Hiker Experiencing 'Debilitating High' From Mushrooms Rescued From Big Ledge: DEC

ULSTER COUNTY, NY — Rangers say psychedelic mushrooms played a part in a wilderness rescue near Giant Ledge in the Slide Mountain Wilderness.

On Aug. 29, around 5 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a 911 satellite text via Ulster County from a hiker reporting a group of four was lost in the woods. 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 located the group of hikers. Rangers and the Pine Hill Fire Department assisted the lost hikers to the trailhead where they were evaluated by EMTs.

The hikers, perhaps fortunately, also lost their car keys. Rangers gave the group a ride to their rental lodging.

The following day, one of the rangers hiked back up and found a sling bag with the keys under a log in tall ferns and was able to reunite the lost items with the sojourners in search of answers and missing car keys.