What a wild adventure!
Four hikers needed rescuing after getting lost in New York’s Catskill Mountains last Friday, reportedly experiencing a “debilitating psychedelic mushroom high.”
Rangers from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation spent the evening searching the Slide Mountain Wilderness for the disoriented group, who reached out for help via satellite text around 5 p.m., the department said.
The hikers admitted to consuming psychedelic mushrooms and said that one of them was struggling with a particularly intense high, according to the DEC
Over Labor Day weekend, a group of hikers had to be rescued after one experienced a ‘debilitating trip’ while under the influence of psychedelic mushrooms.
The hikers had taken shelter along a network of trails that reach elevations up to 2,600 feet and are flanked by steep cliffs and precarious drops, James McCartney, president of the Police Benevolent Association of New York State, said in a statement.
Nearly two hours later, rangers had navigated the trail and escorted the stranded hikers back down, with assistance from the Pine Hill Fire Department.
One hiker required support from two rescuers while stumbling through the woods.
During their extended trek, the group realized one of them had lost their car keys, so forest rangers also gave them a lift to their rental lodge, where they could safely ride out the rest of their high.
The next day, a ranger returned to the trail and retrieved the group’s sling bag, which had been accidentally left “under a log in tall ferns,” according to the DEC.
“This level of dedication, especially at the start of a busy Labor Day weekend, reflects the commitment of our Forest Ranger members. The PBA of New York State is proud to recognize our Forest Rangers and all members for their continued dedication to public safety, even in the face of danger and challenges,” McCartney said.
Psilocybin mushrooms—commonly known as magic mushrooms—can cause hallucinations that alter the user’s perception of colors, shapes, and other sensory experiences, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
