A northern magazine may be getting a bum rap for showcasing a nude hiker on its cover, but its publisher has decided to turn the other cheek.

Canadian North Airlines has pulled the August issue of Up Here magazine from all of its planes, saying it finds the photo showing a back view of man, wearing nothing but socks and hiking boots, offensive. The photo promotes a feature on barenaked adventurers in the North.

The controversial cover of the August issue of Up Here magazine.
(CBC)

The airline, which serves the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, usually distributes the magazine on its flights.

Up Here's publisher, Marion LaVigne, has agreed to change the cover photo to one of fried fish for the airline's issues.

Canadian North Airlines flies throughout the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. It is owned by Norterra Inc., a joint venture of the Inuvialuit Development Corporation and Nunasi.

It says the cover is not consistent with the airline's values.