Thirteen years after her daughter Michelle died in a Utah wilderness therapy program, Cathy Sutton remains one of the industry's most vigilant watchdogs.

She advises parents, tracks deaths and lobbies politicians because, as she puts it, "I want to see these programs become what I was sold when I sent my daughter Michelle there."

Ultimately, Sutton, of Ripon, Calif., wants federal regulations that hold programs responsible when a child dies, particularly if the death is due to negligence.

Her biggest goal is to close the "window of loss" -- a term an early industry leader used to justify the occasional loss of life in wilderness programs. Shutting that window, she believes, will require these "do or die experiences" to shed the tough-love attitude that ailing teens are fakers, whiners and manipulators.

"We need to untrain this mentality that is killing kids," Sutton said.

She acknowledges her campaign has little traction -- for one thing, many view the "troubled kids" as already engaged in risky, even deadly, behaviors at home.

The wilderness industry can legitimately argue that thousands of kids safely participate in its programs and are better for it. A 2000 report published in The International Journal of Wilderness said the programs are no more risky than commercial white-water rafting and safer than letting a teen get behind the wheel.

Many parents agree. Mary Steinwachs' son Mitchell was in Skyline Journey's program with Ian August.

"They accomplished something all the mental health and social workers, all the things you can buy at home, couldn't," said Steinwachs, of Tonganoxie, Kan. "They gave my son a chance to experience what a normal life is."