EW’s Outdoors Issue 2012
Nature,
Exposed
GARRETT STRADER
Testing the waters of human
interaction, in the nude
By Pat Newson
went to the mild as the wild because I wished to
deliberately expose only the essential facts of life
and see if I could not uncover some truth in it. This
was not to affi liate myself with known outdoorsy
visionaries (see nudehiker.blogspot.com for a Northwest
example), those arbiters and champions of dignity and
expressively non-sexual physical freedom.
No, this was a social experiment for public eyes, for
unassuming outdoors enthusiasts with opinions. My
photographer and I, on a suddenly sunny
Sunday, went where both water and public
sentiment require thermometers: the Mighty
McKenzie.
The hike to Tamolitch Pool is not the
most exhausting of treks, but we wanted
to play it safe, cut down on potential chafe
and, of course, see how the public on this
popular track would interact with the domestic life. When
we arrived at the trailhead, the lot was moderately full but
we managed to strip clean, don our packs and start moving
before anybody could catch us with our pants down.
The fi rst group we passed along the trail elicited a
curt nod; the second, an elegant laugh; the third, the stern
concern of a solitary hiker thoroughly unimpressed by the
concept. Group after group of mountain bikers, hikers,
men, women, children and dogs were greeted with our
cavalier posterity. By the time we reached the pool, we
had encountered at least thirty (primarily silent) smirking
individuals.
I
The far side of the pool provides an excellent
photographic vantage point down into the clear blue
beauty. We relaxed there with a couple 22-ounce beers and
climbed down around the far side for a dip. Now, the day
was warm, and the sun lingered on skin while stationary,
but it was shaded at the water’s edge. Nonetheless, I
managed one tactilely retractive jump and fl ubbered my
way out in a convulsive display for the onlookers on the
cliffs above.
The fi rst group we passed along
the trail elicited a curt nod
After that, people seemed more responsive. One woman
at the pool took our picture and told us about an ABC
(anything but clothes) run she participated in — winning,
in fact, for best costume: “A book of Mormon, and nothing
else.” On the way back, a quartet of repressed teenagers
had one thing amongst them to say: “Are you fucking
kidding me?” Another lone cyclist called ahead that he was
“coming up behind and not appreciating the view.”
We got back to the lot just in time for a carload of
recent Arkansas transplants to catch us before we could
reclothe enough to avoid pressing fl esh to the fake leather
seats in the van. They had backpacks full of Pabst and an
encouraging attitude, though they did advise us not to try
our social experiment in their home state.
We climbed aboard, tried not to stick skin to seat, and
headed back to Eugene. But the day was not done. We
stopped at the market in McKenzie Bridge, picked up a six-
pack and a hitchhiker from Oklahoma. He was impressed by
our earlier maneuver and agreed to the ride despite our plan
to visit Terwilliger Hot Springs before we dropped him off.
As we arrived, state troopers and park rangers were in
the process of ticketing other visitors. We carried up the
road a bit, said goodbye to our six friends and smoked
some cigarettes before returning for the hike in, unsure
of the legal ramifi cations of trail nudity. Because it was
daytime, and with potential enforcement present, we paid
the $5 day-use fee.
After the short hike, the hot pools beckoned. The
majority of soaking mammals had no use for clothing.
Here people didn’t mind if you were naked. It was more
odd if you weren’t. This was the place for open dialogue
concerning natural propriety, but it wasn’t like the good ol’
stargazin’ nights at Cougar. Can’t do that anymore. Rules,
regulations, restrictions, conditions. So I climbed up in the
cave and basked in that sulfur steam, pondering nature,
nudity and the rises (no pun intended) we received from
unsuspecting nature-lovers.
ew
Tamolich Pool directions: Hwy 126 East approx. 70 miles to Trailbridge
Reservoir; cross bridge, bear right half a mile, park, undress, hike, swim,
contract mild hypothermia.
Terwilliger Hot Springs directions: Hwy 126 to Cougar Reservoir turnoff,
follow up, turn right at dam, continue approx. 4 miles to lot, undress, hike, soak.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT:
ninkasibrewing.com/beerislove
WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM
EUGENE WEEKLY MAY 10, 2012
19