Naked Season

Glassbar Island has always been my favorite place locally to recreate nude on the river. I choose The Willamettans Family Nudist Resort when I want the luxury of facilities.

I am long time member of the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR) www.aanr.com and the AANR liaison to the newly AANR affiliated club Glassbar Island Nude Beach Volunteers. www.glassbarisland.org. Glassbar volunteers have a long history of working at Glassbar Island and most recently participated in their ninth SOLV “Down by the Riverside” cleanup. They are working really hard to create a safe and positive environment at Glassbar Island. Contact them to see how you can contribute to their work.

The Willamettans Family Nudist Resort a licensed RV park is hosting an open house Saturday June 21 and invites everyone out to the resort for a free visit and resort tour. There will be live music by the pool, free hotdog barbecue, swimming, tennis, volleyball, horseshoes and a relaxing hot tub. Call 541-933-2809 to RSVP and for details. www.willamettans.com.

Shirley Gauthier

Up hill from lithia park in ashland are the fairy ponds...a 15 minute walk from town hall and you are basically required to swim without your skivees

its refreshing but the water is so cold men get concerned about "shrinkage" but what the hell right?

Glassbar Island – hmm, immediately my thoughts are of a beautiful undeveloped property with outstanding river frontage, quiet undisturbed forest and meadow lands, and diverse people who are deeply concerned about maintaining the island as an example of low human impact on the environment.

When Glassbar Island Nude Beach Volunteers was created I wanted to help the group. Being a retired web developer, I offered to build the group’s web site. It was a challenge to create a web site that would not only convey the ‘physical’ layout of the island, but also convey the feeling of being at this ‘magical’ harmonious setting of ‘man’ and this ‘lightly encroached upon’ natural environment. Lastly, I wanted to include the ‘people’ element into the web site in a way that would say “Don’t categorize me as ‘gay’, or ‘straight’ or ‘single’ – we are individuals coming together with a common cause of maintaining, preserving and protecting Glassbar Island as a truly unique place for all to enjoy”. I’m very proud to be a part of this endeavor.

We are the Glassbar Island Nude Beach Volunteers.

Rick H.
Web master
Glassbar Island Nude Beach Volunteers

You might want to consider reporting news sometime. Is this article a joke?

Oh yeah, the fairy ponds.... Do you mean the Lithia Creek Reservoir (commonly known as Lake E.Coli)?

*the sound I make when I "consider reporting news sometime." Gawd it gives me such a headache!

I haven't seen any reference to Restful Haven Nudist resort outside of Portland. Maybe they wish to stay quiet, but when I was there, it was a very nice stay with a pool and a small store on site. The only problem I had was camping. My tent at the time was on a hill so when we woke up, our tent was about 3 feet further to the south to where we stuck it up.

Anywayz, it's a good place with good people to bare all and stay as cool as possible.

"I also found at least one nude hiker blogger, who also happens to be from the Northwest. Warning: If you didn't like naked Barbie, you really won't like this. He doesn't just hike in the nude, he takes pictures of himself."

Simply going to the site, you will not encounter nudity unless you explicitly scroll down past the banner image. The nudity on my site is simple, non-sexual nudity depicting my journeys into the forests, mountains and beaches of the great Northwest.

There should be nothing to be ashamed of for sharing the exquisite joy of hiking nude. What better way to share nudism than through imagery . . . innocent and non-threatening?

I take a stance and would hope that people get over their body-image phobias. All are welcome to read my blog and comment. Find out what you are missing . . . the simple joy of sensing your environment with your entire body. Nudism and naturism is a wholesome lifestyle that builds confidence and acceptance of others. There is nothing sexual about it.

"Clothing emphasizes sexuality, Nudity de-emphasizes and helps us to see others as equals."

It may seem strange to a reporter that a nudist goes hiking and takes pictures of themselves. To a nudist it is no different than having pictures of yourself on vacation.

Shirley Gauthier

So are the people who won't like naked Barbie on the cover the same ones that aren't carrying EW at the Market of Choice?

I think the Rosary Lakes in summer are a great place for skinny-dipping, cold as they may be. Have also noticed nude sunbathing in Spencer's Butte park both on top of the mountain and in secluded meadows and corners of the 800 acre park. Would also recommend hiking out along the river at Mt. Pisgah where you can enjoy the outdoors by a quiet running river. Just about anywhere along the McKenzie or Upper Willamette Rivers is fine and most reservoirs while in a boat. Remember, nudity is not illegal unless sexual activity is involved in or in view of a public place. If you haven't been there, it is worth taking the drive up to Portland and then east to visit Rooster Rock State Park. On a hot summer day there can be a couple thousand people there.

Rainy and naked is right on! We are out year round even if we only get a half hour of sun. We are there. We actually get more work done in the winter because it is not so hot. We have hauled away most of the trash. We have real trails now. We are rehabilitating the area for the purpose of removing non-native species, enhancing wildlife habitat, and creating responsible human access to the best place to swim in town. The Greenway rules.

We are looking far down the road and are actively seeking like minded allies that love the place as much as we do.

Thank you for the great article!

David Rosenblatt
President
Glassbar Island Nude Beach Volunteers

Love the article Naked Season. I haven’t been to Glassbar Island but I sure plan on putting it on my got to go places. I wish I could bottle the enthusiasm that the Glassbar Island Nude Beach Volunteers have brought to nude recreation and the American Association for Nude Recreation.

I hope that people take a page out of the Glassbar Island Nude Beach Volunteers book and form the type of relationship that these nudists have forged with the Oregon State
Parks Service.

Thanks Eugene Weekly for shining the light on this exceptional group.

Now that I know that Glassbar Island Nude Beach Volunteers AANRs newest “non-landed” club is doing such a remarkable job, I can’t wait until my wife and I can get down there and meet these energetic souls.

Steve Hubbard, Public Lands Liaison
American Association for Nude Recreation

Sorry nude hiker, you misunderstood a little. The comment was directed at the people offended by naked Barbie -- if they can't handle naked Barbie, then I suspect "simple nudity" might not fly with them either!

Not a problem. I wanted to clarify any ambiguity about the nature of the images on my site and the responsibility we as nudists take in living together with all segments of society.

While it is a minor point, it bears pointing out that most nudists prefer the term 'nude' versus 'naked'. That hard, guttural 'k' in 'naked' has a primeval effect on some people. 'Naked' implies without covering or protection, often unintentional and unwanted; 'nude' refers to an state of being that is wanted or desired. My take, anyway.

I would also point out that the way Naked Barbie was posed for the article with her legs apart would seldom been seen in a nudist or naturist environment (or if innocently seen, not photographed like that out of respect for the subject.) A nudists' emphasis is on the whole versus what some would call 'crotch shots'. Our genitals are only part of that whole . . . we do not emphasize them, nor do we hide them. We are nude . . . but we are not naked.

Respectfully, The Nude Hiker

Thanks for a positive article on simple nudity. The more I talk to people, the more acceptance I find for nude recreation, even by people who don't practice it. Fear of the human body is on the way out, despite the efforts of some in government.

Thanks also to AANR for defining and defending nudist values, and for expanding your mission to include nude recreation on public lands!

Hey Glassbar group--I've been to your beach, and liked it so much I wished I lived in Eugene. Looking forward to seeing all the great work you've done.

If you're up in the Portland area, please check out Rooster Rock State Park nude beach. Miles of open sand in the beautiful Columbia Gorge. Thanks to our beach adoption partners, SOLV and Columbia Riverkeeper, for helping us preserve our beaches and other natural areas.

Mark
Friend of AANR
Rooster Rock volunteer

Thanks for your recent article on clothing-optional recreations sites. It is good to know that the community is finally shedding some bigotry. Skin is becoming acceptable in places other than The Mall and The County Fair. Please keep us updated.

I have one site to add to your list: the south end of Washburn State Park north of Florence. Take the trail across from the Hobbit Trail and go straight down to the beach. I frequently go nude there and see others enjoying the sun also. November can be the best time.

Would you consider expanding your list to other parts of Oregon? Steamboat Creek in Douglas county is good for skinny-dipping, with exceptional pools and tolerant locals. The generally accepted rule is "First there sets the dress code".

I have nothing but the utmost respect for Barbie and Steve. They were very hard working, cooperative models. It can't be easy to hold such a sunshiney smile that long.

Great article about clothing optional recreation, I'm
always glad to see this lifestyle that I have enjoyed
for ten years getting positive press coverage. I also
would like to say that people shouldn't knock this way of living until they have given it a try, after
just a few minutes you realize how natural it feel and you'll be asking yourself why you hadn't tried this sooner.