A planned day of hiking in New York's picturesque Catskill Mountains took a perilous turn for two adventurers after they consumed psychedelic mushrooms, leading to a disorienting ordeal and a full-scale rescue mission.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) reported that the two men, aged 28 and 29, became severely lost and confused after ingesting the hallucinogenic fungi. Their ill-fated trip culminated in a desperate call for help, triggering a complex response from forest rangers and local emergency crews.
The Nighttime Search Operation
As darkness fell over the rugged terrain, the search team faced significant challenges. The hikers' disoriented state made their descriptions of their location unreliable. Rescuers utilised cell phone coordinates and their expertise in backcountry navigation to narrow down the search area in the challenging conditions.
After hours of searching, the team successfully located the pair. A DEC spokesperson confirmed that the men were found cold but otherwise unharmed, suffering primarily from the intense disorientation caused by the drugs.
A Warning From Officials
The incident has prompted a strong warning from authorities. The DEC emphasised the extreme dangers of combining mind-altering substances with the inherent risks of wilderness exploration.
"The backcountry is challenging enough when you are in full control of your faculties," a ranger stated. "Introducing psychedelics impairs judgement, balance, and perception of risk and time, creating a highly dangerous scenario that can quickly become life-threatening."
The two hikers were escorted to safety without any medical treatment or charges being filed. However, officials hope their story serves as a stark cautionary tale for others, highlighting the critical importance of making sober decisions in unpredictable natural environments.
