Want to Hike the Alps Naked? Swiss Court Says OK
Marta Falconi, Contributor

AOL News (June 1) -- The decision of a Swiss court to uphold the right of a man to hike naked across the Alps is exposing, literally, an unusual hobby.

The Swiss man, whose identity has not been disclosed, saw his $87 fine lifted last week by a court in Appenzell, a conservative canton in northeastern Switzerland known for its tasty cheese and stunning mountain landscapes.

The decision was hailed by supporters as a "victory of freedom." It is also kindling local debate on crisscrossing mountain paths in the nude, putting naked hikers -- and all that comes with them -- in the spotlight as they enthusiastically fight for the cause.

Courtesy of Puistola Grottenpoesch
A nude hiker who uses the pseudonym Puistola Grottenpoesch rests on Monte Salmone in southern Switzerland.
"This court decision is showing that penal law is not a moral codex, and there's no way to punish nakedness in itself, unless it becomes sexual harassment," a Zurich, Switzerland, architect and naked hiker who represented the defendant explained to AOL News. The architect asked not to be identified, citing privacy reasons. Swiss law allows defendants to be represented by non-lawyers in cases involving minor offenses.

The Appenzell court ruled that the charge of indecent behavior did not apply in the case of the fined hiker. He was reported to authorities by a woman after walking past a communal barbecue area.

The architect, whose 30 years of naked hiking have taken him as far as South Africa and North America, said the reasoning behind the court's decision still has to be published. He noted that prosecutors could appeal the ruling.

Whether the court's decision will give unclad hikers the leeway to ramble freely across the Alps remains to be seen.

Daniel Kettiger, a legal expert in Bern, Switzerland, who has followed the debate on naked hiking for years, said the law in the canton of Appenzell technically punishes "misbehavior in public" and doesn't specifically target nudity, allowing for interpretation.

"Sometimes, police think that hiking, jogging or biking in the nude is something that goes under that [law] paragraph, and they fine people. The interpretation of the law is open-ended," Kettiger told AOL News. "If someone is nude walking in public, or sunbathing or having a picnic in the grass, that is not forbidden. If he is exposing himself, with a sexual connotation and offending common sense, that is forbidden."

Naked hikers, who are estimated to number a few dozen in Switzerland, say they enjoy the feeling of oneness with nature and the freedom to give up clothes.

"Some like the feel of the air all over their body; others like the sense of healthfulness naked hiking gives," said Richard Foley, a 50-year-old British computer programmer based in Munich, Germany. "The vast majority of the people I meet, when out naked hiking, are polite, sometimes perhaps a little surprised. Occasionally, someone makes a joke about us having lost our clothes on the races."

In general, Foley said, he receives "many more smiles than grimaces," but the occasional criticism, if not plain insults, can still occur. He hikes often in Germany, where the phenomenon appears to be quite widespread, as well as in France, Austria and Italy.

Arguments against naked hiking range from concerns that nudity could be offensive for some to more down-to-earth problems, such as the risk of sunburn or catching tick-borne diseases. Some argue that restricted areas, as with nudist beaches around the world, could be organized for hikers.

However, the architect who represented the defendant said the point is not to be surrounded by fellow naked people. "There are nudists' areas with fences, concrete walls, gates," he said. "It's fine for those who want to be with other nudists. But why should we be restricted when all we do is simply choose our clothes?"

Or, rather, the lack thereof.

Ha HA - been there done that - no T-shirt though...

Very cool......sounds a bit cold to me but very cool

I got no problem with that ... let 'em find out first-hand what freezer burn does to unprotected sausage ...

I can't post the pic but, the guy is wearing a wool cap on the big head. I'd figgure, if it was cold enough for that, he might want to one on the head of the lil' soldier.
Just sayin'!

Ski Bear! (Bear Valley poster)

Holy Mackerel, Andy!!!

Hey! she's wearing SHOES ... ! No fair ... !

Somebody move that branch!

AND the shoes - don't be forgettin' the shoes ... !

It's good to see that not everyone is one of those uptight, stuffed shirt liberals!

Yeah ... they'd wanna know if she was wearin' Rockports or Birkenstock ...