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From a Georgia newspaper--
"Yikes: Man cited for naked hike on Mt. Yonah"
"By Denise Etheridge
"A Clermont man has been charged with hiking Mt. Yonah in the nude Friday.
"White County resident and avid hiker Charles Aiken reported seeing a
nude hiker on a Mt. Yonah trail at about noon Friday. The man appeared
to be between 45-50 years old, Aiken said.
"He was completely tanned except for his tennis shoes," Aiken said.
"The Chattooga ranger district office of the U.S. Forestry Service
confirmed that the nude hiker had been spotted near Mt. Yonah, and
that he had previously been seen hiking trails nude at Ravens Cliff
and Dukes Creek by Aiken and others. Rangers said they were not able
to locate the hiker after receiving the first two reports.
"However, Law Enforcement Officer Ranger Jimmy Allen and White County
Sheriff's Deputy Brent Maddox apprehended the nude hiker Friday at Mt.
Yonah.
"Stephen Blitch, 59, of Clermont, was issued a violation notice and
charged with public indecency. Allen said the charge is a misdemeanor,
and that Blitch's court appearance is mandatory. Blitch will appear
before federal magistrate court judge Susan Cole in Gainesville,
according to Allen.
"White County Sheriff Neal Walden said Blitch will likely have to pay
a hefty fine for hiking nude.
"Allen, who covers White, Habersham, Stephens and part of Lumpkin
counties for the U.S. Forestry Service, said he had been working on
the case for two to three months.
"Allen said that since Blitch admitted to hiking in the nude on at
least two other occasions, he could also be charged for those offenses.
"Allen said Blitch told him that he didn't realize hiking nude was
against the law, and that he simply enjoyed hiking without wearing
clothes.
"It is unclear whether more hikers will follow Blitch's example.
"Aiken said several years ago one woman he knew decided to hike
topless on the Appalachian Trail in celebration of the summer
solstice. She happened to run into a group of Mennonites, and,
embarrassed, promptly covered herself up with a map, he said.
"Earlier this year, the forest service built new bathrooms and a
gravel parking lot for Mt. Yonah hikers."
"Yikes: Man cited for naked hike on Mt. Yonah"
"By Denise Etheridge
"A Clermont man has been charged with hiking Mt. Yonah in the nude Friday.
"White County resident and avid hiker Charles Aiken reported seeing a
nude hiker on a Mt. Yonah trail at about noon Friday. The man appeared
to be between 45-50 years old, Aiken said.
"He was completely tanned except for his tennis shoes," Aiken said.
"The Chattooga ranger district office of the U.S. Forestry Service
confirmed that the nude hiker had been spotted near Mt. Yonah, and
that he had previously been seen hiking trails nude at Ravens Cliff
and Dukes Creek by Aiken and others. Rangers said they were not able
to locate the hiker after receiving the first two reports.
"However, Law Enforcement Officer Ranger Jimmy Allen and White County
Sheriff's Deputy Brent Maddox apprehended the nude hiker Friday at Mt.
Yonah.
"Stephen Blitch, 59, of Clermont, was issued a violation notice and
charged with public indecency. Allen said the charge is a misdemeanor,
and that Blitch's court appearance is mandatory. Blitch will appear
before federal magistrate court judge Susan Cole in Gainesville,
according to Allen.
"White County Sheriff Neal Walden said Blitch will likely have to pay
a hefty fine for hiking nude.
"Allen, who covers White, Habersham, Stephens and part of Lumpkin
counties for the U.S. Forestry Service, said he had been working on
the case for two to three months.
"Allen said that since Blitch admitted to hiking in the nude on at
least two other occasions, he could also be charged for those offenses.
"Allen said Blitch told him that he didn't realize hiking nude was
against the law, and that he simply enjoyed hiking without wearing
clothes.
"It is unclear whether more hikers will follow Blitch's example.
"Aiken said several years ago one woman he knew decided to hike
topless on the Appalachian Trail in celebration of the summer
solstice. She happened to run into a group of Mennonites, and,
embarrassed, promptly covered herself up with a map, he said.
"Earlier this year, the forest service built new bathrooms and a
gravel parking lot for Mt. Yonah hikers."
People hike to appreciate a closness to nature, right? What's more natural than hiking au natural?
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