NYS to Wilderness Camps: Make Way for Regulation!

Long-time reader and commenter Bowhunter asked me to post this article about the incresing regulation of Wilderness Camps in New York State. This is affecting some ministries near and dear to his heart, forcing them to bring on extra staff and denying some of the boys the chance to meet with God alone in His creation.

When it comes to outdoor wilderness camps, the forces of nature butt up against an equally daunting power: New York's vast state bureaucracy.

Some of the push for stronger regulations followed the 1998 death of an 11-year-old boy who drowned in a rain-swollen creek while attending Camp Scatico in Livingston, Columbia County.

Lately, though, the operators of wilderness camps like this one have been fighting back in efforts to make the rules more realistic.

"What used to be considered common sense now is codified. It's hard sometimes to codify common sense," said Ron Mackey, director of Deerfoot Lodge, one of a handful of true wilderness camps that remain in the state.

Among the regulations causing headaches is a new law requiring all minors - even those with full wilderness, first aid, and survival training - to be accompanied by an adult at all times. This means 17-year-olds preparing for being counsellors have to bring along "adults" on hikes intended to test their independence and survival skils.