nudity on the trail

[CA_Scouter]

(tried to spinoff from the 'something in the water topic' but no luck)

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OK, OGE, you asked for it! ;-)

 

This month's Backpacker asked readers their opinions of nudity in the backcountry. Most respondants didn't think it a big deal, about 20% thought it an annoyance.

 

Last year we were backpacking in Yellowstone and the other adult and I wanted to rinse the dust off but not get our shorts wet as the sun was setting and it was gettin' a bit chilly. We moved down the beach a couple of hundred yards from the scouts and did a quick skinny dip.

 

Did the scouts know? Probably. Could they see anything? No way, too far away ( plus cold water! ).

 

Comments, concerns, opinions?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kahuna]

I don't see the issue. You're talking male adult leaders and male scouts? If male and female, well, could be different. I know we're supposed to have separate showers and all that, but in the backcountry, among "us guys," I don't think we need to make a big deal out of it.

[GKlose]

In "The Complete Walker", didn't Colin Fletcher talk about backpacking in the buff?

[scoutldr]

Just not in skeeter or black fly country!

[Hal_Crawford]

Ouch!

[shortridge]

Timing's perfect... Hike Naked Day (or Naked Hiking Day) on the Appalachian Trail was Sunday.

 

In Scouting, it seems safest for all concerned just to avoid any possible YP-related issues and keep the clothes on. One person's skinny-dipping is another person's flashing.

 

Personally, no thanks. That'd be a heck of an uncomfortable sunburn.(This message has been edited by shortridge)

[SctDad]

Actually if you look into the YP training, you will see where it is noted that skinny-dipping is not authorized.

 

take it as you will. Just remember that you are held accountable for your actions. We can if the topic to death, but we know the rules.

 

As a sidce note, I will try to find where it mentions the no skinny dipping rule when I have a little more time to search the net.

[shortridge]

It's under "Barriers to Abuse in Scouting":

 

"Appropriate attire. Proper clothing for activities is required. For example, skinny-dipping is not appropriate as part of Scouting."

[Eamonn]

" One person's skinny-dipping is another person's flashing."

Or it just might be a guy taking a bath?

We have solar showers.

Which we hang from a near by tree.

We do tarp the shower off.

It is used by the adults and the youth members, male and female.

My thinking is that if an area is deemed to be a "Bathing Area" and everyone knows who is using it and when, in order to avoid any YP issues.

There is no problem.

Of course we can always look for problems and at times when there aren't any make a few up!

Eamonn.

 

 

[skeptic]

How things change with the times. As Eamonn says, we go looking for issues where there like are none. We are a society that glorifies certain elements of physical features and considers sexuality okay in the public, yet we are prudes in so many ways. Our schools no longer require showers after P.E. in the schools, as public showering "might" cause someone embarrassment or occasional teasing or taunting. Many gyms and pools have separate areas for youth and adults for similar reasons; or completely separate times. Most of us over 40 or 50 grew up okay while sharing the locker rooms and even occasionally skinny-dipping. There are photos of scouts swimming in the teens that "show nothing"; but they are obviously in the buff. Keep it out of common view and use common sense. This should apply to just about anything that could pertain to personal privacy. It only becomes an issue if you make it one somehow.

[scoutingagain]

Sorry, don't intend to hi jack this thread but saw this;

 

" Hike Naked Day (or Naked Hiking Day) on the Appalachian Trail was Sunday. "

 

And had to wonder if that's why the Governor of SC was on the App Trail in such secrecy the last few days. LOL

 

SA

 

Return to your regular controversy.

 

[packsaddle]

That was the first thing that ran through my mind as well

 

I've experienced and contributed to this sort of thing many, many times on the trail. Not authorized doesn't necessarily mean prohibited. It means that it's on 'you' to make the best decision. But things certainly have changed.

In some respects we're a prudish nation and other respects we're a bunch of libertines. Some visiting dignitaries from Russia visited a few years ago and while touring around, we visited a lake on a hot summer day at one of the state parks. I left to get some cold drinks and when I came back they had shucked off and were in the water. I tell you it wasn't a pretty sight...but I was more worried about getting arrested by law enforcement and having an international incident. People were staring, laughing, pointing, and I hustled those guys out of the water and got clothes on them asap. Things sure are different.

 

As far as the comment about cold water, there's that special depth just a little less than waist deep......

Back when I was a boy we'd go skinny dipping in the creek - knowing full well that the girls were hiding in the brush, peeking at us. There were usually one or two guys who'd strut their stuff up and down the bank. We referred to them as the 'bank walkers'. In retrospect, I would've held them in greater awe if they'd been able to do that AFTER the dip

 

A few years ago, on a trip to Ural Mountains, I was invited to partake of a friend's banya. It was a beautiful structure of logs from the taiga and he was very proud of it. The ante room was small and comfortable. We disrobed there. Then we entered the hot room. The wood stove produced a dry heat and the thermometer read 150 degrees. It was breathtaking. But I could tell that the Russians were testing the two Amerikanskis to see how we did, LOL. What they didn't realize is that being from the South, I was up to it. So we sat around and by the time I started to sweat, they had rivers cascading off them. We took turns laying on a bench, gently beating each other with branches with birch leaves still on that had been dipped in hot water, back AND front. And then we all dashed out the front door, across the court yard and into a pool of icy water that was dug into the ground in the shade of the Dacha. All of the wives were there preparing our meal as we dashed by au natural. That wasn't such a big deal but after hitting that water we had to skulk back to the banya to repeat the experience two more times. Talk about shrinkage!

Anyway, after we were done, we entered the third room and actually rinsed off all the sweat and water and then returned to the courtyard wearing towels only to start eating. Here's the good part. While we ate....the women did the same thing.

Russian women are breathtakingly beautiful. Mmmmmmmmmmm.

[Stosh]

My sister tells the story of a friend of hers whose mother (70+ years old) from Norway came to visit. They both have ajoining homes on a lake and when mom was on the dock taking in the beauty of the view said it would be great to take a swim. My sister and friend turned to go get their swim suits and mom stripped down and jumped in. The daughter said, "Just like the old country", stripped down and joined her mother and my sister, thought "what the heck" and they all had a great time.

 

How does one handle BWCA? One latrine and no walls. Got to be a challenge taking a co-ed Venturing crew up there.

 

Stosh

[Kahuna]

As an old timer, I remember scout camps having a concrete slab, pipe and shower head. The boys showered and nobody thought about putting up a tarp. Skinny dipping was not unusual on camp outs.

 

While researching, I came across a council history regarding their camp in the 1920's. Seems the boys generally swam naked at the waterfront, except on visitors day.

 

Times and standards change.

[Eamonn]

I'm not sure when it comes to nudity, who is the biggest prudes. - The English or the Irish?

Growing up in London, with Irish parents, going around in the all together in our house, just wasn't done.

I have a vivid memory of being about eight years old and going for swimming lessons with the school.

The changing-room was just one big room with wooden benches.

I got changed like I was at the beach. Wrapping myself in my towel and doing the "Wiggle".

The Games Master, watched me for a little while, then yelled at me! "What have you got to hide? We are all men in here!"

I wasn't very comfortable, but within a few weeks I was running around in my birthday suit snapping towels just like everyone else.

But at home, we just didn't go around without any clothes.

The door was always locked when someone was in the WC or in the bathroom.

It was a real shock to me when I got married and found that not everyone lived the way we did.

Today at home the bathroom seems to be the meeting place, first in comes the dogs, then OJ remembers that he has to shave, then HWMBO remembers something that just can't wait.

Talk about a full house.

Eamonn.