Naked Hiker Spotted

[eyesup]

Here is a post I found browsing for naked hiking reports. It is a naked hiking report, but when I initially saw it, I was expecting an upbeat missive about how wonderful naked hiking can be.

It starts off with all the necessary parts for a hiking report by someone that loves the outdoors. It then takes off on a listing of all the things wished for that weren't annoying and frustrating.

The naked hiker is tried and judged without even an attempt at a conversation. I guess I can see a young lady being a bit concerned but no report of anything about the guy except that she was scared of him simply for having seen him.

Someone that is preparing to hike the AT, I would have thought should have a little more outdoor experience that this would have been more of an amusing encounter than a troubling one.

Duane

[nudewalker]

I read this one soon after she posted it. Then I read her bio at the end and it made things clearer when she mentioned BYU and the police academy. You would think that anyone who read up on the thrust hike of the AT would at least know that a nude encounter was a possibility. Once again, judge jury and executioner.

[nudewalker]

I woke this morning recalling this post then came the realization that Jbee had commented on her blog. For some reason I was unable to retrieve those comments to know for sure but feel 99% sure my memory did not fail me.

[eyesup]

The thing that bothered me about this was the list of precautions to prevent any chance of being harmed by seeing a naked person, henceforth referred to as a "sketchy" person. The list she provides is mostly common sense actions that would apply to any situation, not merely a nudist one.

It sounds like she has little experience on hiking in wilderness areas. I have read that certain parts of the AT are remote, so some experience would be advisable. Hopefully she isn't as green as she sounds.

Duane

[jbeegoode]

She is cautious, a good sensibility. She is prepared, but for things that have a 99% odds against occurring. That may keep her out of troubles, which nearly never happen. She may be confusing instincts with unreasonable irrational fears.

She seems to believe that remote places in the wilderness are covered by law enforcement, or at least should be. She seems to assume that she is the normal person and others are not. I could be wrong, but I have to wonder what she would do if she came across a group of skinnydippers in remote Federal lands. Would she tell them to get dressed for her sensibilities of norm and law enforcement. Would she hide from the possibility of a gang rape? Would she notify the authorities, as if they could change the situation after the fact?

I may have made a comment, I'm not remembering. I try to make a habit of commenting to balance such posts on the internet. It says that there are two comments and only one positive comment remains, so she would have to have censored it.

I think that I'll go back and comment. I encourage you two to also comment.
Jbee

[jbeegoode]

I just left this comment:

Your tips are good cautious strategies for hikers encountering dangers on the trail, BUT they don’t apply to encounters with naturists.

We have found through statistical interview with nude hikers, that 97% of other hikers will have no objection to a naked hiker, and 20% will feel confused as to how to interact, with the encounter. People in remote areas just are not bothered by nudity and are not surprised to stumble upon freedom.

Common sense will tell you that exhibitionists will go where they may be seen by others, not where they are less likely to be seen. Your encounter with a nude is not likely to be anything else than an encounter with a nude. Rape is an act of control. They are more likely to be dressed, a controlling expression.

You would react differently if you encountered a nude female, a couple, or a nude group, rather than a lone man with a dog.
Research and study has overwhelmingly, unquestionably found that seeing nudity harms no one, not children, not anyone.

Only those raised within reinforcement of the social mores created by religious zealots and told to fear by laws created by these, are alarmed. It is neither reasonable, nor instinctual. It is simply irrational fear.

What you are purporting here has offended us. Please, research and try to understand that nudity in nature is a God given gift.

With a link to my website

I suggest that you all add comments, too.
Jbee

[JOhnGw]

I only skimmed the article so I won't comment on the text but the picture of an aggressive posture was actually a defensive one.

[Peter S]

i don't know if there are statistics for such matters, but I suspect that attacks on hikers in remote areas are pretty much non-existent, certainly nothing compared to all the other things that could go wrong. Let's face it, if you wanted to attack a random stranger, would you trek miles into the wilderness on the off chance of finding someone (who by their very presence would be pretty fit, resourceful and able to defend themselves) or would you lie in wait in a dark alley in a populated town? Far safer in the woods I reckon

Peter

[eyesup]

. . . the picture of an aggressive posture was actually a defensive one.

Noticed the same thing 

Excellent post, Jbee! I'll reinforce yours with a post of my own.

What you say, Peter along with Jbee, is what I meant by saying that it doesn't sound like she has a great deal of experience in remote areas. I've never bumped into anyone that was hiking naked, but I have bumped into someone while I was. The guy just laughed and said something about all over tans. Not in the least bit concerned.

There have also been a couple incidents with my son's Boy Scout Troop with topless young ladies when we were out on excursions. We always tried to make sure they were curteous and polite when these things happened. Others had just as much right to be on the trail as we did.

Hopefully those lessons stuck.

Duane

[nudewalker]

When Mrs. Walker and I saw "A Walk in the Woods" with Redford and Note the first comment made was the news articles the wife had found about murders, muggings and robberies on the AT. I have heard the stories just never investigated them but sure there is something more sinister than a random act of violence. I agree with Peter, more to be had on a city street than in the wilderness.

I feel this young lady is quite naive about the wilderness. A lot of book reading but no practical experience. She seemed a bit disappointed the nude hiker wasn't as treating as it was in her mind. Like she expects her next encounter to be more aggressive?

[John P]

"A Walk in the Woods" (movie version) was written to make for an interesting story, not to be realistic about hiking on the Appalachian Trail. Bryson's otherwise sensible wife was given stupid worries to speak about, and then later Bryson himself is menaced by multiple bears. Everyone knows that eastern black bears have very rarely attacked humans--nothing like man's best friend, the domestic dog--and anyway, they're solitary. But for the sake of a little thrill for the audience, any kind of fiction is OK.

If we worry about scaring our fellow hikers, I think Arlo Guthrie's advice was good: the more of us there are in a group, the less threatening we'll seem.

[nudewalker]

That was my point John, most of what the blogger wrote about was fictionalized in her head. As for the AT, yes there have been attacks but as was mentioned few and far between. If I were not so far away it would be my choice for a Solstice Hike!

[JOhnGw]

Actually, on a logical basis a group of naked hikers ought to be more dangerous than a solitary one as they have significantly greater strength between them.
However, as we all know, logic goes out of the window with the general public where nudity is concerned.

[eyesup]

I suppose that the idea of safety in numbers, for the nudists, doesn't necessarily translate into a safe situation for the person(s) encountering them. Especially if it's a single female. But as has been pointed out here, it has nothing to do with logic.

If there is a group, then if one of the group does something bad, it falls to their companions to reign them in. Whatever happens, it would be more difficult to keep it quiet. Too many would know about it and someone would report it.

True, a large group has an overall strength advantage, but possibly not the required, "All for one and one for all" mentality, to carry it off.

Again, "It isn't logical, Captain!"

Duane

[eyesup]

My impression here is that both Dan and JohnP have either been on or done the AT. I would hope that the trail itself is a safe place to be. Is that true?

I wouldn't have thought of that as a problem on a hike. But I'm a guy. I guess women have to consider more variables. Maybe that's all she is doing.

Although she does no good presuming, in the context, that naked hikers are more to be feared.

Duane