack has a three-liter hydration bladder built into it, which is normal enough for the typical day hike. A hose snakes out of the top of the pack within easy reach to draw a sip on. I also carry a Sweetwater Filter to filter water from opportune sources along the trail. Try to avoid eating snow to hydrate yourself as all you're doing is lowering core body temperature to melt that snow. The hiker's rule-of-thumb for sufficient hydration is that if you are urinating clear you are sufficiently hydrated.
Your exhalations are the largest source of dehydration in cold weather. Just look at your breath and see all that moisture condensing to a fog. You should avoid breathing through your mouth in cold weather . . . your nostrils are far more efficient at retaining body heat and moisture. Cold weather often induces a stuffy nose so carry decongestants in your first aid kit.
Your skin transpires as much water out of your body in cold dry air, as it does trying to stay cool during hot weather. You lose both water and body heat. An answer I've found is that if your keep your skin moisturized ahead of time you will feel a whole lot warmer and less chill-bound (a sign that your skins is transpiring moisture). Take care of your skin and it will take care of you. Moisturizing your skin also makes it somewhat water-repellent . . . melted snow flakes and rain will ball and roll off your skin quickly without wetting large areas. Remember, water conducts heat away 50 times more efficiently than air.

When I shower I liberally moisturize myself with simple ole baby oil . . . mineral oil. You can find fragrance-free baby oil if the aroma seems too childish . . . doesn't bother me. The treatment makes my skin feel alive and aware. Prior to a hike I rub in some of the leftover suntan lotion I always seem to accumulate in squeeze tubes in my car. The lotions have an efficient moisturized content as well as the UV-protection . . . which mustn't be forgotten, even in winter.

What this Nude Hiker typically wears on a cold weather hike

You've got your backpack set, you've reached a spot where you feel the desire to be free of the bulky clothes and hike naturally. Put as much attention to undressing and packing for need as you did for the rest of your supplies. Despite how careful I try to be, I have fallen through weakened snow-bridges on several occasions and appreciate being able to find dry clothing quickly in my backpack to warm up. Set your pack down where it won't get wet or tip over and carefully undress and fold your clothes in a logical order . . . the order you'd want to retrieve them in a hurry. The last item to come off should be your top . . . gives you a chance to acclimatize yourself to the sudden cold, which is a shock to everyone. You will quickly warm as your metabolism kicks into higher gear.

With my clothes packed safely away and the backpack slung over my back, this is what I'm typically wearing from top on down:

A knit wool cap (60% of your body heat is lost through the top of your head; more for balding people like me. That is a fact . . . wear a hat!),
Sunglasses on a retainer around my neck. Snow blindness is not fun! Get a good pair of mountain glasses,
The pack on my back. I typically do not belt mine as the weight is easy to carry and I enjoy the extra skin exposure,
My thermos in a water-resistant carrier bag looped over head and shoulder. I either fill mine with hot chocolate or coffee. Coffee is a no-no, as it's a diuretic but I love my coffee,
My digital camera attached to a very light-weight collapsing tripod slips into the side rigging of my backpack. With exposed metal surfaces, try coating with the plastic dip used for tools. Helps to prevent cold-contact discomfort when you have to handle those metal surfaces,
Gloves. Mine are thermal Thinsulate gloves which convert to mittens easily yet give the dexterity of a warm glove. Fingers, poorly supplied with blood, are quickly affected by the cold,
Two pairs of socks (an inner wicking pair under woolen hiking socks) keep your feet warm and dry, and resist blisters as the two pairs slide against each other rather than your feet,
A good pair of leather hiking boots . . . pre-worked in and treated with water-repellent. The tongue should be continuous to keep out snow and moisture. Choose hooks rather than eyelets for the top to make tying easier with cold hands. The boots should also have the heel catch for use with snowshoes,
Over the boots I wear calf-covering gaiters to keep snow off my lower legs and out of the top of my boots. The REI branded ones I bought have a reflective insulating inner surface that keep my lower legs and feet toasty warm,
Snowshoes (mine are Denali Evo Ascents). Don't skimp. These are what keep you up above the surface of the snow instead of post-holing to your crotch with every step. Choose snowshoes designed for your weight and the type of terrain you typically hike in (flat, alpine) . . . and for the weight of the snowshoes. Technical use of snowshoes is beyond this article. Learn to use them ahead of time . . . it's not that hard,
Poles. Forget expensive trekking poles unless they already have snow baskets. I use my ski poles.

Hypothermia

Acclimatization to cold weather is a 'learned' response over time. The Inuit of the arctic have a markedly lower core body temperature to what we consider normal (95F to our 98.6F) and have tuned their basal metabolism and circulation to be as efficient as ours at this lower temperature. They can withstand cold temperature far more efficiently than us 'southerners' can.

The metabolic response to temperature changes is a complicated one. Simply stated, we, as warm-blooded beings, can only burn fuel (food) for cell energy within a narrow range of temperatures . . . the core body temperature. Our body will go to great biologic and physiological extremes to maintain that core body temperature. Understanding this metabolic response is important to knowing your limitations and the dangers hypothermia represent . . . especially to a nude hiker totally exposed to the elements. Acclimatization increases your metabolic efficiency and allows you to stay warm for longer periods of time. Remember, clothing does not warm your body . . . clothing simply reduces the loss of body heat. Any and all heat you experience (short of warming yourself by a fire or slipping into a hot spring pool) is generated by your metabolic processes burning the fuel (the food your eat) into energy. Know the signs of hypothermia and your limits:

Your skin tightens upon exposure to cold; body hairs stand on end to more effectively trap an insulating layer of air next to the skin,
Blood vessels initially dilate under the exposed skin surfaces, warming the skin and giving the rosy-cheeks syndrome. As more heat is lost, this process shuts down;
Goosebumps forms and tiny, consciously-controllable shivering may commence;
The skin becomes a pasty white . . . chalky in later stages; blood supply to shell skin areas and extremities is reduced. Shivering becomes more intense as the body fights to maintain the inner core temperature of the internal organs and the brain. You are entering Stage 1 Hypothermia;
Arterial shunting reduces blood flow to the extremities, leading to cramping and uncoordinated use of leg and arm muscles. Shivering become continuous, tiring and intense. You are in Stage 2 Hypothermia and need to preserve the remaining body warmth before you lose the ability to act;
Violent, uncontrollable shivering ceases as the body preserves even this expenditure of scarce energy to keep the heart, lungs and brain warm and functional. You are disoriented to the point of not even being aware of the cold, tired and wanting to sit down and sleep. You are in Stage 3 Hypothermia and in a medical emergency. Your body is losing it's ability to produce heat and will slip rapidly into a fatal coma.

Know the progression and signs. Shivering is normal . . . violent shivering that is impairing and beyond your control is a serious warning sign that you've passed your limits.

Acclimatization to Cold Weather

Acclimatization is the increasing of your body's heat-production and retention efficiency. As you slowly expose yourself to cold weather in longer increasing periods your body responds by burning foods more efficiently. As we go into spring and summer and are no longer exposed to these colder patterns, we acclimatize in the other direction, slowing the efficiency down to maintain that 'normal' 98.6F core body temperature. Vitamin B6 is an excellent supplement to increase the efficiency of our metabolism and I take it regularly in the colder months of the year as I'm working my naked body to withstand and enjoy nudity in the cold. Omega-3 fatty acids are not only good for your cholesterol levels but induce a high level of cold resistance. Get them through eating cold-water fish like salmon or taking flax seed oil capsules.

The key is to acclimatize over time. Do not shock your system by heading out on a long nude snow hike without some period of adjustment to your system.

When exposing you body to cold weather . . . particularly when you must be able to keep yourself warm without the insulating-crutch of clothing . . . eat easily digested foods such as carbohydrates and sugars; adding smaller amounts of fat and protein to balance the digestive load. Digestion consumes up to 30% of all available energy after a large meal. That's energy not available to keep you warm. Avoid large and heavy meals full of protein and fats immediately prior to a hiking expenditure. Carb-load the night before and keep your trail eating to small and frequent snacks.

Sugars are the high-octane fuels and produce a quick burst of energy and a falloff just a quickly.
Carbs are more complicated sugars (starches and such) that burn slower and over an extended period. Carbs are the basic sources of energy to fuel metabolism.
Fats (such as chocolate) are an excellent source of stored energy that can be called on as the body needs. However, if you don't use fats, guess where they go? Don't go overboard on fats as a high-fat diet takes weeks to adapt to and can lead to abdominal stress; something you don't need on the trail. However, fat reserves within the cells of our body are very important both during the acclimatization phase and when the body calls on energy reserves to bolster core temperatures and maintain glucose levels.
Proteins are the structural components for the body. However, in need, proteins are metabolized (burned) for heat energy because they produce a large amount of heat. However, they are difficult to digest and leave many undesired byproducts when burned for fuel . . . such as salts which will lead to increased urination and dehydration.

Control heat loss at the vulnerable points. The head, which loses 60% of all body heat through the scalp (the seat of our intelligence is in the brain and the brain requires a huge amount of energy to function.) Likewise, wear good boots to keep your feet warm and wear gloves. The under-supplied toes and fingers quickly go numb and useless in cold weather.

My back is decidedly sensitive to a cold-shiver, and I suspect that's the case with most of us. Cover your back in some manner (coat slung over the shoulders, backpack, in my case). Our nipples (in both men and woman) suffer painfully when it really gets cold. Likewise the genitalia, particularly men, will feel the painfully numbing cold eventually. Recognize what's happening and don't suffer needlessly. The layering principle applies to nude hikers as well . . . except we might need to put on that first layer as needed.

It is often said that women, with typically thicker subcutaneous fat layers, are better able to withstand the effects of cold weather . . . and that makes sense as adipose fat is a great insulator. You only need look to the ability of marine mammals with their thick blubber to withstand the numbingly frigid waters of the Arctic. But what I've noticed is that the same insulating nature of adipose has a rebound effect . . . those same layers of fat become cold reservoirs and resist warming up or letting external heat through after a hike. I noted that effect several years ago after a challenging nude snow hike that I pushed despite the winds and snow turning ugly. Once back in my car with the heat going full blast, much of my body quickly warmed up . . . except the areas where adipose fat underlay my abdomen and 'love-handles' (yeah, I got lazy that year and let my spare-tire get ahead of me.) Those areas of my body stayed icily-cold for the next few hours despite clothing, heat and a general rewarming of the rest of me. The fat was a great insulator but insulation works both ways! The upshot, some body fat is okay but a lot of adipose can become a liability if you push the limits of your cold exposure.

A note on frostbite . . . can't get it unless the ambient air or wind-chill temperature is below freezing. The laws of thermodynamics plainly state that you can not reduce the temperature of an object below the ambient environment . . . except under certain, unique circumstances . . . supercooling. Supercooling happens under high wind, high humidity conditions. Don't hike nude in such conditions . . . please. Even I'm not that stupid and will put on clothes when the wind picks up much beyond 5-10 mph. When it is below freezing your extremities (particularly toes and fingers, and since we are nude, the nipples and genitalia) are very susceptible to damaging frostbite. Watch for painful, chalky white skin progressing into a lack of pain as frostbite happens. Don't let it get this far!

Last Thoughts

Did I forget anything? I'm sure I have.

While I enjoy endless roaming around the mountains nude in the balmier months, taking off my clothes in a wide-open and pristine snowfield and hiking free is a unique and almost spiritual experience. Also, while I consider hiking nude in the snow a personal challenge, I temper it with the realization that I have to be aware of how my body is responding. But what else is a nudist good for than being aware of his or her body interaction with the environment. We nude hikers know how sublime the experience is . . .

My Status

2010-11-27T17:53:00.000-08:00

"I had to check out your hiking blog to see whether you were still alive or not. Glad you're still alive." from a personal email.

Really, I am sorry. I used to post religiously to my blogs because there is a HUGE amount of joy just simply sharing what I experience when I'm out there. I feel kind of guilty that I started this and now I just don't have the energy or time to keep it up. But the Nude Hiking blog and the Scenic Blog are never far from my mind.

So, my status. Complications from the leukemia took a turn for the worse over the last couple of weeks with an inflamed spleen (the 'arbiter' of cell population in the blood stream). The white blood cell count has soared above 50,000 with a large percentage of 'blasts' or immature WB cells. This takes a toll on my energy and, of course, the spleen, which has to filter out all that junk. The result, inflammation and the potential that I may have to undergo a splenectomy. With my father, this was the watershed event between chronic and acute myelogenous leukemia. I'm all too aware that he lasted a mere two weeks in the hospital when his leukemia went into the acute phase.

The next week or so will tell if this latest round has WBCs under control and whether my spleen will recover. For now, I'm back at home under enforced bed rest and bored right out of my mind.

Update Dec 1st: I get to keep my spleen (for now) and can wander outside as soon as I feel more energy and stamina. I think they meant wander up to the corner espresso hangout but I may interpret it to mean checking out the snow in the mountains (if you know what I mean . . . lol).

Canada: Naked hiker cleared

2010-11-21T23:47:00.000-08:00

Dropped charges may set precedent for naturists

By SARA ROSS THE PACKET & TIMES

The law has tried to stop an Orillia man from walking naked. But it failed.

"It's like total freedom. You can just feel the breeze, the sun, unless you try it you have no idea what it feels like," says the 60-year-old free-hiker who frequents a local recreational trail.

"Other naturists are still fearful of being in the general public on out of the way trails because of the fact they think they're going to get convicted."

On Monday, the man who requested anonymity, went to trial in an Orillia court charged with an indecent act.

Two off-duty police officers witnessed him walking naked on the Uhthoff Trail in Severn Township in September 2009.

The charges were dismissed.

Gleb Bazov, a Toronto-based lawyer who represents the man, believes the decision sets an important precedent.

"It is a landmark case in the sense that the law has been applied to nudists and naturists. Now there is a clear pronouncement that a naturist is not engaging in an indecent act."

The man was initially also charged with nudity in a public place, but that was withdrawn in September of this year.

The Crown did not receive consent from the Attorney General to commence proceedings, which is required on a nudity charge. The indecent act charge was dismissed because what the man was doing was not harmful, Bazov said.

Acts that would constitute this charge are public masturbation, luring for sexual act, luring children and flashers, he noted.

"They might not think it's appropriate, or they might think it's not moral, but it's not indecent in the sense that it causes anybody any harm."

Charlene Ewanchuk disagrees.

Her home on Thorburn Road backs onto the Uhthoff Trail. She has called police on the "naked man" several times.

"I find it offensive. If I catch him going by my house, I'll call the cops."

One day while travelling the trail with her children, now aged 10 and 14, they came across the man.

"Turn your head the opposite way and just go by," Ewanchuk told her children. "Don't look, don't talk to him, just go by."

Ewanchuk questions why Orillian walks in Severn Township.

"If it's so acceptable why isn't he doing it in downtown Orillia? Why does it have to be out here?"

Severn Township Mayor Phil Sled says the township has received complaints about the man "a few times."

"It's more shock than anything that he would be out there exposing himself in that way."

The township wrote a letter to the man in November 2006 "prohibiting" him from using the Uhthoff Trail while "improperly clothed."

"The Uhthoff Trail is used for recreational purposes only and to provide a benefit to all users young and old alike," the letter states.

"If the courts can't charge him, I guess he's within his (rights.) Personally, I don't think it's appropriate," Sled said.

The man requested anonymity to protect the reputation of his family members.

He has two grown children, who live in the area, disapprove of his lifestyle.

"I understand (their opinion) but I don't agree with them. I don't force myself lifestyle on them."

His two sisters, who also live here, are very bothered by his activity.

"They are frightened to death of naturism in any sort. Very strict upbringing."

Once a very self-conscious man, he became curious about naturism and decided to visit a nudist resort.

"(The resort) changed my whole life, it gave me my life back. I wish I had tried it many, many years ago."

He has been a naturist for 10 years.  The man wanted to share his story with the public to let other naturists know they are "well within their rights."

Having a good understanding of the law, he would like to start a freehiker group in Orillia.

"I want to get across to naturists that they don't have to fear being out in the public."

Stéphane Deschênes, director of the Federation of Canadian Naturists, says naturists are just embracing their "natural self."

"We, as a society, have a real phobia about our own body. We are so incredibly uncomfortable that we find our own image embarrassing, shameful and offensive."

Deschênes is also the owner of Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park, a year-round naturist park and campground near Toronto.

The park has 1,500 day visitors this season and 4,180 overnight visits. Deschênes says there are at least two families in the Orillia area who attend the camp.

Deschênes says most naturists prefer to practise their lifestyle only in nudists resorts.

"They are aware that others will take great exception to their body for whatever reason. Social pressure is far more powerful than any law."

sross@orilliapacket.com

Happy Halloween

2010-10-21T18:29:00.000-07:00

Maybe you'll see me . . . maybe you won't. This nude hiker is rarely seen, even in the wilds. But I'm harmless (LOL).

Seriously, though. I'm not out there to be seen. I'm out there to enjoy nature in the most comfortable, enjoyable way possible. That few ever see me is just a testament to the way I hike . . . quietly and with respect for others. Share the trail with us . . . Better yet, join in and hike nude.

Nudism Central . . . what a pitiful disappointment!

2010-10-18T23:49:00.000-07:00

Once promoted as clean, wholesome with no
adult-oriented content is now a sham

I have a few banners in the sidebar of this blog . . . linking to sites I believe advance the understanding of nudism and naturism. Some time ago I was asked to place a link or banner to Nudism Central . . . advertised as completely free of any adult-oriented content (i.e. porn). Checking out the site it seemed content was appropriate, so I place their banner in the sidebar as an option for those seeking nudist information.

On a lark today I clicked that banner and was taken to the site. What used to be a promising start has almost completely turned into a nudist dating site . . . the questions asked could not be interpreted otherwise. You have to sign up (supposedly free but I didn't continue through) and have to answer questions like "I am looking for ..." 'Totally free to place profile' is a typical piece of bait on these dating sites. In order to meet a match I assume you'd have to pay money. A dating site!

Okay. Fine. Not my cup of tea. Not something I really wanted to promote on my blog.

I wondered if there was any useful nudist content on this site so clicked on the browse link at the top . . . and was taken to NudismTravelNetwork . . . which has absolutely nothing to do with nudism. The entry page states quite explicitly : "18+ WARNING: This is a 100% sex site" . . . and yes, it is.

So . . . their banner is gone. NudismCentral has gone commercial, intrusive and a promoter of pornography. Goodbye ...

Photographic Composition . . . a la' Nude

2010-10-11T03:35:00.000-07:00

Feel free to Download the eBook of this post, 2.5M, pdf format for easy reading. Freely re-distributable under the Creative Commons License (Attrib NC ND)

"If you, an artist, the one who cannot manage figures,

you look like an orator who cannot manage words."

Leonardo da Vinci

A photograph is a story. It is intended to impart information . . . experiences . . . emotive feelings. Nude photography could be generalized into that which is intended to evoke a sexual response (pornography) or that which depicts the nude human body in our everyday natural environment (what I call 'simple nudity' . . . sharing the nudist lifestyle through my photographic journeys).

Like a story . . . a collection of words and sentences strung together in some coherent form . . . a photographic image is a collection of visual elements that convey what your eyes see. It is the balance and composition of your image that determines the first impression viewers have of your photos. Good composition draws your viewers eyes (and attention) to certain parts of the image. Balance assures that the viewer's attention is not drawn away by extraneous details.

Good composition places the important elements off-center

"Rules" of composition are based on ratios almost always seen in nature. Leonardo da Vinci recognized these ratios as did Michelangelo . . . and both applied them in their awe-inspiring works of art. This same symmetry and ratio is what makes the human form pleasing to the eye (look at the statue of David and ask yourself why it draws you). Artists and photographers have instinctively applied and extended these ratios to their works with great viewer satisfaction since ancient times.

This short tutorial will focus on a few simple "rules" of composition that, for the most part, become instinctive in your future picture-taking once you recognize how composition affects a viewer's impression.

The Rule of Thirds

"One third is important, one third continues, the last third places"
Banged Up Shins

The objective of the Rule of Thirds is to stop the subject(s) and areas of interest from bisecting the image, by placing them near one of the lines that would divide the image into three equal columns or rows . . . ideally near the intersection of those lines. The Rule of Thirds is based on the tendency of the viewer's eyes to be initially be drawn about two-thirds of the way up whatever they are viewing (be it a page of type, an oil painting or a photograph. Our minds will divide and ingest by thirds, initially focusing two-thirds of the way up and then internally scanning the other elements in steps of thirds over the image. The center of any image is the least important part unless other elements draw attention and focus there (as we'll see later.)

If we mentally cast a grid of thirds over a scene (my camera makes this easy as I can call up a grid in the viewfinder), we want to compose the important parts of our image at the intersections of the grid lines or on the grid lines, themselves. In the image below, my head is two-thirds of the way up the image at the intersection of two grid lines. The viewer's focus and attention are automatically going to be drawn to my head and then mentally form a response in relation to all the other elements in the image using that ratio of thirds.

Rule of Thirds

Note that a pleasing depiction of the human body in relation to the background will conform to the ratio of thirds. Attention is drawn to the head at two-thirds of the way up. The third above places the subject (myself). The next third is the torso and the final continues and completes with the legs. The axis of the body is also on a grid line, reinforcing the importance of the main subject . . . in this case, I wanted to depict myself nude next to the stump of an old, massive and long-gone tree.

Placement of elements on the horizontal grid lines works well for horizons . . . in this case, the horizon beyond is all in the upper third . . . as is the majority of the tree stump. The mind's eye is taken on a journey from the main subject and placed it in relation to the other important elements in the image.

So the Rule of Thirds in utter simplicity: place your main subject off-center!

The Rule of Diagonals

Elements of your image trending diagonal (like a road or river . . . perhaps a line of trees) tend to lend energy to the imagery. The image becomes more dynamic because the viewer is expecting action of some sort to go on.

Rule of Diagonals

Using the same image as before, the main subject is balanced by the Rule of Thirds. But this image also contains a number of diagonals that impart a sense of tension in the image. That tension is the terrain and there is an implied dynamism between nude hiker and steep slope. Will he fall . . . or will he stay in place (note the set of the trekking poles reinforcing perceptions)?

To be effective diagonals, when extended to the image edge, should be within 1/6 of the image corners (as shown in the image above.) The dominant diagonal in this image is the slope of the large block of granite upon which the tree stump (and myself) hold against gravity. My left knee is also crooked, bringing the thigh into alignment with the main diagonal. The main subject, myself, is within one-sixth distance of a center diagonal.

Diverging and Leading Diagonals

Diverging Diagonals imply inclusion: The tilt of the subject along with

the lines of the boulders frame the river beyond, including them

with the main subject

Leading Diagonals: In this image, the subject (set back) is implied to be moving

across the snowfield by the diagonal line of footprints leading back to the viewer.

To add dynamism to your images, place your subjects along some naturally-occurring diagonal. Diagonals . . . particularly if they include the main subject . . . work really well if they lead to one of the corners of the image . . . a satisfying arrangement for the viewer's mind. (For another slant, take a look at the construction of the Golden Triangle further down to get an idea of the psychological processes that are operating here with diagonals.)

Lines of Perspective and Converging Diagonals

Diagonals impart action in an image. Converging diagonals can also imply direction and perspective . . . a go hither implication.

Lines of Perspective

In this image the main subject's head (me, of course) is right at the intersection of two Golden Section lines (described in the next section). These intersections, derived from the Golden Section ratio, assure attention from the viewer. There is a slight twist of the torso and shoulders in the direction I am travelling. I wanted to impart somewhat of a journey on ahead in pleasing surroundings. Converging diagonals toward the open space of the sky give perspective and an implication of 'that's where I'm going'. The diagonals come from the lines of the path edges and flow naturally to the far distance. Tall trees in the upper portion of the image frame the sky of the horizon and the route beyond.

Look for these naturally-occurring lines in your images to reinforce the story you are telling. Shift camera position slightly if necessary to use converging lines in the terrain to add perspective to your image.

The Golden Section

"A mathematical proportion where the ratio between a small section and a larger section is equal to the ratio between the larger section and both sections put together, approximately 1.6180339887..."

Certain points in a picture's composition automatically attract the viewer's attention. Similarly, many natural and man-made objects with certain proportions (whether by chance or design) automatically please us. Leonardo da Vinci investigated the principle that underlies our notions of beauty and harmony and called it the Golden Section.

The Golden Section (or Golden Mean) is the basis of the Rule of Thirds . . . the later being a simplification and easier to implement. The intersection points for the Golden Section are 3/8s in and 3/8s up and down in the image. I'll leave it up to you how to figure out the sweet spots when you're out on the field trying to compose an image. Suffice it to say, the resulting grid looks as it does in the image below. Points where lines intersect automatically draw attention . . . in this case, directly to the image of myself.

The Golden Section

Composition using the Golden Section ratio is difficult in the field but can be of considerable use after-the-case when cropping to bring the important parts of an image onto an nexus (or intersection point). In the image above, there is implication of movement forward and to the right (raised foot taking a step). The shadow line on the grass in the background also forms a diagonal, further reinforcing a perception of movement. The effect is lost in the original image as objects to the right disrupt the diagonals and take away the dynamism of the image. Cropping the image to remove extraneous detail moves the subject out of the Rule of Thirds and closer to the center of the image. However, with a little judicious placement of the subject on a Golden Section nexus, balance is restored to the image.

Addendum: To emphasize just how powerful the Golden Section intersections are, several readers have noted that their viewing of the above image seemed to unconsciously bring their initial attention to the area of my right hip. I tried this on a few nudity-accepting acquaintances minus the grid and asked them, in all honesty, what part of my body did they seem to be drawn. Mind you, these are people who have seen me nude before so there is no snapping of the viewer's attention to the obvious details of my nudity. Five of five all stated the snap-response was to focus on the area near my right hip for a briefest moment, looking for something prominent there before correcting slightly upwards. The nexus of two Golden Section lines had drawn all five automatically. Two of my unwitting test subjects also commented on the small log to the left, even though it was insignificant in the scheme of things . . . except that it also sits near an intersection of lines.

The eyes are drawn away from the subject to the specks of light to the left
in the darkness . . . a Golden Section intersection. Though unintentional
at the time, one wonders if those specks are some wild animal waiting
for dinner . . . an uneasy prospect!

The image above has the supposedly main subject (me) right in the center of the image . . . right where I just told you not to place your main subject. So what's happening here? Why do I include it?

Actually, the compositional elements of this image are complex. Common sense tells us the nude hiker in the center must be the main subject (and that was the intention when I took the picture). Serendipity at work. There are some diagonals (the footpath and the darkness-bracketing line of the small tree) that enclose and direct attention. There is also the stark contrast between flash-lit foreground and absolute darkness that further tell us who (or what) the main subject should be. Yet our attention is not fully on the nude hiker. It strays somewhat uneasily to the darkness. Why? Spend a little time just looking at the image. Where do your eyes unconsciously go? I'm willing to bet it's that lone tall plant sticking up into the darkness on the left. And then your eyes search for meaning and latch onto the unusual . . . the set of what looks likes eyes out there.

This is a good example of the power of the Golden Section rule to grab and hold our attention. The plant is right smack dab on the intersection of two of those lines. Anything at those nexus points is going to grab the viewer's attention and this is what is happening here.

The Golden Triangle

The Golden Triangle adds an element of dynamism to the Golden Section rule by running diagonals to the intersecting points. An offshoot of the Golden Section, the nexus points primarily attract the viewer's attention while the diagonals from those points extend attention along them.

The image below of me skinny-dipping in the Skykomish River is complicated by a lot of things taking place . . . cluttered. My face (as well as my left hand) are right on the intersections of Golden Section Lines and thus, automatically attract attention. But look at where the diagonals of a Golden Triangle flow . . . down my arms, framing my water-treading body in the lower triangle. Attention is focussed. The final diagonal brings the foaming water to the right into harmony with the rest of the image.

The Golden Triangle

Constructing the Golden Triangle

.... from the Golden Section

Composition in the Field

It's obvious I take most of the images of myself using a self-timer. This gives me time to frame the image and consider where I want to be for best composition. I look through that viewfinder for lines and symmetry and mentally place myself where I think the Rule of Thirds will emphasize how I fit into the surroundings.

One of the things I try to do when composing an image, is to try to provide scale for the viewer to get an idea from the limited field of view in a photographic image . . . what the eyes are seeing. An image is two-dimensional, yet what is being experienced is a three-dimensional panorama. We must provide cues to the majestic scale of the forests and mountains to truly capture them. The best way is to include yourself in the image not only to vet that participation but to also to give the viewer scale and enhance a 3D effect.

My presence gives scale and depth to the trees
on this low knoll overlooking Deception Creek

Another way to give the viewer an idea of the scale of the scenery is to use atmospheric cues such as fog.

The viewer's mind is always intrigued with figuring out what lays just beyond perception. In the image above the fog does a remarkable amount of obscuring the trees in the upper left. Our minds are going to be trying to pierce that veil trying to see through the fog . . . what does lay beyond? Try it. I challenge any reader to not honestly admit that they did not spend any time at all trying to pick out details in the background.

There is also an interplay of hard and soft contrasts in this image with the delineating line a diagonal crossing the image behind the main subject . . . the lone leafless tree in the center. My presence provides the necessary scale and a contrast in color to make this image a keeper.

Try to avoid thinking of it as portrait photography because it isn't. You are participating in nature and your images should show that participation. You are, after all, trying to tell a story.

Final Thoughts

There should be a center of interest or focus in the work, to prevent it becoming a pattern in itself;
The direction followed by the viewer's eye should lead the viewer's gaze around all elements in the work before leading out of the picture;
The subject should not be facing out of the image;
A moving subject should have space in front;
Exact bisections of the picture space should be avoided;
Small, high contrast, elements have as much impact as larger, duller elements;
The prominent subject should be off-center, unless a symmetrical or formal composition is desired, and can be balanced by smaller satellite elements
The horizon line should not divide the image in two equal parts but be positioned to emphasize either the sky or ground; showing more sky if it is of clouds, sun rise/set, and more ground if a landscape

Download the eBook of this post, 2.5M, pdf format for easy reading. Freely re-distributable under the Creative Commons License (Attrib NC ND)

Lower Lewis Creek, a State Park and Heybrook Lookout

2010-10-08T05:03:00.000-07:00

Where Lewis Creek Meets the North Fork and a Delightful Little Park

Forks of the Sky State Park (in Trust)

Normally I don't go nude in State Parks because there is a prohibition against nudity in Washington State Parks. State Parks also tend to be heavily used by the public. However, there are some exceptions and a good example is the spate of acquisitions of private land by the state in the wake of record flooding in recent years. This has led to a number of small-acreage areas being held in trust for further development. They are relatively unknown, off the beaten path and lacking the amenities that typically attract the public. The perfect opportunity for a short nude stroll in nature.

Forks of the Sky (where the North Fork and the South Fork of the Skykomish River come together near Index, WA) is one of those small acquisitions. The ten or so acres used to be private property until the North Fork wiped out a major portion of the riverbank, along with cabins. The state purchased the distressed property and then promptly forgot about it. I'd seen the old, rusted sign and gate before but paid little attention . . . until I saw the new sign in the image above. I wondered.

A week later I stopped by the small pullout on the Index-Galena Road. No one else parked nearby. Nude hiking time! The old road down the the former cabin site is still there . . . grassy-green overgrown. Years ago I'd wandered down that road out of curiosity . . . turning back after coming across a No Trespassing sign in sight of the small riverside cabin. Now all that is gone as I come across a bridge that I recall from memory.

Across an old wooden bridge

The stroll is absolutely peaceful amid all the spaced trees draped in thick Cascadian moss. The county road is not that far behind me but I doubt I would have heard much road noise from an infrequent passing car. All I can hear is the twittering of leaves and critters going about their business in the undergrowth. I'm impressed at how open and level the area is.

Across another bridge, this one a footbridge over a small streamlet of Lewis Creek . . . and soon I'm at the original cabin site, a wide area of low bluff open to the river. Someone (I doubt the state) has carried in and put together a very nice picnic table.

On the original cabin site

The hike in had been short . . . ten minutes at most. But I know this can't be all . . . so it's off to search for side trails and I soon find them . . . again, someone has gone to a lot of time and effort to improve the network of level, maintained trails in this potential park. Originally I wondered if the paths might be loop trails and so proceeded with my senses spread out. I tend to avoid loop trails or trails that have entrances at both ends. Eventually it becomes obvious that this is not the case . . . the trails parallel the river north, and there is nothing north of this area but thick forest and creek bed wetlands . . . until a sharp bend in the river a mile or so to the north.

Well-maintained, rock-lined trails and easy river access

This set-aside park land is not very big. Within a short distance the trail becomes rougher and peters out to nothing but a mass of brambles and gullies that no nude hiker would want to traverse (except maybe me . . . but not today).

There is a foot-worn earthen ramp leading down onto the river-rock boulders of the North Fork . . . the floodplain particularly wide here. I'm still well short of that sharp bend in the river and visibility from the paved county road and an oft-used camping area. I head out into sunshine and open air. The occasional beer can or potato chip bag attests to others going on this way at other times. But not today. I have the open flats of the river bed to myself.

Onto the floodplain of the North Fork

I particularly like hiking in the open . . . being slightly claustrophobic. Open spaces around me is what I crave. River beds just naturally attract me and the river bed of the North Fork of the Skykomish (or more accurately, the floodplain caused by the seasonal rains and snowpack melt) is one of my favorite places to hike nude. For the most part, the North Fork has little activity along its' bank until it meets up with the South Fork at Index. A few cabins, but little of anything else to worry someone about being seen.

This river has a history of flooding wide in its' course . . . and during low water months that leaves lots of room to hike over smooth-water-worn boulders and numerous patches of givable sand to claim as your own personal beach. But most of all . . . despite its' openness, there is a real sense of privacy out there. My meanderings take me from the river's slow summer babbling, over multi-ton boulders worn baby-skin smooth to the forest edges . . . and back. No where in particular . . .

Coming down the middle of the floodplain, I eventually realize that I've come just enough around a ninety-degree bend in the river to be visible to anyone travelling the Index-Galena Road in the distance. The movement of a lone car heading north on that road catches my attention. My valued privacy is now gone.

The campsite I'd mentioned earlier is on a twenty-foot high crumbling bluff just around that bend. I head toward the inside of the bend and spot a very worn trail leading in. Not sure if anyone is using the campsites but they've always been a favorite stopping off point in the past. I've just never approached them from this direction before . . . and I'm still not sure if I can. But we will see. Up the banks, over a few downed trees and into the brush.

Enough scrambling and trail-making to find a back way into the
campsite. Back to the open spaces of the river.

Unfortunately I didn't make it far in before I heard the unmistakable sounds of people having a good time just beyond the impenetrable barrier of intertwined brush and sharp alder branches. Guess a stop at that campsite is out of the question. Besides, those brittle, sharp twigs have already scratched up enough of my body. Back to the river and safer, open spaces.

My own, private, wind-screened sandy beach

Coming back down the river I stick to the inside, closer to the banks and following a sandy, deep gorge created at some time by seasonal flooding, but now dry. Some scrambling getting over flotsam and water-torn logs the diameter of city buses for another of my favorite activities . . . walking the downed tree trunks. It's in these flood-eroded gorges that I find the most sand and sunning opportunities. Following a dry-water course outward to the main channel I come across a really nice, deep patch of sand almost in the middle . . . and it's screened by a line of young alder saplings, almost as if by design. A natural windbreak and privacy screen. How can I resist not taking a break? Plop down and off with the shoes for a nice nap. It's quite some time before I decide I've dawdled enough. This visit to a potential State Park was meant only to be a quick foray. The main goal was to hike the road beside the upper Lewis Creek on up to Heybrook Ridge. Back onto the well-maintained paths in the forest.

Barefoot in the Park

Hiking nude is freeing . . . natural . . . wonderful. Hiking nude without even your shoes is . . . sublime. I get few opportunities to do it barefoot in the Cascades . . . footwear almost always being a necessity to protect the feet. Hiking back to my car with my shoes slung over my shoulders, the feel of years of overburden giving just so under the soles of my feet can only be described as sensuous. Purists call it 'free-hiking' and it is definitely that. Having to put my shoes back on was almost as if I was putting clothes back on. Was I still nude?

Crossing that last footbridge a friendly dog came trotting on up . . . followed a moment later, before I could unsling and search for cover . . . by it's owner, a middle-aged lady seemingly out of place smoking a cigarette and carrying a beer amongst such serenity. She kind of chuckled as she stood aside to let me pass and then we exchanged pleasantries on how nice this place was while her dog let me scratch him behind the ears. All the time she kept on smoking away and sipping beer. No backpack . . . just someone appearing out of nowhere. Weird. If a naked man in the wild bothered her she didn't show any indication . . . which was a good sign and definitely gratifying. Back at my car I continued to wonder where she had come from because there were no cars parked along the road for as far as I could see. It was time to head a half mile down the road to the Lewis Creek trailhead.

Lewis Creek and on up to Heybrook Ridge and the Lookout Tower

Lewis Creek is a straightforward hike for me. I've done it dozens of times because the road is gated, and the route in an easy-enough grade to really be enjoyable in it's solitude. In winter this is a great place to showshoe, nude or otherwise.

For the most part it follows Lewis Creek in it's lower sections before switchbacking and climbing south onto Heybrook Ridge. Heybrook Ridge overlooks Hwy 2 and the Skykomish River just east of Index. The highlight of any trip onto Heybrook is a visit to the top of a decommissioned fire lookout tower. The standard route up is via a mile and a half trail from Hwy 2 . . . my back route is almost three miles of time to myself. Eventually you come onto the ridge, intersecting the FS road that used to service the tower (and is now a little-used logging road from the town of Baring further east on Hwy 2.

A photo moment approaching the ridge...

Serendipity sometimes gives the best results. At first I was going to toss this image, as it wasn't what I intended. Here I am adjusting the camera and the timer goes off too soon (or more likely I wasn't paying attention). But I actually like this composition and proportions. Goes to show . . . sometimes just leave it alone.

Just beyond the point above the road tees with the right heading to the lookout tower. Once on the other dirt road I tread quietly because I never know if hikers have been coming up to the tower from the more traditional side of the ridge. Sometimes they wander off to do some exploring of their own, and Heybrook is popular. Today, it wasn't.

The Fire Lookout Tower atop Heybrook Ridge

While this Lookout Tower has been decommissioned for years (with the upper enclosure boarded and locked) the lower observation platform is open and accessible to the public. Sturdy stairs safely take the visitor to the top were they can gaze out over miles of the Skykomish River Valley and especially the peaks of Mount Index and Persis, nearby.

The view from the top
(and the traditional trail below)

Once at the top of the lookout tower you pretty much can see and know everything that is happening around you. My little nude platform . . . I'll see anyone approaching a very long time before they'll have any idea I'm up there staring down on them . . . let alone they know I'm nude. Kind of empowering and relaxing at the same time. You want to linger there and I've often thought 'what a great place to camp out overnight'.

No claustrophobia here

Eventually you have to give up the castle on the hill and head back down before nightfall . . . of course, timing it to milk the most of the daylight nude.

The appropriate ending of any hike is, of course,
a long soak in the hot springs

A photo album with more pics from this hike is here:
http://www.anthonians.org/forgotten_knot/9-4-2010_LowerLewisCreek/

Alpen Falls (a belated posting from May of this year)

2010-10-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

Standing on the precipice of the roaring Alpen Falls

I hear bemoanings of "There ain't nowhere to hike nude" all the time yet if you just look around, there are all sorts of opportunities to shuck the clothes and enjoy nature somewhat on it's own terms. My visit to Alpen Falls (officially known as Alpine Falls on the map, but historically known as Alpen Falls . . . a long story of ethnic controversy from the 40s) began as a visit to Scenic Hot Springs on a needed check up of conditions, and turned into a day-long foray into seeking out where this or that pullout or dirt track went . . . the upshot, Alpen Falls on the Tye River, which you can hear from the highway . . . shows on the maps . . . but I never really knew how to get to them (or, actually, never invested the time . . . always bigger or better-known fish to catch). But Alpen Falls is an absolute gem in the Cascades . . . easily accessible yet almost completely unknown and unvisited. A nude hiker's chance to really enjoy the majesty of nature.

I could have spent all day exploring around the falls but the legs wanted stretching that only a distance-hike could provide . . . and that added the third segment of my day . . . the old logging road up the side of Captain's Point. Unfortunately, our fickle weather did not cooperate and when I see storm clouds piling up against the crest of the Cascades I know it is probably not a good idea to continue in the open.

Despite spending the majority of the day nude, since I still had daylight I did some more of that exploring at the lower elevations with a trek along the Tye River to L-Chute Falls. Not as robust as Alpen, there is something vital about feeling the unimaginable roar of water . . . about accepting the fine mist of spray on your body when you stand just a little too close. What can I say . . . how can you possibly enjoy and participate with what nature is displaying if your body is shielded with water-repellent clothes? It just feels oh-so-glorious to stand there and soak (literally) it all in.

Alpen Falls

I put together a photo album of this day of enjoyment (including a couple of videos of the falls in action). Hope you enjoy them. You can access the album here:

http://www.anthonians.org/forgotten_knot/Alpen%20Falls/

Foss Moss: Nude Hiking in the Fall Colors

2010-10-03T01:29:00.000-07:00

In search of a lost GeoCache

Autumn is a great time to hike nude with summer finally over (not that we had much of one), kids back in school and the mountains generally quiet . . . . and best of all, the bugs all gone! And then we have the vivid colors to make any hike well-worthwhile.

And no, I didn't find my lost geocache, but more on that later.

Fall Creek Nude Hike (from a reader)

2010-10-02T01:12:00.000-07:00

I do like to hear reports from other people who enjoy being natural in nature so it was a pleasant moment to enjoy reading Shirley's report on a nude hike along Fall Creek near Eugene, Oregon. I was even more plesantly surprised when she gave permission to post her report along with the photos. As Shirley declares in her email . . . the hike make her 'top ten hike list' and I know exactly what she is feeling. I thank you for sharing, Shirley. I, too, love that picture of the morning fog. Rick

Shirley's Fall Creek Nude Hike Report

Hearing that the weather was going to be in the 80’s I decided to try and steal another nude camping/hiking weekend. I figured with schools having started the forests would be empty and hunters most likely not target practicing yet.

Arrived at an undeveloped campsite in the Fall Creek area outside Eugene/Springfield around 5 pm on Friday evening. This location was a previous interpretive site used by schools in the past. After a forest fire the place has seen no interpretive class type use that I could tell. The paved parking area and fire pit left by previous users worked perfect for nude camping.

A full moon that weekend provided a spooky like evening ambience. I almost expected “Big Foot” to walk up and ask for a cup of coffee.

Oregon Fog

Woke up early Saturday morning to Oregon fog that only added to the experience. Once the sun broke through the fog and I thought the trail would be drier I headed out for a hike. Actually enjoyed a pot of coffee while using the “dry the trail” for an excuse to start later. Usually I start a hike as early as possible so that I can assure myself that it is safe to hike nude. So little traffic in the area had me feeling comfortable to hike/camp nude.

I started my hike going up stream from a near by bridge. At the bridge the trail crosses over the road to go down stream. I have always wanted to check out some skinny dipping locations on Fall Creek so hiking the trail gave me a great opportunity to do so. A portion of the hike was on an old road no longer used close to the river. Left over fire pits from previous user groups shows that this area is a popular place. Pleasantly surprised that I did not find any garbage or litter. The trail is well used naturally maintained.

I hiked to a campground that has been closed for the winter months. This past summer I only camped at a USFS campground one time this summer, as I am always able to find undeveloped sites for privacy. Yes…I do feel like RV camping is not exactly “camping” so to speak. J

Once at the campground I used an alternative trail to return to the bridge and cross the river to hike down stream. There was one car parked at the bridge so I was more cautious about listening for noise.

Hiking downstream I was no longer in the previously burned area. What a drastic change. Immediately I found myself in beautiful moss covered old growth trees and the trail decorated with ferns. This trail is one of the most beautiful I have ever hiked. Simply indescribable! The trail is close to the river and the road on the right.

Within minutes I could hear squealing and laughter that only a group of teenage girls make. What a surprise to see them all on rocks jumping in the river and swimming. Only kids swim in Oregon in late Sept. The suits they were wearing did not seem to distract them from having a wonderful time. I doubt they ever spotted me on the trail.

A short time later two men were fishing and if not for their dog would never have noticed me. I had heard the dog and put on my long t-shirt. They were friendly and I think one may have been nude previous to hearing me on the trail and the dog barking.

My intent was to hike to the first campground I came to. I later made a decision to return back before reaching it. The interesting thing about hiking trails is that returning back on the same trail and seeing it from a different direction is like hiking a new trail.

Interesting enough pretty much the only litter I found was close to where I had parked the RV. Interesting litter in that it made it into my fridge. A full unopened can of coke and two unopened cans of tomato juice with spicey flavoring!

Fall colors had started to change but not quite worthy yet of making a trip for fall color change only.

I love Oregon old growth forests and nude hiking!

Article: Healthy Sun Exposure

2010-09-07T21:12:00.000-07:00

An interesting and informative article posted by KenFreehiker in the SkinnyTripper forum:

“. . . scientists have identified a total of nearly 3,000 genes that are upregulated by vitamin D. . . In recent years vitamin D has emerged as a star of the ‘vitamin’ world. For example, there are currently over 800 studies showing vitamin D’s effectiveness against cancer. Optimizing your vitamin D levels can literally cut your risk of several cancers by 50 percent! Further, middle aged and elderly people with high levels of vitamin D could reduce their chances of developing heart disease or diabetes by 43 percent.

Vitamin D is actually a ‘prohormone,’ which your body produces from cholesterol. Because it is a prohormone, vitamin D influences your entire body - receptors that respond to the vitamin have been found in almost every type of human cell, from your brain to your bones. So . . . vitamin D does more than just aid in the absorption of calcium and bone formation, it is also involved in multiple repair and maintenance functions, touches thousands of different genes, regulates your immune system, and much, much more.

Just one example of an important gene that vitamin D up-regulates is your ability to fight infections, as well as chronic inflammation. It produces over 200 anti microbial peptides, the most important of which is cathelicidin, a naturally occurring broad-spectrum antibiotic. This is one of the explanations for why it’s so effective against colds and influenza.

When you consider the fact that you only have about 25,000 genes in your body, and vitamin D has been shown to influence nearly 3,000 of them, the bigger picture of its true impact on your health can be easily understood. It may, in fact, have literally thousands of health benefits!

. . . Vitamin D deficiency is a growing epidemic across the world and is contributing to many chronic debilitating diseases.

. . . most people spend far too much time indoors during daytime hours. You may also have also been seriously misled by ‘expert’ recommendations to avoid all sun exposure, and to slather yourself with sunscreen whenever you do go outside. Please understand that sunscreen will virtually eliminate your body’s ability to produce any vitamin D because it blocks the UVB radiation that causes your skin to produce it naturally. As a result, in the United States the late winter average vitamin D is only about 15-18 ng/ml, which is considered a very serious deficiency state. In fact, new studies show that about 85 percent of the U.S. population is vitamin D deficient.

. . . 60 percent of patients with type 2 diabetes have vitamin D deficiency.

. . . It’s absolutely tragic that dermatologists and sunscreen manufacturers have done such a thorough job of deterring people from the sun - your optimal source for natural vitamin D.

Their widely dispersed message to avoid the sun as much as possible, combined with an overall cultural trend of spending more time indoors during both work and leisure time, has greatly contributed to the widespread vitamin D deficiency seen today - which in turn is fueling an astonishingly diverse array of common chronic diseases

. . . A study by Dr. William Grant, Ph.D., internationally recognized research scientist and vitamin D expert, found that about 30 percent of cancer deaths - which amounts to 2 million worldwide and 200,000 in the United States - could be prevented each year with higher levels of vitamin D.

. . . The optimal time to be in the sun for vitamin D production is as near to solar noon as possible. That would be between roughly 10:00am and 2:00pm.

. . . Most people with fair skin will produce the maximum amount of vitamin D in just 10-20 minutes, or, again, when your skin starts turning the lightest shade of pink. Some will need less, others more. The darker your skin, the longer exposure you will need to optimize your vitamin D production. African-Americans need perhaps 20 percent more sun exposure time than whites.

And contrary to popular opinion, your body simply cannot make adequate vitamin D from the sun unless you have more skin area exposed than just your face and hands. In fact, at least 40 percent of your body should be uncovered to optimize your vitamin D production.” – Dr. Mercola

Grin and (Bear) It: Attempted West Cady Ridge Nude Hike

2010-09-02T04:17:00.000-07:00

West Cady Ridge Trailhead

Saturday, August 28th, started out with grandiose plans . . . despite the less than stellar weather and the fact that it was a Saturday when the trails were bound to be busy. Before I go any further, any chance to enjoy being outdoors, au' natural, in the beauty of the forests and mountains of the Cascades, is good. However, this hike could have been so much more.

To start with I got a late start. I had intended to hit my bank up as soon as they opened at 9am (ya need gas and coffee cash, after all). At 8am the phone calls started. deal with 'em. Didn't get on the road until almost noon. Still had to get some cash, fill up the gas tank and grab the obligatory coffee. Once the essentials were out of the way it was time to strip down the the other barest essentials (a long tee shirt) and off to the mountains with less than grandiose plans of making Benchmark summit on the ridge. Who would have though Monroe would be hosting the Evergreen State Fair this same weekend? Fair traffic . . . took me an hour to inch through it to the last espresso stand in Goldbar and a chance that I was discreet and covered up enough (only had on a long tee shirt, remember?)

I love to drive nude (or with as little clothing as appropriate). It's an addictive sort of thing . . . the driving just so much more comfortable and giving a pre-taste of the kiss of sun on bare skin that you are seeking. It took some time for me to get used to driving nude . . . a confidence sort of thing that if I couldn't see into the cars that were whizzing by, then neither could they have any real impression of my state or dress or undress as they passed me. Nowadays I'm down to a lone tee shirt as I leave Seattle and lose that tee shirt once on the long stretches of Hwy 2 past Goldbar. Nude time prolonged three or four hours longer.

Fresh coffee in hand and finally onto open highway one had to wonder about the gathering clouds over the Cascade crest. Nonetheless, the weather held and even showed nice periods of sunshine as I drove the Beckler River Road just past Skykomish.

With the closure of the Index-Galena Road, the Beckler River Road via Jacks Pass is the only way to access the trailheads on the north segment of the loop. The Beckler River Road (aka FS 65) is a nice asphalt-paved road for the first seven miles . . . passing a number of great undeveloped campsites by the river. At the Rapid River junction the road becomes potholed gravel as it climbs toward Jacks Pass. At the pass, right leads to Evergreen Mountain (the subject of a few of my other hikes), the hard switchback on the left goes up on San Juan Mountain and some great vistas over the North Fork valley. The descending left goes over the pass and down into the North Fork Skykomish River valley. That road is gated several miles into the valley at the top of the loop just after the turn for FS 63 and a number of trailheads, including Blanca Lake and the triple one for Quartz Creek, Pass Creek and the West Cady Ridge trails.

It’s a Saturday . . . actually a perfect day for hiking (slightly on the cool side with the clouds keeping temperatures in the 60F range.) Driving up the narrow gravel of FS 63 I almost decided it might not be a bad idea to at least put a tee shirt back on . . . what with the number of vehicles I met. Halfway, at the Blanca Lake Trailhead spur, you might have thought they were having a convention. Parking area overflowed and SUVs parked for several hundred feet in both directions along the shoulders (what little there was). Glad I didn’t decide to try Blanca Lake but now I was wondering what the trailhead parking serving Quartz Creek, Pass Creek/NF Skykomish and the West Cady Ridge trails looked like. Already my mind was going through the possible alternatives.

Fortunately that far trailhead was a little better . . . seven vehicles in the large gravel expanse of the parking area. The conundrum with trailheads like this is that you really didn't know which trails the occupants of those vehicles choose to hike. They could all be on the very trail I want to hike nude upon.

Short of the trailhead but in view a large gathering had set up campsite by the river and were attempting to see how much smoke their raging campfire could make. Might explain why I never had a problem with gnats and mosquitoes as I usually do that close to the river. Actually temperatures and the lateness of the season had a lot to do with the lack of pesky bugs.

The Forest Service also had four horse trailers parked short of the trailhead. At first I thought they would be on the Quartz Creek trail but I later saw fresh, shod hoof prints on the lower West Cady trail. Ah well, I'm here . . . the day is still nice . . . and there's no one around the actual trailhead. Let's at least see how far hike nude. I didn't have any allusions . . . this trail can be pretty busy despite it's difficulty and length . . . especially on weekends. The one redeeming factor in favor of nude hikers is that you have great sight distance over a majority of the trail. Th quiet of the airy canopy makes it easy to hear approaching hikers with plenty of advance time to make decisions. The lower West Cadyblindspots over the ridge toes and curves.

So it was with reasonable confidence that I stayed nude, donned my pack . . . and headed off the wide open expanse of the parking area (before another car unexpectantly showed up) . . . and into the obscurity and quietness of the trail. Though in diffuse shade and filtered sunlight, the temps were comfortable enough to hike.

The first segment of the West Cady Ridge trail parallels the river for a quarter mile or so before it comes around a bend to a well-made footbridge spanning a scenic gorge that the river has cut in the soft bedrock below. Exposed as this location is (both to the Pass Creek trail diverging slightly above, and the first dog leg of the Cady Ridge trail onto Excelsior Mountain), it is well worth it to spend some time enjoying the deep glacier-green pools beneath the bridge where the river has been forced to scour into an abrupt 90 degree turn and change direction. Just past the bridge is the formal boundary into the brand new Wild Sky Wilderness area.

The foortbridge over the NF Skykomish and the beginning of the trail
into the Wild Sky Wilderness

The lower portion of this trail was meant to be enjoyed with all the senses. It is quiet . . . it is a melange of greens and earth-tone browns. The trail is well-made and maintained . . . that in itself worth noticing and observing . . . especially since sooner or later we (those involved with Scenic Hot Springs) are going to have to do some major trail improvement at the springs. This trail is properly cut a good eight inches to get below the overburden . . . which helps to insure the trail will not sprout new vegetation.

There has been a lot of consideration to snowmelt and rain runoff . . . both at the lower moderate slopes and higher up where the switchbacks are shorter to run the steepening sections to the ridge, proper. I find myself stopping at each switchback and bend in the trail and studying how the runoff will be redirected to prevent trail erosion.

Well, that would teach me to pay attention to y wider surroundings because off the next switchback above this couple is descending at a brisk pace and I'm completely unaware until they are twenty feet away and greeting me. If I'd been paying attention the bright colors of their Gortex and spandex outfits, along with the 'clunk-clunk' of fancy aluminum trekking poles, would have alerted me well in advance. Grin and bare it, as they say. No problems . . . we exchanged pleasantries . . . they'd been camping on the ridge and were now on their way back. So much for being discreet on this popular trail, but 'no harm, no foul'. The meeting had actual been quite pleasant and I was soon back to studying the construction of a puncheon bridge over a wetlands section.

Getting onto a trail late you eventually reach a point where meeting other users becomes problematic. Day hikers would have already made the trek back down . . . or so it would be assumed. First encounter . . . pleasant, so relax, let down the guard and enjoy the hike.

Sight distance back down the trail gives the advantage
to those on the high ground

The advantage on the trail goes to those who have the higher ground. When we hike we watch the trail (and ground) in front of us . . . we do not look up. Those on the trail higher up can see what is on the switchbacks below and that is where my next three companions come out off . . . just where the slope really steepens and the switchbacks do some innovative routing to gain elevation. A blindspot that I knew was there yet made an assumption and ran into an elderly woman's trekking party working their way done at a brisk pace. Nothing to do but courteously stand aside to allow them to pass. No words exchanged but at least and couple of smiles and eye contact. Okay . . . two encounters . . . now I've go to have cleared the mountainside. To bolster my experience, the kilt goes into the back pack . . . out of reach.

Grin and Bear it

On the steeper sections as you gain the ridge, the trees thin and really open up . . . giving way to thick stands of huckleberries, mostly denuded of their fruit. The switchback legs are only a few hundred feet in length before another unending change in direction upward. I was just about to gain the open slope, proper (three more legs, if I remember correctly), when I caught a flash of jet black go right across the narrow trail fifty feet in front of me. It's remarkable just how sensitive the human eye is to motion. At that moment I hadn't been looking up the trail . . . instead checking the visible dog legs below. Yet that momentary flash of black caught my attention and focus . . . long enough to make out the beautiful, furry shape of a yearling black bear who was totally unaware of my presence.

Black Bear on the trail

When I hike I don't make a lot of noise . . . mainly to allow myself to become immersed in the surroundings instead of intruding. That may also allow me to hear oncoming hikers early but it is also a bad idea in bear country when you absolutely do not want to surprise a bear into defending itself. Still, with the popularity of this trail the last thing I expected to come upon were bears.

It kind of startled me to stop. The yearling had come from downslope and on off into the thick huckleberry bushes that hedged the trail very close. I stood there listening and wondering where it had gone and whether I should go on or not. I also had an overpowering urge to unsling my backpack and put on some clothes on the off-chance I got mauled by a bear. Wouldn't do for the headlines to say, "Naked man attacked by a bear!" Strange thoughts, I admit.

In any case, I wasn't going anywhere until I knew what the situation was. I had bear spray and a couple of flares in my pack but not within easy reach. I didn't feel in any immediate danger at the moment . . . simply a bear on the trail . . . unaware or ignoring me. I powered up the camera and aimed up trail . . . just in time to catch a second yearling come bounding across a little bit further on. I got it's picture just barely (pun definitely not intended.)

Bears are solitary creatures. Two together . . . especially young ones . . . means momma is still in charge. I was just about to ponder that little factoid in the pregnant stillness on that mountainside . . . was just about to retrieve my bear spray and have a flare at the ready . . . when a loud crash of what I can only surmise to be 'momma' came from just up above and behind me in the thick bushes. Now I'm nervous. I ain't continuing up that trail where two bears, still under their momma's protection, just bounded across ad if I weren't there . . . and not I'm doubly worried that momma might have cut off my escape route.

"Here bear" . . . "Hi bear", I sing-song. My hiking staff taps nearby rocks and bushes. Let 'momma' know I'm here. I still the nervous knot . . . all my senses attuned to where the loud crash came from. I have to will myself to turn and start slowly walking back the way I came . . . all the while talking to the unseen bears and making tapping noises with my inadequate staff. I don't fully relax until I'm well off the steep sections and onto the longer switchbacks below. By then I'm out of huckleberry territory and back into the airy canopy . . . not so hedged in. Grin and Bear It!

The hike back out is perhaps the best part of any hike for me. I thoroughly took my time and enjoyed every moment of freedom . . . even to the point of lingering in frequent patches of late afternoon sunshine to absorb the warmth and vitality through the pores of my skin. If only the textile-impaired could experience these sensations . . . realize the skin is our largest sensory organ and should not be covered up.

By the time I crossed the footbridge over the NF Skykomish and ambled up into the now-empty trailhead I noticed the horse trailers were gone. Though I'd seen fresh horseshoe prints on the trail they certainly didn't get by me so I have to assume they were later on one of the other trails . . . Quartz Creek. Driving back . . . again without bother to put on anything . . . Blanca Lake was still packed with SUVs at it's trailhead. The sun was going down so they'd better hustle. The Blanca Lake trail in the dark is treacherous.

Post Hike Visit to Scenic

I often wish I could live as a full-time nudist but alas that's not reality. So I'm never satisfied with my nude time. I often prolong the experience after a hike by heading to Scenic Hot Springs for a soak and, in general, check for trespassers and conditions. I've made it back to Hwy 2, resisting the urge to pull the tee shirt out of the back seat. It's a silly sort of urge because I know that those oncoming cars cannot see into my vehicle to any real extent. Driving nude down the highway is just absolutely comfortable and empowering.

At the gate to the springs there is a car parked. On the dash is a note saying they have permission. Well, possible . . . I'm not the only steward. However, the sun is getting lower and the conditions we impose on access require all visitors be off the mountainside by nightfall. Night soaking has been the main problem area that we are trying to address and correct.

So onward I go to see if they are heading back down. My car can't make the rough road to the trailhead . . . I park in the clearcut and scan the far BPA road for signs of people. The best location is by a BPA tower where I can see everything going on . . . and hang out basking in the waning sun. I love the colors the late afternoon and dusk imbibe on everything they illuminate. My favorite time of day for photography.

Watching the lightening storm while waiting

It's a little chilly out . . . a storm approaching. I really don't feel like hiking the steep mile and a half up to the springs to kick someone out. I really don't feel like dressing to counter the weather I know is coming. As the landscape darkens with dusk I stand up at my perch beside the tower and watch the flashes of lightening on the east side of the Cascade crest. Major thunderstorms there and the clouds are also building above the west side. If I hiked up to the springs I'd want to do it nude . . . even in darkness. However, if all hell broke loose . . . nah. I don't want to pack rain gear and such. I'll just wait for them to eventually come prancing on down. I have a front seat view of a coming thunderstorm and the heater in my car, if need be.

Eventually, our overstepping guests come back down . . . ten thirty at night. Well, I hope they enjoyed their soak. And I've overstepped my endurance. I follow them back out and secure the gate. Time to drive home.

More images from this hike are in the JAlbum here.

Nude Photography Hint: White Balance

2010-08-24T20:12:00.000-07:00

One of the challenges of attempting to use these modern-day digital cameras with automatic exposure control is to capture the scene more in accordance with the way you see it. The problem is that the CCS detector in your camera is nowhere as sensitive nor adaptable as the retina of the human eye. Additionally, the spectral range of a digital camera's detector is shifted slightly to the infrared end by design. Though this aids low-light level exposures the shift can add a yellowish or bluish cast to your images that in most cases is either unflattering or 'not the way you remember it'.

Back in the days of real-film photography I used to carry white and grey reference cards that could be placed in the scene of an important image so that they could then be later adjusted during the print phase of development. Few of us carry photographer's reference cards with us so we need to give some forethought when taking images in marginal light.

What is needed is some reference point and for me that has become the white socks I wear while hiking. Since the white of the socks will take on the same amount of hue cast as the rest of the image, a decent image editing program (like G.I.M.P. or Photoscape, both free programs) will be able to detect the amount of cast in a white reference point and use that information to apply a correction to the rest of the image. Placing a white index card near the edge of the scene would also accomplish the same thing, though, since I'm usually wearing the socks I have a convenient reference almost always available..

Take a look at the two images below . . . before and after images ...

Unedited image taken in deep shade takes on a bluish hue

Using the White Balance Adjustment of my photo editing program, I select a point that I know is pure white (or as close to pure white as possible) . . . in this case my white socks . . . and let the program figure out how much out of register the color in the image is away from white. That information is then uniformly used to remove or add hue to the rest of the image and bring colors back into balance.

Correction based on the white reference point of my socks
removes an equal amount of bluish hue from the entire image,
making it much more pleasing and representative.

Image was taken during a recent exploration along the Beckler River in the Cascades.

Eye-opening Statement

2010-08-24T18:13:00.000-07:00

"If a couple engages in improper behavior on a textile beach they are arrested. If a couple engages in improper behavior on nude beach the beach is closed."

Attributed to George Winlock in responding to an ongoing discussion in a forum.

Think about just how perilous our hard-won positions remain and . . . just how quickly we can lose them.

Thank You Shirley and Mountaindale Resort

2010-08-02T01:02:00.000-07:00

A great Rooster Rock-Sauvies Island Clean Up Event and I sincerely thank Shirley and the great hosts at Mountaindale Resort near Portland, Oregon for getting me out and interacting with my friends once more.

I will post more about the clean up later but I first want to share the images from a few recent hikes I have managed to get in . . . along with the very few images I took during the Annual Cleanup event . . . day one at Rooster Rock where we moved tons of sand to fill in trails and buttress erosion on the beach, to a great reception and dinner at Mountaindale Resort, and finally to a sun-drenched day on Collins Beach serving up hot dogs and information of the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR).

Again, thank you. Here's the link to the JAlbums: Recent Nude Hikes

Meanwhile, Hike On . . . Nude, of Course

Hike Nude!

2010-06-15T02:56:00.000-07:00

On the road to the Pass Creek Trailhead in the Cascades
A little advocacy on the run ...

Taken during a nude hike on the Pass Creek Trail June 11th,2010. The photoJAlbum of this hike is here.

A Couple of Recent Hikes

2010-06-12T03:17:00.000-07:00

I don't often get out as much as I used to so it felt really good to get out for a few nude hikes recently. The photo album and commentary on those hikes is here. I may write more about them later.

North Fork Skykomish at Trout Creek

2010-04-13T01:55:00.000-07:00

Along the Index-Galena Road about five miles in from Index is a nice campground that used to be public but was recently posted as private property. But on the other side of Trout creek there are a few small rustic campsites that remain public property. I found the time to do a little exploring of the area this past Sunday after aborting an attempt to check up on Scenic.

The sky was overcast . . . humidity high and temps in the mid forties but I managed to spend a few hours just roaming up and down the river banks for some nude time.

Some images of this trip here: http://www.anthonians.org/forgotten_knot/North%20Fork%20Skykomish%20at%20Trout%20Creek/

Update on My CML

2010-04-06T01:59:00.000-07:00

An email from a fellow Slugs member reminded me that I need to get out of this fugue. I don't necessarily owe it to anyone but I feel I should offer an update on my condition to my readers and let them know that I haven't abandoned my blog . . . nor nude hiking. I do apoligise to those who have emailed my over the past several weeks. I'm not ignoring you . . . just didn't have the energy for much else.

In late January and February I had to spend several visits in the hospital dealing with an enlarged spleen . . . a consequence to the Gleevec I take. Gleevec is a maintenance drug that prevents the signature CML chromosome linkage that overproduces immature white blood cells of this form of leukemia. A consequence is that my white blood count could drop substantially in the bone marrow causing the spleen to uptake the slack . . . thus enlargement and inflammation (and possibly removal). Fortunately, adjustment of my dosing has that problem under control.

The last three weeks have been spent learning pain management techniques. As this disease progresses, bone marrow is destroyed . . . sclerosed to a hard lattice within the bone that leads to a deep-felt chronic bone pain that is hard to control with OTCs. I have to live with the pain but I've learned to control the perception and at most times operate normally.

I spend quite a bit of time prone in bed when the pain is at its' worst. But I do get it under control and I have put in a few nude hikes . . . albeit short ones . . . when I could. Most of my time is spent either working the minimum number of hours a week to maintain my health insurance and working on the permits for Scenic Hot Springs.

The highlight to my season are the visits I make to the hot springs to check on conditions, kick a few trespassers out . . . and selfishly get in a nude hike of my own (despite the unseasonably cold weather we've had this spring.) Surprisingly, the cold barely affects me . . . I hiked up nude in a snowstorm last week . . . six hours nude in temperatures hovering right above freezing . . . a never felt a chill or effects of cold weather. Of course, the several hours spent soaking in 118F hot springs waters did me wonders.

More images from that hike here: http://www.anthonians.org/forgotten_knot/Late%20Spring%20Snowfall%20at%20Scenic/

9th Circuit Rules Indecent Exposure / Nudity Not a Crime of “Moral Turpitude"

2010-02-13T18:05:00.000-08:00

An interesting read on moral turpitude and indecent exposure in the context of California's Indecent Exposure law, Penal Code 314. The court particularly notes and holds that:

Exposing oneself in a public place is not necessarily either “lewd” (as required by § 314) or “base, vile and depraved” (as required by our traditional definition of moral turpitude). For example, as the BIA [Board of Immigration Appeal - clarified by myself] and the California courts appear to agree, a sunbather who removes all his clothes to tan on an unoccupied public beach and wakes to find himself surrounded by offended beachgoers has done nothing either lewd or depraved and thus is neither in violation of § 314 nor guilty of a morally turpitudinous act. See Smith, 497 P.2d at 810.

Similarly, the California courts have indicated that they would not uphold a § 314 conviction for urinating in public, because exposure motivated by the need to relieve oneself is not properly classified as “lewd.”

06-70219 9th Circuit Court of Appeals re: Indecent Exposure and Moral Turpitude

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New Nude Hiking JAlbums (photo albums)

2010-02-11T18:16:00.000-08:00

Added two more JAlbums from recent nude hikes before I had to spend some time in the hospital.

Scenic Hot Springs Stewardship (in the snow and nude), and
A nude hike along a Forest Service road above Bolt Creek in the Wild Sky Wilderness

Update: WNBR Charges Dismissed against Daniel

2010-01-12T17:54:00.000-08:00

A form-email myself (and several others) received from the Mayor's office announcing charges have been dropped against Daniel:

"Thank you for taking the time to comment in support of Mr. Johnson. As you may know, Seattle City Attorney Peter Holmes, not the mayor, is the elected official with the discretion to charge city infractions, misdemeanors, and gross misdemeanors. In this case, the decision to prosecute Mr. Johnson was made last month by the previous City Attorney. You will be happy to know that after City Attorney Holmes took office and reviewed the case, the charges against Mr. Johnson were dropped as of this morning. If you have any further questions or comments about this case, feel free to contact Mr. Holmes (peter.holmes@seattle.gov) and his Criminal Division Chief, Craig Sims (craig.sims@seattle.gov).

Again, thank you for taking the time to comment.

Yours in service,

Derek Farmer
Office of Mayor Mike McGinn"

The West Seattle Blog also has coverage, noting the charges of Indecent Exposure were Dismissed with Prejudice . . . which means the case is dismissed for good reason and the plaintiff is barred from bringing an action on the same claim. That good reason? Probably the realization that this simply did not fit the definition of indecent exposure. Quite possibly a statement that they are not going to pursue cases like this . . . that they've got better things to do.

In any case, congrats Daniel.

Ashland, Oregon Anti-Nudity Ordinance Update

2010-01-10T01:51:00.000-08:00

According to an update posted by Don, the Oregon NACRep, the Ashland City Council has approved and adopted new language to replace the old ordinance on nudity:

“It is unlawful for any person eight years or older to intentionally expose his or her genitalia while in an exterior public place. Nothing in this Chapter shall be construed to prohibit any act protected under the circumstances by the federal or state constitution.”

The change has not been reflected on the city web pages yet.

Sauvies Island Parking Fees Go Up

2010-01-10T01:18:00.000-08:00

ODFW has increased the parking fees for parking on Sauvies Island, including parking at Collin's Beach, the clothing-optional one.

Effective for 2010, the annual pass is $22 and a daily parking pass is $7. Passes can still be purchased at the store as you come onto the island . . . or at the 7-Eleven south on Hwy 30 in Lindon.

I may not like the increased fees but if it helps to fully fund Deputy Weaver's replacement and continued law enforcement on the beach, I can live with it.

NAC Advisory: Black's Beach Rumor is NOT TRUE

2010-01-08T20:56:00.000-08:00

NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE

ADVISORY

http://www.naturistaction.org

Copyright 2010 by the Naturist Action Committee, which is responsible for its content. Permission is granted for the posting, forwarding or redistribution of this message, provided that it is reproduced in its entirety and without alteration.

DATE : January 8, 2010
SUBJECT: Black's Beach Rumor is NOT TRUE
TO : All naturists

Dear Naturist,

This is an advisory from the Naturist Action Committee (NAC) concerning an INCORRECT RUMOR about Black's Beach in San Diego County, California.

Torrey Pines State Park, which is often referred to, informally, as "Black's Beach," is still clothing-optional. A rumor has been circulating recently that nudity is no longer permitted at Torrey Pines State Park. THE RUMOR IS NOT TRUE.

The unfounded "news" has been circulating by word of mouth and online via e-mails, social networking sites and message board postings, under titles like: "Blacks Beach Officially No Longer a Clothing optional Beach" and "Blacks Beach is No More." THE RUMOR IS NOT TRUE.

CALIFORNIA DPR WEB SITE

The rumor seems to have arisen from a flawed reading of the Web site of the California Department of Parks and Recreation. A portion of the text on that Web site describes a 10-mile hiking trip from Scripps Pier to Torrey Pines State Beach and back. The text says: "This beach hike begins at Scripps Pier, passes along Torrey Pines City Beach, known locally as Black's Beach, once swimsuit-optional, now enforced suits-only."

The text is correct, but please note that it refers to Torrey Pines CITY BEACH, and NOT to Torrey Pines State Park. The City Beach is located south of the State Park. Despite their respective official names, both the city beach and the state beach are popularly called

"Black's Beach."

Some have asserted that the DPR Web site's reference to Black's Beach has changed recently. NAC's check of Internet archives reveals that the text at the center of the rumor has not been changed.

THE END, A DECADE AGO, OF NUDITY AT TORREY PINES CITY BEACH

After years of clothing-optional use, the City of San Diego declared in 1999 that nudity would no longer be accepted on the City portion of the beach. Lifeguards daily established the boundary between the City beach and the State beach by setting out orange traffic cones and (initially, at least) a amall sawhorse with a makeshift sign that said: "NUDITY LINE."

In 2002, City lifeguards stopped putting out the cones and the sign, because a concern had developed among some officials that the sign might be seen as endorsing or designating nudity on the other side of the line. The ban on nudity on the City Beach only, remains in effect.

Other boundary markers come and go. Reflecting the continuing official caution for avoiding inadvertent designation, some markers have simply been posts that say: "BOUNDARY" or cones that say: "LINE."

TORREY PINES STATE BEACH

Clothing-optional use remains the norm on a stretch of beach of Torrey Pines State Park about one mile in length. For details, see the Web site of Black's Beach Bares, local naturist stewards of the beach. http://blacksbeach.org

The Naturist Action Committee works closely with Black's Beach Bares, which is affiliated with The Naturist Society and publishes an informative newsletter.

THERE ARE THREATS TO TORREY PINES / BLACK'S BEACH

Despite the falsity of the recent rumor, naturists are justified in being wary of threats to the clothing-optional status of the traditional area at Torrey Pines State Park. For more than thirty years, the California Department of Parks and Recreation has managed for clothing-optional recreation through its Cahill Policy and the Harrison letter that affirmed it. However, recent DPR actions at nearby San Onofre State Beach, make it clear that DPR officials feel they can terminate the Cahill Policy without public input at any time and at any State Park unit of their choosing.

In fact, it's likely that the official heavy-handedness at San Onofre has made the untrue Black's Beach rumor easier to believe.

WATCH FOR INFORMATION FROM NAC

Watch for NAC Action Alerts, Advisories and Updates on this and other important issues affecting naturists.

PLEASE HELP NAC TO CONTINUE HELPING NATURISTS!

The Naturist Action Committee remains committed to the vigorous defense of the clothing-optional use of public land. Activism on behalf of naturists can be expensive, and NAC relies entirely on the voluntary financial support of people like YOU.

Won't you please send a generous donation to:

NAC

PO Box 132

Oshkosh, WI 54903

Or call toll free (800) 886-7230 (8AM-4PM, Central Time, weekdays) to donate by phone using your MasterCard, Visa or Discover Card. Or use your credit card to make a convenient online donation: http://www.naturistaction.org/donate/

Thank you for choosing to make a difference.

Naturally,

Bob Morton
Executive Director
Naturist Action Committee

Naturist Action Committee (NAC) - PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903
Executive Dir. Bob Morton - execdir@naturistaction.org
Board Member Allen Baylis (CA) - rab@baylislaw.com
Online Rep. Dennis Kirkpatrick - naturist@sunclad.com

Man vs the Wild: Bear is at it again . . . nude in a frozen river!

2010-01-07T20:40:00.000-08:00

>

Yeah, I know what the man is going through. Talk about the ultimate Polar Bare Dip! Brrrrrrrrrrrr

AT&T Mobility - Naked on the Beach Ad

2010-01-03T02:12:00.000-08:00

Cute AT&T Commercial supposedly situated on a nude beach in Spain . . . lol

To me it looks a lot like Big Beach on Maui Hawaii . . . Little Beach (the nude beach) is just on the other side of that rocky spit.

Seattle's nude beaches - Easily show your support WE NEED YOUR HELP TODAY!

2010-01-03T00:34:00.000-08:00

**PLEASE forward widely and distribute to your networks and friends and urge them to VOTE as well!**

(URGENT: PLEASE click on link below to VOTE TODAY! Many of you still haven't voted yet and we **desperately** need your support at this critical time!)

Happy New Year Everybody!

As many of you have heard, our new Mayor Mike McGinn is set to move in today to his new office. Let's make one more big push to deliver a message to him that will be firm and clear:

Seattle is one of the most body-positive cities in the world and its time that Seattle finally gets some clothing-optional beaches!

UPDATE: Right now our issue is ranked #5 (number 3 a day later) on the top ideas suggested for Seattle at McGinn's site, http://new.seattle.gov . This site was created to hear gather and rank proposals about issues important to local citizens and those who visit alike. Voting on this site is the easiest and most direct way to get this important issue to the attention of Seattle's New Mayor Mike McGinn! Please help us bring this issue to his attention whether you live in Seattle or plan on visiting and want to have the optional of going to a designated

clothing-optional beach!

With recent news coverage about McGinn's support of legalizing marijuana, word of this website has spread and the pot issue and light rail issues have are far and away breaking away from the rest. We need your support and the support of your friends, family members and all of their friends as well to VOTE NOW! SEND THIS message to as many of your supportive networks as possible!

Please vote (you can use up to *3* of your 10 allowed votes (each category gets 10 max votes)) at the Seattle Mayor's new website, Ideas for Seattle:

http://bit.ly/7V61rA

Leaving comments would also be very much appreciated!

Its very quick and easy to setup an account so you can vote!

Description:

Set aside park beach areas for European-style, clothing-optional recreation (sunbathe + skinny dip)

The Greater Seattle Area has long hosted the world's most renowned, colorful, family-friendly and free-spirited clothing-optional cultural events and groups in the world including: The Fremont Solstice Cyclists (17 years), World Naked Bike Ride, Body Pride Ride, Seattle Free Beach Campaign, Gardens Everywhere Bike Parade, Seattle Critical mAss, Hemp Ride, Love Every Body, Seattle Swims rentals at Seattle Parks Department Aquatic Facilities, Sun Lovers Under Gray Skies (SLUGS), Magnuson Beach Bares, Friends of Denny Park, Friends of Secret Beach, Fraternity Snoqualmie, Bare Buns Fun Runs, Nudestock, Body Freedom Collaborative, and Naked Pumpkin Run. Additionally, a handful of shoreline park areas have seen quiet yet significant clothing-optional use for decades. In 2008, after a considerable grassroots public campaign by local skinny dippers, the Seattle Parks Board recommended that the Parks Department look into establishing designated and signed areas for clothing-optional use. Let's make it happen!

Thanks for taking a moment of your time and showing your support in this critical Seattle government transition time!

Very best,

Daniel Johnson

Seattle Free Beach Campaign, supporter

206 369 2661 mobile

http://twitter.com/rawexuberance

Commentary on WNBR Indecent Exposure Citation

2009-12-31T20:20:00.000-08:00

(Note: I am not a lawyer and I am not giving legal advice . . . the following is merely my take and understanding of the dynamics of the law as I understand it. If you find yourself in similar circumstances, please find yourself competent legal representation.)

"... Public nudity, for example, causes offense to some people, but most of us find it at most a bit embarrassing, and it is avoided by a simple turn of the head. ..."
van Mill, David, " Freedom of Speech", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2009 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2009/entries/freedom-speech/

Precedent:

Nude bicycle riding has become a "well-established tradition" in Seattle and many other cities around the U.S. and the world. It is understood and interpreted as a form of "symbolic protest." The Seattle Municipal Code (SMC) does not have a specific prohibition against public nudity. Portland does and judges there have ruled in favor of defendents in dismissing indecent exposure charges based on the above traditions and First Amendment Rights.

The Seattle WNBR has been going on for years. Occassionally, riders get threatened, sometimes they get cited . . . usually for not dressing when ordered to do so by police officers, a Disorderly Conduct charge. Riders are generally left alone and often given a police escort to safely control the ride route. Those who do get cited have the charges quitely dropped after-the-fact . . . an acknowledgement of the difficulty of prosecuting Indecent Exposure charges when there has been no lewd of obscene conduct.
(Image from Seattle's 2004 World Naked Bike Ride)

Another example of tradition and acceptance within Seattle has been the participation for years of the body-painted nude bicycle riders in the annual Fremont Solstice Parade. Riding nude in the parade has become a fact 'accompli. In 1998, SPD officers arrested two naked cyclists in the Fremont Solstice Parade. The city attorney at that time declined to prosecute the pair because they hadn’t violated the indecent exposure law. Police since have not bothered to attempt to stop the tradition of nude cyclists in the parade . . . the thousands of families and children lining the parade route love them and applaud when they go by. (Personal experience and participation, 2002-2009; image from the 2008 Fremont Solstice Naked Bicyclists)

The former Seattle Superintendent of Parks had this to say to naysayers and critics of permission to ride through Seattle Parks by WNBR participants: "While public nudity is objectionable to many citizens, under Washington state’s Indecent Exposure Law, public nudity in itself is not illegal. The law specifies that ..." Kenneth R. Bounds, (former) Superintendent, Seattle Parks and Recreation, responding to a complaint, dated 12 July 2006, about World Naked Bike Ride Seattle.

Former Police Chief Kerlikowske had this to say to his subordinates about circulating rumors and allegations that police would arrest nude participants in the 2008 Gay Pride Parade:

"Washington's indecent exposure law makes it a misdemeanor to 'make an open and obscene exposure of his or her person or the person of another knowing that such conduct is likely to cause reasonable affront or alarm.' In other words, there must be lewd or obscene behavior for an officer to take action." [emphasis mine]

Chief Kerlikowshe goes on in the same communique to say,

"In order for the police to make an arrest, we must have witnesses currently in the public place where the nudity is occurring [sic] who must make a complaint. These witnesses must be willing to appear in court. Also in order to prosecute, the burden is on the government to prove the the offender was knowingly aware that their conduct created alarm and offense of others."

The Law

Since Seattle has no public nudity prohibition on the books of the Municipal Code (nor does King County have an anti-nudity ordinance), Daniel was cited under the state Indecent Exposure statute . . . RCW 9A.88.010 which I quote below:

RCW 9A.88.010

Indecent exposure.

(1) A person is guilty of indecent exposure if he or she intentionally makes any open and obscene exposure of his or her person or the person of another knowing that such conduct is likely to cause reasonable affront or alarm. The act of breastfeeding or expressing breast milk is not indecent exposure.

In order to successfully prosecute, all the elements of the statute must be met. There has to be intention to expose with the knowledge of likely affront, the exposure has to be open AND obscene, and there has to be someone who was affronted or alarmed at the exposure. Four required elements to sustain the charge.

Element #1: Someone Must Complain
As Chief Kerlikowske has stated, and the King County Sheriff's Department spokesperson has reinteratted in email exchanges, there must be someone complaining and that someone must be willing to appear in court to testify to the complaint. It is not sufficient for a law enforcement officer to be the one affronted or alarmed to sustain a complaint. I've been told by the King County Sheriff's department that a complaint must be made by someone alleging affront and alarm; a deputy [or police officer] cannot be a victim of indecent exposure (aka nudity in their eyes). As the spokesman states, "I guess the courts have figured we've seen it all."

Element #2: Intention and Knowledge
Intention is always difficult to prove in court; the prosecutor must assess and prove the defendant's alleged state of mind. In my reading of the statute, the bar is raised even higher because I read the statute to say the cited 'had the intention to obscenely expose him or herself, knowing it might cause reasonable affront or alarm'. It's not just the intention . . . it's intention with knowledge.

Element #3: Nude? Or Nude and Obscene?

"Public nudity in itself is not illegal." Former Seattle Parks Superintendent Ken Bounds

"... there must be lewd or obscene behavior for an officer to take action." Former SPD Chief R. Gil Kerlikowske

Arrests and citations for indecent exposure rarely hold for simple nudity. Why? Because of that one required charging element . . . the exposure must also be obscene.

The current test for obscenity rests with the Miller Test (Miller v. California, 413 U.S. 15, 24-25 (1973). The Miller Test requires a three-pronged approach for courts to determine whether an act or expression is obscene:

"(a) whether "the average person, applying contemporary community standards" would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest, [Roth, supra, at 489,]

(b) whether the work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law, and

(c) whether the work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

If a state obscenity law is thus limited, First Amendment values are adequately protected by ultimate independent appellate review of constitutional claims when necessary. [Pp. 24-25.]"

The precedence of the Miller test holds in our state courts (see last para above). Lacking any patently offensive sexual conduct, simple nudity cannot be considered 'obscene'. Without obscene exposure, as defined and clarified by the Supreme Court, how can a charge of Indecent Exposure be sustained?

Where Constitutional First Amendment Rights to Free Speech (and Expression) are involved, prosecutors and the courts must step very carefully to avoid infringing on those rights. Though there are those who may feel affronted . . . or alarmed . . . or in some way offended by someone's exercise of their Constitutional Rights, the Supreme Court has affirmed that those Rights are paramount and important to protect over mere offense or harm.

[For an excellent discussion of John Stuart Mill's Harm Principle and Joel Feinberg's Offense Principle as they relate to free speech read the treatment here.]

...there is no evidence of harm that is more than grossly speculative. All that the trial judge had before him was some evidence indicating specific individuals' lack of acceptance of the appellant's choice of clothing. There was nothing degrading or dehumanizing in what the appellant did. The scope of her activity was limited and was entirely non-commercial. No one who was offended was forced to continue looking at her ... there was no harm in what was done ..." Criminal law study papers: A REVIEW OF THE LAW OF INDECENCY AND NUDITY IN CANADA; A lengthy discussion on the Harm Principle and Nudity in Canada; a good read to understand how Canadians approach public nudity. [emphasis added]

There is no doubt that the World Naked Bike Ride was promoted as an exercise of Free Speech and Expression and that many forms of simple, nonsexual public nudity are expressions of our desires to see the lifestyle accepted and venues allowed. Much of public nudity is made to express one's beliefs in a more natural existence on this planet . . . surely forms of First Amendment Rights to Free Speech and Expression!

Element #4: Was Someone Offended?

What is missing from the notice that Daniel received? Who was offended? When and where were they offened? Why was Daniel cited and not the others? I suppose those questions will come out in court but I find it awfully disingenious of the city and inconvenient for the charged to prepare a defense in advance (or even decide a plea) without the knowledge of the essential charging elements of the citation (including the identity of the complainant who may have another agenda to pursue . . . or may not have even seen Daniel but an different rider near the back of the pack).

Why Daniel? Was it perhaps because he was leading the ride . . . the only person identifiable? There must be a complainant and that person must be able to testify that he or she was affronted and alarmed at a specific open and obscene exposure . . . the who, what, when, and where.

Are they alledging Daniel broke the law specifically. Or are they complaining because they saw someone naked . . . perhaps not Daniel at all. According to the recollection I received, the police did not confront the riders until some time later at an entirely different location. In my mind, I have to wonder if Daniel was cited because he identified himself as the leader of the group. The specifics of the complaint are missing and that makes this charge suspect in my mind.

I would hope that Daniel fights this charge all the way. I disagree with much of the activism of this type of nudity but we cannot let precedent be set to reinterpret what the state's indecent exposure law was meant to cover . . . and simple, innocent nudity is not one of them.

WNBR Seattle 2009 organizer headed to court (recap)

2009-12-31T02:12:00.000-08:00

This just in from Daniel:

Looks like Thomas Carr http://www.seattle.gov/law/ http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2009/08/03/1961689-finish-him , who just got voted out of office by a landslide, is trying to scare at least one of the World Naked Bike Ride http://WNBRseattle.org West Seattle cyclists.

My intake hearing is Tues, 12 Jan 2010 at The Muncipal Court of Seattle at 9:05 AM. I am being charged with "indecent exposure" RCW9A. 88.010(1) for my role in the 13 Sept 2009 WNBR West Seattle event.

Here is the link to both the WSB and KOMO stories if you wish to help out with a supportive comment http://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=25925

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/80398782.html

Get this, the order was made on Christmas, 25 Dec 2009. We must all be in the holiday mood because I just gave Parks a Public Disclosure Request on Mon, 28 Dec 2009.

Due to court date approaching quickly and legal prep, other urgent issues with City and family medical issues I may need to move next Jan indoor swim to February. Hope you understand.

Any legal help would be appreciated.

Peace be with you this Holiday season. :)

Daniel Johnson

Follow me at http://twitter.com/rawexuberance for updates

Help Save Remington Hot Springs

2009-12-30T08:31:00.000-08:00

Hot Spring lovers know how rare and precious Natural Hot Springs are.

Unfortunately the Forest Service is considering demolishing the Remington Hot Springs, which have been beautifully maintained by Friends of the Remington Hot Spring volunteers for over 10 years.

Local residents and others are ready willing and able to address any valid concerns the Forest Service may have, but right now we need your help.

In just TWO MINUTES you can help by submitting a letter using pre-drafted comments or your own comments, which will be hand delivered to the Sequoia National Forest voicing your support for keeping the Historic Natural Remington Hot Springs open to the public.

Click the link below to submit your comment letter and thank you for taking action to help keep the Remington Hot Springs from possibly being destroyed.

http://www.savethetrails.us/Default.aspx?PetitionID=42

Your Friends at Save The Trails

Rooster Rock & Sauvies Polar Bare Dash & Splash 5K Run

2009-12-22T09:56:00.000-08:00

From Mark with the Rooster-Sauvie Volunteers, as posted in the AANR-NW eNews

The Rooster-Sauvie Volunteers invite you to welcome the Nude Year by running, screaming and jumping into the Columbia river with us!

Polar Bare Dash & Splash 5K Run
Friday, January 1, 2010
Collins Beach, Sauvie Island at Noon

On Friday, January 1st, the Rooster Sauvie Volunteers will meet at Collins Beach on Sauvie Island. There will be a 5K run at noon, followed by a Bare Buns jump into the river.

Not a runner? No worries! You can choose to just to the skinny dip, or the run, or both!

Go to www.barefootbeachruns.com for more details.

Rooster Rock Polar Bare 5K Run & Plunge
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Rooster Rock Park at Noon

Sign-in starts at 10:30. As with the Collins event, you can choose to run, polar dip, or both! For full details, go to www.barefootbeachruns.com

These events help us promote a safe, family-friendly environment at both of Portland's nude beaches.

Collins Beach on Sauvie Island
A parking slip must be purchased and displayed in your vehicle. The perits can be had at the Cracker Barrel Store on Sauvie Island or the 7-11 just before you cross over to the island.

Rooster Rock State Park Clothing Optional Area
Purchase a parking permit as you enter the park, and then proceed right to the end of the parking area where the clothing optional area begins.

View Collins & Rooster Rock routes in a larger map

Against nudity ban, Ore. gallery takes it all off

2009-12-19T18:51:00.000-08:00

(AP) Online retrieval Dec 19th, 2009

ASHLAND, Ore. — A city council member in an Oregon town noted for its Shakespeare festival and its occasional dustups over public nudity plans a showing in his art gallery of nude portraits and conceptual art involving naked people.

For gallery-goers as well, clothing will be optional — even though it's winter in Ashland, a small college town on the California border

Council member Eric Navickas is opposed to a possible ban on public nudity in the town. Nudity is legal in Ashland, except in the city center and public parks, where people are required to cover their genitals.

"We feel that the nude ban is not only an attack on freedom of expression but also an attack on the human body itself," Navickas said. "We wanted to have a show to celebrate the nude body and differentiate the nude body from anything indecent."

The ban was proposed after two men were spotted walking naked near schools. The council is to vote next month on the issue.

Navickas said he is willing to compromise and ban nudity within 200 feet of school zones. His partner, Amy Godard, said the two are interested in dialogue not controversy.

"It's not like we're trying to polarize anything," she said. "We're trying to pay homage to the nude, which is a strong tradition in the arts."

Open about a year, the gallery made news early on with an exhibit that allowed patrons to pitch paint-covered shoes at a large portrait of former President George W. Bush. The gallery owners called it a "statement of solidarity" with an Iraqi journalist arrested after throwing shoes at him.

The nudity exhibit is scheduled Jan. 29 to Feb. 5, Godard said, and patrons may participate by baring themselves.

"We'll have heaters going," she said. "I know it's at the end of January, but it will be warm in there."

Information from: The Ashland Daily Tidings, http://www.dailytidings.com

The current Ashland Nudity Ordinance

"10.44.012 Public Nudity

It is unlawful for any person to expose his or her genitalia while in the C-1-D (Downtown Commercial) zone or in a public park. This provision is not intended to apply to a person who is prepubescent or who has taken steps to create an envelope of privacy upon their own property and the nudity occurs within that envelope. (ORD 2908 2004)"

Google Map of Ashland Plaza MAda Shell Gallery is located on the Plaza in Ashland Oregon, between Hong Kong Bar and Alex's.

Is Posting of Full-Frontal Nudity Exhibitionism?

2009-12-15T08:49:00.000-08:00

I received the following comment to my Canyon Creek post this morning:

arent you being a exhibitonist by posting pics of yourself? Showing everything is not good for nudists.
Anonymous | 12.15.09 - 8:48 am

Normally I respond to comments with a follow up comment, keeping the thread together. However, this is a topic I wrestled with for a long time as I tried to figure out how my chosen lifestyle fit in with an honest depiction of myself. And I've come to the conclusion that we, as nudists, need to quit hiding that which we profess doesn't matter being seen . . . our nudity. And that includes our genitals. My blog is written for nudists and naturists . . . and for anyone curious or interested in just what this lifestyle is all about. It is meant to debunk the popularist misconceptions about body shame . . . it's meant to show that we can have fun being nude without any sexual overtones. It is meant to encourage all nudists to set aside fears and misapprehensions and live what they preach. In my humble opinion, showing everything IS good for nudism. I practice what I preach.

Am I an exhibitionist? Depending on how you interpret the word, yes, I am. I'm damn well proud of my body and I try the best to keep myself in shape. So yes . . . I feel good inside when people I unexpectantly encounter on the trail comment positively on my nudity, or viewers of the images I freely post to this blog and my photo albums give a thumbs up. There is nothing sexual in the images . . . they are not meant to elicit a sexual response from anyone, nor provide me with a sexual thrill from knowing someone is looking "at everything" . . . my genitals. Those genitals are simply one more part of my body. I don't hide them. Does that make me an exhibitionist? Again, it depends on interpretation and context.

I'm fully aware that some visitors to this site are coming here seeking nude images for their own perverse pleasures . . . voyeurs. So what? there is little, if anything, I can do about that short of retreating and burying my head in the sand. I give fair-enough warning on my site before a visitor sees any frontal nudity. That's the limit of my obligation to the easily-offended visitor. Beyond the opening screen the images I post are not strategically-posed nor censored. I'm a big-enough man . . . I can deal with you taking me anyway you wish. Hopefully, that's following along and enjoying the mental imagery of my nude hikes in nature . . . nothing hidden because it is time for nudists and naturists to be honest with their beliefs.

***

Have you ever noticed that coy, strategically-posed nude images often convey a sexual undercurrent not matter the context? Nude calendars . . . Calvin Klein full-color, glossy ads . . . Victoria's Secret mannikin's on full front window display in our supposedly family-friendly malls ...

Compare the two images below. One . . . the one from the post you object to . . . shows everything. The other . . . well, I got playful with the pose and placed a large leaf to obscure my genitals. Which one is more provocative? Which one has the sexual undercurrent just waiting to be elicited out of the image . . . has the viewer wondering what lays hidden behind the leaf?

Hannibal Lecter: First principles, Clarice. Simplicity. Read Marcus Aurelius. Of each particular thing ask: what is it in itself? What is its nature? What does he do, this man you seek?

...

Hannibal Lecter: He covets. That is his nature. And how do we begin to covet, Clarice? Do we seek out things to covet? Make an effort to answer now.

Clarice Starling: No. We just...

Hannibal Lecter: No. We begin by coveting what we see every day. Don't you feel eyes moving over your body, Clarice? And don't your eyes seek out the things you want?

Those lines from Silence of the Lambs have always intrigued me . . . the nature of desire and wanting. What are your eyes seeking out? I think the short discourse is appropriate in our context. We covet what we don't have, and in the case of coy, strategically-placed poses we covet what we can't see, what is not given to us and is just beyond our grasp. We sexualize the image. When we are open and honest about our nudity what is there to want that we aren't seeing already? You can't read anything extra into the image.

So, to answer your question, Mr. Anonymous, I truly believe full frontal nudity in appropriate settings is very good for nudism. It can only serve to prove to to curious, the almost-convinced, the fully-covered textile that we have nothing to be ashamed of and we will not be cowed into feeling shame for ourselves. Every body is a wondrous Creation . . . the nude body is especially beautiful. Why hide any part of that beauty?

Canyon Creek Falls Nude Hike

2009-12-13T11:46:00.001-08:00

At the frozen cascades of Canyon Creek

Another one of those impromptu hikes after being cooped up in Seattle all week dealing with the Arctic cold snap (biting cold that the body never quites adapt to between dashes from warm cars into buildings and back . . . one frozen outside faucet that I forgot to bib, etc.) This early-winter cold snap is over. Next week is promising 'warmer' cold air of a more typical Western Washington nature . . . full of moisture and maybe the snow we've been waiting for (at least in the mountains). Heck, they were even calling for a high of 48F in Seattle on Saturday. I can deal with nude at 48F all day without breaking a sweat . . . literally. :-)

Of course it's not 48F yet (10:00am) and it's probably a good ten to fifteen degrees colder in the mountains but I've got a sudden case of cabin fever and the knowledge that next week I ain't going to be feeling like doing much of anything for a few days after my monthly treatment. So it's off to the Cascades while I do have this slim window of opportunity.

Canyon Creek is another one of those innumerable creeks cascading down to the North Fork of the Skykomish River from the Wild Sky Wilderness near Index, WA. A closed and gated decaying dirt road wends its' way through numerous switchbacks to an idyllic broad high alpine valley with magnificent views of the enclosing craggy mountains. The road had been carved out to serve as access to a planned community for the super-rich . . . an exclusive paradise away, yet not too far from the city. Protests, the financial difficulties of construction in wilderness and lack of permits led to the abandonment of the project . . . and the road, which is beyond redemption with the lack of maintenance. The Forest Service bought up all the individual pieces of land and this area is now part of the Wild Sky Wilderness . . . no motorized vehicles allowed. No trailhead, either. Just an unassuming rusted Forest Service gate blocking an overgrown roadbed surface.

Few people stop at this spot on the Index-Galena Road. There is room to get one, maybe two cars off to the side by the gate. A quarter mile in on the initial leg of the road is a large clearing where people sometimes go to shoot their guns. Judging by the tread, few ever bother to go further . . . head uphill. That suits me just fine as I know I'll have the area all to myself . . . my car parked by the gate serves such notice. Northwest hikers are a courteous bunch, if anything. They will not intrude and will, instead, find another spot . . . perhaps the more popular Lewis Creek pullout that I hiked (nude) last week.

I strip and load my pack while still in the warmth of the car. It is a different backpack this time. I'm experimenting with ultralight . . . a smaller pack for the shorter excursions; clothing for emergencies, essential survival gear, cell phone, camera . . . the thermos of coffee. The old pack was becoming tacky, unwieldy for the shorter nude hikes. A smaller one would be easier to sling, lighter and give me more of the sensation of being nude to the environment . . . the whole point.

The outside temperature is 28F degrees. Colder than I expected so I'm not sure how far in or how long the hike will go. We will just see. I've got three hours free of commitments . . . three hours to test the body's responses and limits to cold. Perhaps I'm being a little foolhardy. I know it's extremely cold outside of the warmth of the car; but there is a challenge out there . . . the testing of just how much cold can I take before I back down and pull clothing out of the pack. I want to see how far I can go before it becomes uncomfortable.

I rarely hike nude in subfreezing weather for any length of time. Fortunately, even in the middle of winter here in the Pacific Northwest, air temperatures are often above freezing when the sun reflects bright off the snowfields. That is when I love to hike nude in winter the most . . . drinking in the heat and blinding light of sunlight on virgin snowfields . . . getting my vitamin D.

There is no snow at these lower elevations yet. There is also little sunlight . . . certainly none reflected off the wilted olive-drab and rusty brown flora of the forest canopy. It is, however, bitingly cold when I step out of the car and quickly get beyond the 'road closed' sign before an unexpected vehicle passes by on the main road. Out of sight, it's sling the pack and off at a brisk pace inward on the slight incline of the lower roadbed.

The air is calm. No breeze, which is fortunate. The skin tightens . . . body hairs standing on end, a reflex response to the cold to trap insulating air close to the skin. Invigorating . . . as long as I keep moving. Within five minutes I reach the large clearing with the shot up targets and blasted computer monitors. The sight of these illegal shooting pits always disgusts me. In the bleak light of winter the mess is even more saddening. I turn away, heading upslope on the overgrown road and the denuded foliage up ahead.

This hike had started simply as a chance to get outside and enjoy the caress of nature on my skin. As I hike the steeper portions . . . take shortcuts through the canopy to cut distance off the switchbacks . . . I feel the heat tingling the entire surface of my body . . . those parts that are exposed. While I was assembling the photos of the hike afterwards, one struck me . . . the one to the left (cropped). My skin is absolutely flushed red from the dilation of blood vessels beneath, warming the outer layers. No immediate threat of hypothermia at the moment. My metabolism was working overtime.

When I get back from these types of hikes I'm always famished and in need of refueling. On the trail, it's Runner's Gels for energy and hot coffee from the thermos to add heat to the core.

Red, flushed skin is a good sign. It means there is sufficient core heat to spare the outer layers with heated blood. White, chalky cold skin would be a concern. There is none. I feel warm. I feel energetic. And the falls are not far off now. One last switchback.

These falls are constantly rearranging themselves. Last spring a pretty large slide took out a fifty foot section of the old roadbed and a large chunk of the creek chute above. Clambering over the rubble you can now approach the falls almost directly for a closer view. In summer a welcome dousing under cool water . . . in winter . . . well pretty but stay dry and watch your step.

I hung around the waterfalls for some time taking pictures . . . trying to get just a little closer. A mistake, in a way. The air was a lot cooler this close to the falls . . . which though mostly frozen still churned up moisture. And the geological chute that confined the creek on its' downhill rush was a natural conduit to funnel colder air from above . . . stirring currents. Hanging around the falls also meant I wasn't moving that much. I was beginning to feel the effects of the cold with tiny shivers down the center of my back. I recognized it for what it was worth. I could dress now and start the warm up . . . or head back and see how long before I knew I needed to give in. BTW, did I ever let ya'all know I'm a very stubborn type? Nude it was . . . at least I knew I was headed in the direction of warmth. I made the car without incident and without really getting beyond the occasional shiver. Kind of proud of myself.

Warming up is another thing . . . more complicated that it should seem. One thing I have learned is that to rewarm yourself efficiently you should resist dressing yourself up in thick, insulating clothes and instead, stay naked (assuming you've gotten yourself into a warm enviroment, of course). Counterintuitive? Well, think about it this way and try the options if you ever do a cold weather nude hike. You've got the car heater blowing hot air at full bore out of the vents and it feels great on cold, chilled skin. Cover that cold flesh up with cloth and what happens? Well, the heat can't reach your skin to rewarm it. You've just insulated it from the heat. Think about it the next time you need to warm yourself. Nude is warmer! How's that for twisted logic? LOL

Images from this "cool" little hike are in my JAlbum here.

Update: Diamond Fork HS Citations

2009-12-10T17:04:00.000-08:00

An Important Distinction as you read these articles: In Utah the state constitution ceded National Forest lands to the Federal government under proprietary jurisdiction. Under such an arrangement, state and county laws 'trump' Federal code. Here, in Washington State (and Oregon), National Forest lands were ceded with concurrent jurisdiction . . . which allows state law to be enforced, but not county ordnances. Rick

"The U.S. Forest Service may not care about nude soakers, but the sheriff's office will enforce anti-lewdness laws." Utah County Sherriff's Lt. Yvette Rice quoted in a news article on the citations in the Deseret News

Nude bathers cited at Utah County hot springs

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=8981229

December 10th, 2009 @ 8:11am, Online Article Retrieved Dec 10th, 2009

UTAH COUNTY -- A confusing sign is coming down after a group of people were cited for skinny dipping at a hot springs in Utah County.

The Deseret News reports Utah County sheriff's deputies cited eight adults for lewdness at Diamond Fork Springs in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest on an October evening just before midnight.

A spokeswoman with the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Lorraine Januzelli, says a sign posted near the springs warns bathers to be mindful of families and implies nudity at the springs is not illegal. Januzelli tells the Deseret News the forest service will take down the sign because it is causing confusion.

Some naturists are angry about the incident and tell the newspaper they tentatively plan a "soak-in" to protest.

The sheriff's office says it has repeatedly received reports of criminal activity, including sexual assaults, underage consumption of alcohol, and drug use at the hot springs.

The Comments Page has a large number of lively comments.

Also . . .

At Diamond Fork hot springs, get naked -- get cited

Spanish Fork » State and local laws hold sway when it comes to doffing the duds.

By Bob Mims

The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated: 12/10/2009 05:48:07 PM MST, Retrieved from the web Dec 10, 2009

... The Utah County site apparently had become an unofficial haven for skinny dipping, until eight nude bathers were detained by sheriff's deputies in October. The group of men and women were issued class B misdemeanor citations for lewdness.

The eight complained that a Forest Service sign near the site just east of Spanish Fork made it sound like bathing in the buff was allowed, but the citations were issued anyway, because state and county statutes are clear about public nudity being a no-no.

Lorraine Januzelli, spokeswoman for the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, said both the deputies and the skinny dippers were right -- and the forest plans to remove the sign and, eventually, replace it with another one making clear the naked truth.

"The sign does say 'while nudity is not prohibited on forest trails,'" Januzelli said. "It also advises discretion, though, noting that the area is used by families and scouting troops."

The Code of Federal Regulations governing the forest does not prohibit nudity except where it can easily be observed by another person who may be offended.

In some states, that is that. But in other states classified as "proprietary" under their constitutions, such as Utah, state and county laws regarding nudity trump the federal code, Junuzelli explained.

"The sign will be coming down in the next couple days, as soon as the snow allows the rangers to remove it," she said Thursday. Sometime later, a new sign -- referencing state and county statutes banning public nudity -- will replace the marker.

Nudity has been banned for some time on the Wasatch-Cache portion of the forest, but it had not specifically been prohibited on the Uinta part. The two forests were merged in 2008, and apparently no one noticed the discrepancy until the eight citations were issued Oct. 11. ...

How Adaptable the Human Body is ...

2009-12-09T16:28:00.000-08:00

A couple of days ago I took a nude hike in the Cascade Mountains in what many would consider rather cold weather. The temperatures started out around 31F degrees and were dropping through 28F degrees by the time I returned to my car from my hike of several hours. During that whole time I wore nothing more than a knit cap, fleece gloves and hiking boots. The skies were clear with little to no breeze and although much of the hike was in shade away from the sunlight, I felt absolutely okay and not feeling the gross effects of the cold until some minor arm cramping near the end. A four and a half hour hike in below freezing weather and my nude body adapted perfectly to keep me comfortable. I could viscerally feel deeper body heat being produced and effused under the skin as needed . . . a direct stimulus response to the cold on bare skin.

Today I took my dog to the Magnusen Park off-leash area. Again, a clear sunny day with an air temperature of 32F degrees and a slight breeze . . . no shade. I was dressed in full insulating layers from head to toes yet as I walked my dog the cold bit into me bitterly, the exposed skin of my face stinging from the cold . . . fingers numbing through thick gloves . . . warmth seeping out of the very core through heavy clothing. What gives? I was absolutely freezing fully clothed at 32F degrees after less than fifteen minutes; yet, in appreciably colder weather and shade, my nude body withstood the cold very well and, in fact, I felt comfortable with no cold-numbed fingers or other parts.

There were other factors involved . . . such as the level of exertion, the higher humidity at Magnusen (which is on the shores of Lake Washington) and, of course, those layers of clothing giving a false assessment of the environmental conditions.

Still . . . it amazes me at the in-built adaptability of the human body to adjust in it's natural state to extremes of hot and cold. I understand many of the processes going on when I hike nude in cold weather yet to feel the rapid adaption taking place fills me with wonder. We have become too reliant on clothing for protection, a crutch . . . probably overdoing it most of the time.

Cold Weather Nude HikeLewis Creek to Heybrook Ridge, Dec 5th, 2009

2009-12-07T03:25:00.001-08:00

In the clearcut atop Heybrook Ridge

Off of the Index-Galena is a gated FSD road winding along Lewis Creek and eventually ending up on Heybrook Ridge from which you can get to the Heybrook Lookout Tower to the west, or follow FSD 6022 east and down to the Skykomish valley and the town of Baring below. The entrance to this back primitive road is gated and makes a great opportunity to hike nude even on weekends.

In winter, of course, there are even fewer visitors and I enjoy challenging myself to the experience of hiking this road in the nude . . . feeling my skin tightening and responding to the cold. When I started around noontime the temperatures where hovering right around 31F degs. Below freezing but surprisingly, I don't really feel the cold though I'm careful to watch for signs of hypothermia or skin damage. As long as I'm moving I feel great. It's been a long time since I've had a chance to get out and hike nude.

A hour into the hike I can definitely feel the temperatures dropping . . . usually a chill down the back. Often that's because I'm dropping into a shallow dip or passing a creek chute . . . but the cool stays. The sun is dropping and clouds are beginning to cover the sky.

Close to coming onto the ridge, what the heck. Let's do it freehike style without the pack. Always a challenge to do it that way, especially since I don't know if anyone has come up onto the ridge from the more popular side for Heybrook Lookout . . . that I might need to put some clothes on or risk explaining myself. There are few people that will ever understand the pleasure I get out of hiking nude in the most inhospitable conditions. It's not much further to the ridge so the worries about survival gear are lessened. I spend the better part of an hour wandering around the ridge just enjoying the sensation and freedom . . . noting the response of my body to cold . . . very, very aware.

Then I notice the hunter's orange . . . that color that is unique and never found in nature. I stop and peer. Yes, there is someone else up here and moving about near the Lookout Tower. Whomever, they haven't seen me. I head back. Upper triceps are tightening . . . flexing doesn't loosen. The first warning signs that my core is beginning to drop. Time to head back.

I stayed nude all the way back down, interested to see how I reacted to cooling. By the time I reached the car and checked the temperature in the falling light it was 28F degs. Start up, heater on full . . . and the next half hour rewarming myself. That hike was everything I wanted . . . and needed to feel better.

Later that night I attend my first SLUGS Nude Swim . . . and spend most of my time in either the hot tub or the glorious sauna.

Images of my latest hike are in my Jalbum here.

4th Annual Naked Bungy Jump for Schizophrenia

2009-12-06T01:28:00.000-08:00

February 27 and 28, 2010

This annual two-day event raises funds for the BC Schizophrenia Society. Event details will be posted as they are confirmed and on-line registration will be available starting January 4, 2010.

Participant statistics in 2009 were as follows:

Canada:

59 from Vancouver Island
45 from the BC Lower Mainland
2 from Ontario
1 from Newfoundland

United States:

47 from Washington State
3 from California
1 from Alaska
1 from Wisconsin

The Society is using the funds raised to support: the delivery programs to youth; raise awareness of mental illness; and, provide family support services to those coping with mental illness.

In 2010, the event will be held during the Olympics, February 27 and 28, giving sports enthusiasts an opportunity to watch or participate in the only event of its kind in North America!