Facility profile Utah
Summit Quest
Summit Quest was a program in St. George, Utah.
Survivor testimony
What people who lived or worked here say happened. Survivors' own words are published with their permission; forum accounts are what was posted publicly and are reported as claims, not findings.
Reported on survivor forums
- Fornits: deadly restraints, not for the faint at heart (2003-2006, 17 posts)
- Fornits: Top Flight Academy (2003-2007, 20 posts)
- Fornits: Death at Appalachian Wilderness Camp (2005, 2 posts)
- Fornits: Brat Camp/the dark side (2005, 7 posts)
- Fornits: Rubin Deceives (2006, 1 post)
- Fornits: The Story of Michelle Sutton - "Broken Promises and a Life E (2006, 37 posts)
- Fornits: Gayle Palmer DeGraff (2007, 25 posts)
- Fornits: DEATH TOLL *place testimony here* (2007, 1 post)
- Fornits: The Troubled Teen Industry (2007, 3 posts)
- Fornits: Sky View Academy CLOSURE PENDING AN INVESTIGATION OF ABUSE (2007, 2 posts)
- Fornits: Aspen Troll Ranks on Maia (2007, 5 posts)
- Fornits: Five teens have died in (UT) programs since 1990 (2008, 6 posts)
- Fornits: Disturbing Revelation (2009, 1 post)
Timeline
From the records: who ran it and the deals that moved it, its names, and the deaths, incidents, inspection findings, lawsuits and news stories on file. Point at an event, or tap "More about this", for the details.
1990
Death
A 16-year-old died in 1990 of altitude sickness, dehydration and heat exhaustion hiking with Summit Quest of St.
Death
A 16-year-old died in 1990 of altitude sickness, dehydration and heat exhaustion hiking with Summit Quest of St. George, UT; her parents sued and Summit Quest settled in 1992 for $345,000.
Death
A 15-year-old died in May 1990 from altitude sickness, dehydration and heat exhaustion; no charges, parents sued and settled for $345,000.
Death May 1990
1991
Death
Summit Quest wilderness program closed in 1991 following the death of a 15-year-old resident from dehydration.
Death
source
Incidents on record
-
1990 Death
A 16-year-old died in 1990 of altitude sickness, dehydration and heat exhaustion hiking with Summit Quest of St. George, UT; her parents sued and Summit Quest settled in 1992 for $345,000.source
-
May 1990 Death
A 15-year-old died in May 1990 from altitude sickness, dehydration and heat exhaustion; no charges, parents sued and settled for $345,000.source
-
1991 Death
Summit Quest wilderness program closed in 1991 following the death of a 15-year-old resident from dehydration.source
News coverage
-
1998 Investigation Details Circumstances Surrounding Teen's Death at Arizona Boys Ranch
A 16-year-old youth placed at the Arizona Boys Ranch died after contracting an undiagnosed, massive infection following weeks of physical punishment and alleged medical neglect by facility staff. State and county agencies subsequently launched investigations into the program's operations, its oversight, and the practice of shipping juvenile offenders to out-of-state facilities.
Staff
Administration
-
Gayle Palmer DeGraff
Former Founder (1991, r/troubledteens wiki)source
Elsewhere in the industry
- Liahona Academy for Youth – Liahona Treatment Center Admissions office, 2025-2026
- Lifelines Family Services Marketing department
- Lifelines Family Services/Teen Lifelines Marketing, 2026
- Cross Creek Center Staff, before 2026
- Challenger Foundation Admissions Director, 1990
Documents
Research that mentions this program
From the Unsilenced archive
105 documents about Summit Quest that Unsilenced collected and Kids Over Profits does not hold a copy of. They open on Unsilenced's Google Drive. Their whole folder: Summit Quest.
Documents
- 1990_05_11___Girl_15_dies_on_excursion.pdf
- 1990_05_12___Briefs.pdf
- 1990_05_12___Utah_reviews_wilderness_group_after_death_of_teen_in_desert.pdf
- 1990_05_14___Girls_death_casts_shadow_on_groups_first_outing.pdf
- 1990_05_23___Application_by_survival_school_prompts_BLM_assessment.pdf
- 1990_06_29___Desert_therapy_draws_heat_after_2nd_death.pdf
- 1990_06_29___State_orders_pullout_of_teens_from_desert_Part_1.pdf
- 1990_06_29___State_orders_pullout_of_teens_from_desert_Part_2.pdf
- 1990_06_29___Teens_Death_halts_activities_of_therapy_groups_Part_1.pdf
- 1990_06_29___Teens_Death_halts_activities_of_therapy_groups_Part_2.pdf
- 1990_06_30___Authorities_wait_for_autopsy_on_Florida_teen.pdf
- 1990_07_01___Death_in_desert_time_bomb_sheriffs_charge.pdf
- 1990_07_01___Teens_death_was_time_bomb_waiting_to_happen_sheriff_says.pdf
- 1990_07_04___Desert_Therapy_groups_still_tangled_in_review_Part_1.pdf
- 1990_07_04___Desert_Therapy_groups_still_tangled_in_review_Part_2.pdf
- 1990_07_11___Parents_of_teen_seek_answers_Part_1.pdf
- 1990_07_11___Parents_of_teen_seek_answers_Part_2.pdf
- 1990_07_13___Autopsy_shows_heat_stroke_killed_teen_Part_1.pdf
- 1990_07_13___Autopsy_shows_heat_stroke_killed_teen_Part_2.pdf
- 1990_07_13___Girls_death_from_heat_stroke_sheriff_says.pdf
- 1990_07_22___State_to_get_tougher_with_desert_survival_programs.pdf
- 1990_07_29___Wilderness_Therapy_Program_Operating_in_Utah.pdf
- 1990_08_01___Summit_Quest_officials_resign_St_Geroge_positions.pdf
- 1990_08_03___Summit_Quest_kicked_off_public_lands_by_BLM_for_lack_of_recreation_permit.pdf
- 1990_08_05___Emotions_run_high_at_Summit_Quest_run_in.pdf
- 1990_08_08___Wilderness_program_is_lifesaver.pdf
- 1990_08_09___Summit_Quest_parents_look_for_answers.pdf
- 1990_08_14___Challenger_faces_charges_in_hikers_death_Part_1.pdf
- 1990_08_14___Challenger_faces_charges_in_hikers_death_Part_2.pdf
- 1990_08_18___Responsibility_developer_blames_others_for_company_woes.pdf
- 1990_08_22___BLM_returns_Summit_Quest_application.pdf
- 1990_09_01___Investigators_interview_Summit_Quest.pdf
- 1990_09_08___Challenger_students_run_to_programs_end_Part_1.pdf
- 1990_09_08___Challenger_students_run_to_programs_end_Part_2.pdf
- 1990_09_18___Area_BLM_cares.pdf
- 1990_09_23___Summit_Quest_can_t_operating_in_Utah_for_time_being__state_officials_say.pdf
- 1990_09_23___Summit_Quest_license_expires_in_Utah.pdf
- 1990_10_30___Parents_file_suit_against_Summit_Quest.pdf
- 1990_10_30___Teen_s_parents_file_suit_against_survival_group.pdf
- 1990_10_30___Wrongful_death_suit_is_filed_against_wilderness_program.pdf
- 1990_11_02___BLM_wants_comments_on_program.pdf
- 1990_11_04___Parents_file_suit_against_survival_group.pdf
- 1990_11_23___Program_director_fined_for_trespass.pdf
- 1991_01_01___Year_in_review_90.pdf
- 1991_02_16___Two_teen_runaways_of_survival_program_found_in_St_George.pdf
- 1991_03_03___Problems_force_Challenger_to_move_elsewhere.pdf
- 1991_03_14___Judge_to_decide_today_on_fate_of_eight_teens.pdf
- 1991_03_16___Juvenile_court_judge_refuses_to_return_teens.pdf
- 1991_03_16___Nevada_holds_youths_after_raid_on_camp.pdf
- 1991_03_16___Summit_Quest_ruling.pdf
- 1991_04_26___Judge_decides_malpractice_rules_don_t_apply_to_wilderness_group_in_case_of_girls_death.pdf
- 1991_04_26___Judge_rules_for_Summit_Quest.pdf
- 1991_04_26___Wilderness_therapy_ruling_given.pdf
- 1991_05_03___Utah_officials_warn_states_to_regulate_therapy_camps.pdf
- 1991_05_03___Utah_signals_wilderness_warning.pdf
- 1991_05_09___Summit_Quest_backs_regulations.pdf
- 1991_05_17___For_the_Record.pdf
- 1992_02_02___Summit_Quest_to_pay_345000_in_teens_death.pdf
- 1992_02_04___Summit_Quest_to_pay_settlement.pdf
- 1992_06_09___Commission_deals_with_more_road_problems_Part_1.pdf
- 1992_06_09___Commission_deals_with_more_road_problems_Part_2.pdf
- 1992_12_15___Adventurer_hikes_to_Utah_counties_highest_points.pdf
- 1993_10_26___Woman_wants_survival_camps_monitored_Part_1.pdf
- 1993_10_26___Woman_wants_survival_camps_monitored_Part_2.pdf
- 1993_11_21___Cartisanos_chronology_shows_trouble_at_every_turn_for_his_programs.pdf
- 1994_07_08___Officials_on_the_trial_of_unlicensed_wilderness_program_operating_in_S__Utah.pdf
- 1994_07_08___Wilderness_therapy_group_may_be_off_the_trial_Part_1.pdf
- 1994_07_08___Wilderness_therapy_group_may_be_off_the_trial_Part_2.pdf
- 1994_07_09___Officials_try_to_hunt_down_wilderness_therapy_group.pdf
- 1994_07_09___Suspicious_therapy_group_may_have_left_Utah_wilds.pdf
- 1994_07_10___Officials_believe_wilderness_group_has_left_state.pdf
- 1994_07_12___Mother_angry_at_wilderness_leader_for_creating_new_group.pdf
- 1994_07_17___Residents_can_t_afford_to_miss_public_meetings.pdf
- 1994_08_19___4_doctors_dropped_from_family_s_suit.pdf
- 1994_08_19___Four_doctors_dismissed_from_lawsuit.pdf
- 1994_08_19___Four_DRMC_physicians_dismissed_from_lawsuit_Part_1.pdf
- 1994_08_19___Four_DRMC_physicians_dismissed_from_lawsuit_Part_2.pdf
- 1994_10_08___Cartisano_Godfather_of_Teen_Wilderness_Therapy.pdf
- 1995_02_22___Leeza_looks_at_Utahs_Camp_Hell_programs.pdf
- 1996_11_02___North_Star_employees_will_escape_jail_time___Part_1.pdf
- 1996_11_02___North_Star_employees_will_escape_jail_time___Part_2.pdf
- 1999_08_08___June_5_1990.pdf
- 1999_12_07___Two_fugitives_are_still_on_the_loose_Part_1.pdf
- 1999_12_07___Two_fugitives_are_still_on_the_loose_Part_2.pdf
- 1999_12_12___Outdoor_therapy_owes_start_to_BYU_instructor.pdf
- 2002_07_15___As_therapy_hikes_reviewed_another_teen_dies_in_program_Part_1.pdf
- 2002_07_15___As_therapy_hikes_reviewed_another_teen_dies_in_program_Part_2.pdf
- 2003_07_13___Michelle_Sutton.pdf
- 2007_11_05___Parents_take_caution.pdf
- Additional Links for Summit Quest.xlsx
- Calif_mom_wants_kids_in_trouble_kept_home___Part_1___1998_03_19.pdf
- Calif_mom_wants_kids_in_trouble_kept_home___Part_2___1998_03_19.pdf
- Deep_in_wilderness__growth_industry_is_blooming___1999_12_26.pdf
- Dehydration_cause_of_teen_death___1990_05_13.pdf
- Girl_s_death_sparks_suit___1990_10_30.pdf
- Hiker__15__died_of_dehydration___1990_05_12.pdf
- Sun_exposure_led_to_death_of_hiker_15___1990_05_12.pdf
- Teen_help_firm_seeks_to_expand___Part_2___1990_05_26.pdf
- Teen_help_firm_seeks_to_expand_Part 1__1990_05_26.pdf
- Teenager_dies_during_trek_in_wilderness___1990_05_12.pdf
- Utah_permit_of_program_for_youth_expires___1990_09_23.pdf
- Utah_wilderness_program_to_pay_345_000_in_hiking_death_of_girl___1992_02_02 (1).pdf
- Utah_wilderness_program_to_pay_345_000_in_hiking_death_of_girl___1992_02_02.pdf
- Wilderness_program_sued_in_teen_s_death___1990_10_31 (1).pdf
- Wilderness_program_sued_in_teen_s_death___1990_10_31.pdf
We have questions about Summit Quest
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Materials and links
Reference and research
From SCIAD NET.