Nudists ?

“I swear to God this is true and really happened to me...

I went hiking after work today (Sycamore Creek, AZ). Left about 1:00 PM... It was a balmy 66 deg in Phoenix when we left.

In the middle of nowhere (practically). My hiking partner and I ran into two nudists, a lady walking her Golden Retriever, and a tourist with binoculars ???

I don't get it.”

“Hey 66 aint bad, and you didn't join?”

“Is it a spectator sport? lol

Maybe somebody from Europe can answer this. I hear there's a lot of nude beaches over there... What's the appeal? And why do it where it's probably illegal (the Tonto National Forest) ???

And how the heck do you find out if a place has a 'reputation'?! lol. My partner and I had no idea. We just looked on the map and thought it would be a cool place to check out... These two guys weren't even together.”

“Well on the PCT last summer my father was walking around this lake nude fishing for about an hour. He burned his bunns. I tried to ignore it, wasn't easy believe me.”

“LOL!!!!!! Why???”

“Man, I am so tired because it was really more of a rock scramble than a hike... But I think I'm going to stay up late to hear the answer to this. I mean, I gotta know

Matt, sorry I hope this is not inappropriate. It is backpacking related, though...

I mean, can you imagine? You arrange a TT hike. All of your people come in from out-of-town.. You decide to check out a new place. But when you get there you realize it is a nudist colony!

Oh my goodness gracious! I know a lot of people who would not be happy with this scenario (myself included). lol!!!!”

“Mr.Matt wouldn't care, I mean, he allows those sexy www.bullz-eye.com ads now.

Anybody else have this add catch their eye?”

“I have bumped into many a skinny dipper who thought they were alone... way out in the boonies.

I came across a whole colony of nudists on the Little Kern River one year. They were all sitting on the rocks with their legs folded chanting. There were about 15 people ...from grandmas and grandpas down to litle children all chanting the same chant buck naked and in plain view of the trail. It was a strange sight!

Then there was the time I helped lead a group of boys on a hike from Onion Valley to Cedar Grove...we camped near one of the meadows that had a stream running through it (maybe junction mdw? )
Anyway we noticed the boys were mesmorised with the goings on down by the stream ...there were two women bathing naked in the stream! It's a really big deal to 12 year olds ;)”

“I've prolly told this before, I'll never forget it tho.

Like WW, took a group of young males, at the time they were probably 12/13, BPing to Island Lake past Carr-Feely Lakes off I80. Anyway, first lake is only a couple miles in, so you run into day-hikers as well as some BP'ers. We were on a peninsula, off to the right was a day-hiking group singing hymns, praising the lord, etc. Really coommuning with mother earth. Directly across the lake, out of sight from the bible-thumpers but easily in our view, were about 6 or 8 nudists swimming, having a great time.

What a dichotomy to see...only in California!

(and oh., the boys couldn't have cared less about being saved... seeing nude women, however, a diff story!!)”

“You folks are kidding, right....seeing folks nude in the backcountry is so common around here that no one even comments on it......what could be more natural then skinny dipping or sunbathing in the mountains?”

“One day about 10 years ago, I hiked in to fish a small pond and about 30 feet off the trail there was a couple engaging in sexual intercouse on a blanket. When I hiked back out they were still there just in a different position.”

“...would it be wrong to snap a photo for posterity?”

“Only if you get caught.”

“Are you planning any TT group hikes in your area Mtnsteve? LOL!

It's not uncommon to see skinny dippers down here either....It just cracks me up when they think they are the only ones in the backcountry. I have dipped a time or two myself ;)”

“Mtnsteve, what about the content of this thread would make you think anyone was kidding?

I was hiking down Coyote Gulch one spring, and coming up the creek toward me was a young (20's) gal wearing a day pack and narry a stitch on above her waist. The trail was narrow enough that we had to get out of one another's way. We both offered a polite g'day, and on we went our merry way. Her probably not in the least disturbed, me much happier than when we met. And no, I'm not kidding, and yes, it was the first and only time I've had such a pleasant experience backpacking.”

“There's something wrong with being naked in the backcountry ??? Do we have a bunch of prudes here?”

“How about a bunch of people who are from a part of the country where it's not common? Do I consider myself a prude? uhhh...... nope.”

“Hmmmm....it seems to be pretty common at the Red River Gorge. At least when it's hot, anyway. That's quite surprising considering the high volume of usage on any given weekend when the weather is good.

I personally am perfectly ok with this but I do wonder about the chafing. And is the resulting waffle pattern on the back useful for playing chess in camp?”

“I was out with another group of boys 16-18 yrs old coming down long meadow, where at a stream crossing ...there was a young lady angler wearing only an open fishing vest, fishing the stream near the trail crossing. There was barely a sound as we crossed the stream ....but you should of heard the chatter as soon as we were out of ear shot...LOL!”

“The problem I have with nudists is that not everyone wants to see their ugly bare asses.

Hobbit, what if it had been a crusty old man? Might of been a diff. story.”

“While hiking into an area, I came across a dood walking in this thorny field holding his socks and shoes. I kind'of figured I prolly startled him while sunbathing because that wasn't in an area you'd want to walk around in with bare feet. I'll bet he just didn't have enough time to get everything on.

I didn't care...I was just glad I didn't get to catch him in the buff!”

“I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it hey? I'm not condoning nor condemning the practice. Merely commenting on it's rarity of occurance in my experience.

If I were king, every woman would walk around naked, and I'D get to decide who puts clothes on.”

“Death Valley.

Hot Springs down in Saline Valley there.
Clothing optional.

You see lots of people wearing shoes, hats and nothing else.

Unless you consider a fanny pack worn back-to-front to protect the valuables from chreosote brush.

Mountain biking the dirt roads is also quite trendy.
Looks a little odd from behind, though.”

“Yea, I was being a little facetious about the kidding thing...I realize that some folks are little uncomfortable with naked bodies.

Americans as a whole seem to have problems with nudity, perhaps it's because we cover up so much, that anytime we get a peek, it becomes exciting. The group I hang around with have all seen each other naked at one time or another, hot tubbing, swimming, sunbathing or just changing our clothes, no one seems to think much about it. Don't get me wrong, we still enjoy the sight of a nice body, we just don't drool all over our boots when we do it........ok, a couple do, but they hide it well.

There are a couple hot springs around here where the folks who use them a lot, consider it extremely rude to wear clothes in.........but ya gotta promise not to drool........”

“I don't have a problem with it. To each there own. There is a nude beach in Michigan (Delaware Park, north of Lexington). My family used to camp there in the camp ground. They'd wait until the nuders came back to there camp site before taking my little sisters down there. I don't think I'd ever do it. I wouldn't want to scary anybody....”

“Its simple, we wear clothing to protect are skin. I don't know about you guys but when I am picking out my BPing cloths I pick out pants that are strong and wont tair and a shirt that is just a strong. I don't think I would ever want to hike unclothed jsut for the fact that you'll get scraps and cuts like yah wont believe.

I have to say that I would be extreamly pleased if I saw a younge 17-25 year old girl nude in the woods, but like some one allready said, what if it was some 60 year old wrinkly old guy? I bet yah wouldn't want to see that now would yah?”

“I am not talking about an occasional nude streak amongst friends... (?) I'm not a total prude

I'm talking about NUDIST COLONIES

They're weird mon. I think religious and/or extremist groups with nudity are weird. If that makes me a prude, so be it.

I've heard of them on the Verde River, but now Sycamore creek too???!!!”

“Hey, Ice Tea, that could almost be me!

Guess I can travel light on the Florida ECT hike.”

“Maybe I am a prude.

The weirdest thing about it was my hiking buddy (who is married, Morman, and also a co-worker of mine) looked at me and said 'care if I try it?'

Ü”

“I backpack with my shirt off sometimes. It feels good and my body tends to run at a hotter temperature than most, especially on those warmer days in the sun.”

“I encourage BOTH sexes to try it.”

“i know you wouldnt want to see me nude.....”

“Keep your shirt on dude!!!”

“Nudist are like people who fart in public.

Neither thinks they are offending anyone.”

“Nudist hiking in Michigan is VERY ill-advised! We have horrendous mosquitoes from mid-may through august. Cant imagine a worse place to get bit...

No,Really I am just scratchin'.”

“I gotta work on my Adonis bronzing action.

One time I was getting ready to go swimming off the coast of GA with a bunch of people. We were on Cumberland Island by the light of the full moon. There was a storm further out at sea which produced some nice three foot or so swells that were great for bodysurfing and rare on the GA coast. We run into this guy, on the beach, with all these necklaces on, long hair and beard walking with a hiking staff. The group stops and exhanges pleasantries and I happen to glance down at him in his bday suit. I wonder if he was able to read the surprise in my face. Then everyone realized it. It was frickin hilarious.”

“LOL @ Birch”

“You get 'em nowslimmer!”

“Rev. Jim: Uhhhhh, last weekend I married a couple out in the woods nude.

Alex: Oh, they were nude?

Rev. Jim: Uhhhh, nope. Just me.”

“I've been known to do a little skinny dipping and "airing out" after a good long day of hiking. Nothing like a nice flat rock to warm the bones on a cool day and especially in the summer, what a way to clean up before the evening. I mean really, what if a sweety comes along down the trail and doesn't have a sleeping bag? share and share alike...right?”

“Everyone should be rattled out of their complacency once and a while. Keeps them living while they're still alive.”

“Popular winter trek 'round here is skiing into the hot springs. A good hot soak on a bluebird winter day surrounded by snow. It's where all the locals go.”

“But what about those of us who would get more of a thrill being nude than those who saw us nude?”

“:)”

“June 21, the Summer Solstice, is Naked Hiking Day on the Appalachian Trail.

I've never tried it but I did go to the nude beach at Sandy Hook, NJ. It's not as sexy as you might imagine. Some folks should be required to wear clothes!”

“LOL, I know what you mean Violin. I forgot to double check the map on a beach hike, and walked right through a clothing optional section. You know those people you see on the street, and your first though is "Damn, they're ugly!"? Yup, that's where they all go. Yuck!!!”

“There was a guy on the JMT last year...I think his name was Larry..he was hiking in a speedo...we kept teasing him..telling him dude why are you hiking in your underwear...he'd get a bit insensed and proclaim.."It's a speedo not underwear" Classic”