Doug,
You can find the Oregon Regulations for Wilderness here:
http://www.wilderness-programs.org/Regu ... Oregon.htmCompared to other states I?ve read (Utah, Ga, Tx) they are particularly lame. Leaves a lot of decisions and policies to the program owner. On many issues, which the state would normally dictate, it has been left to the program to ?create and implement? its own policies.
FOOD:
The narrator on BC said the teens ?must? consume 1800 calories- used as an excuse to justify forcing the kid to eat oat mush until he puked. USDA and Oregon Regs state 3,000 given their level of physical exertion and cold weather. That means you provide a minimum of 3,000 calories and have extra on hand. It would not allow for ?rationing? to denying food as punishment.
Based on the ?menu? you provided: 2c dry oats, 1c dry milk, raisins, 2c granola, 1c rice, 1c lentils- we?re talking 1300 calories, at best. A long way from 3,000. Not even half of what?s recommended.
And WHO eats plain, dry oats? Followed by a quart of water? That?s going to expand in the gut. It certainly will give one a sense of fullness, and could cause anyone to puke.
You mentioned that lunch was optional. If so, then why force feed them 2c dry oats and a quart of water at breakfast? And why force them to eat all they prepare? Especially early on. I?m sure they have no idea that the rice, oats and lentils are going to double or triple in volume after cooked. What kind of spice made you vomit? FYI, it would never be considered appropriate to force children to eat in any child caring institution or situation, and certainly inappropriate to take away any meal as punishment, as you say was the case with lunch. How could they begin to consider taking away any meal when they as so far below the caloric recommendations to begin with?
I don?t think you understand how unconscionable this ?treatment? is. And unnecessary. This would not fly anywhere but a program. It flies because the owners of the programs in Oregon had a hand in the creation of the regulations.
Imagine this: a group of daycare owners dictating to the state the rules they will be subject to. Ha! Would never happen. And a daycare owner would be out of business if s/he did any of these things.
You can teach teens how to ?take care of themselves?, even in the wilderness, without going to such austere and extreme measures. There is another MO operating here- deprivation/ submission.
And what if you didn?t find firewood? How would you prepare rice/lentils and/or stay warm at night?
Hygiene: You wash in the same cup you eat from? Same rag everyday?
And clean your cup after eating, with mud? Nowhere else would this be allowed.
What provisions were there for wash your hands after visiting the latrine?
Packs: You weighted 115# and carried an 80# pack? They aren?t supposed to exceed 30% of the participant?s weight (38# in your case). Plus water jugs- 10-20#? Plus rocks for cussing?
I hope someone in Oregon who can act on the information you provided, and the BC series, is paying attention.