A group of hikers who had taken psychedelic mushrooms were rescued from the Catskill Mountains after getting lost on Labor Day weekend, New York State authorities said.
The four men - one of whom was reportedly experiencing a “debilitating high” - had become lost near the popular hiking destination of Giant Ledge in the Slide Mountain Wilderness on August 29.
One hiker sent a 911 satellite text at around 5pm after realising they had strayed into an unfamiliar area, described by a police union as having “several sheer cliffs and drops”.
The caller admitted the group had taken psychedelic mushrooms, and later told rangers they had also misplaced their car keys.
They were rescued by forest rangers from the the New York state department of environmental conservation (DEC), who drove them back to their rental accommodation. A Ranger hiked back the next day and found the keys in a sling bag hidden under a log in tall ferns, the DEC said.
In a statement, the authority wrote: “On Aug. 29 at 5 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a 911 satellite text via Ulster County from a hiker reporting a group of four was lost near Giant Ledge in the Slide Mountain Wilderness.
“The original caller admitted the group had consumed mushrooms and one of them was experiencing a debilitating high. At 6:45 p.m., Forest Rangers Franceschina, Jeffery, and Martin located the group of hikers.
“Rangers and the Pine Hill Fire Department assisted the subjects to the trailhead where they were evaluated by Shandaken Ambulance. Somewhere along the way, the hikers also lost their car keys. Rangers provided a courtesy ride to the subjects’ rental lodging.
“The following day, Ranger Martin hiked back up and found a sling bag with the keys under a log in tall ferns.”
The rescue was praised by the Police Benevolent Association (PBA) of New York, who said the forest rangers’ “level of dedication” at the start of a busy Labor Day weekend was “representative of the commitment shared by our Forest Ranger members”.
"The PBA of New York State commends our Forest Ranger members in the Hudson Valley for their recent rescue of four hikers who were lost in a state wilderness area while experiencing a debilitating psychedelic mushroom high,” they wrote.
“The hikers text messaged for help late Friday while lost in the Slide Mountain Wilderness near Giant Ledge, an interconnected trail hike ranging from 1,100 to 2,600 feet in elevation with several sheer cliffs and drops.
“Forest Rangers Franceschina, Jeffery and Martin assisted in finding the hikers at dusk, safely leading them down from Giant Ledge, transporting them to lodging and later returning to find their lost car keys and personal belongings.
“This level of dedication, at the start of a busy Labor Day weekend, is representative of the commitment shared by our Forest Ranger members. The PBA of New York State is proud to highlight our Forest Rangers and all members' continued dedication to public safety in the face of difficulty and danger."
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