Not Smart: Another group of hikers got too high on psychedelic mushrooms, needed to be rescued in the Catskills

Only three months after a group of hikers tripping on psychedelic mushrooms called 911 to report their buddy had died (he hadn’t), another crew of nature enthusiasts had to be rescued in the Catskills after getting too high to function.

According to New York State Police and the DEC, four hikers near Giant Ledge in the Catskills Slide Mountain Wilderness sent out a distress text via satellite around 5 p.m. on Aug. 29.

The problem was that one of them was “experiencing a debilitating psychedelic mushroom high.”

A group of hikers got too high on psychedelic mushrooms, needed to be rescued in the Catskills

Not exactly ideal when you’re navigating Catskills cliffs and trails at elevations between 1,100 and 2,600 feet.

Forest Rangers found them around 6:45 p.m., with backup from the Pine Hill Fire Department and Shandaken Ambulance.

The group had also lost their car keys, so rangers drove them back to their rental. A ranger even returned the next day and found the keys under a log in the ferns, which is true hero stuff.

Tripping Balls in the Wrong Place

Look, mushrooms can be great in the right environment. You might find euphoria, hallucinations, maybe even the meaning of life.

However, if you’re blasting off in the middle of rugged wilderness without a campsite set up, this is the type of outcome you can almost always expect.

That’s not a trip, that’s a nightmare.

I’m not here to play narc. Do mushrooms all you want. I know I have. At the very least, be smart about it.

If you’re out hiking and want to get in touch with nature, set up a camp, maybe a cozy campfire, store all belongings somewhere safe, and for the love of God, don’t get yourself into a situation where you think your buddy’s dead and you’re calling in a search party.

This isn’t just a Catskills thing either. I’ve heard of plenty of bad trips closer to home. One guy went to a Dead & Company show at The Bank, got spun out, thought he was lost forever, and booked a room at Live! Casino… while his actual crash spot was walking distance away.

Another story included a bus trip up to Yankees Stadium for Phillies-Yankees. One friend got tossed for going shirtless, the other one tried to save him, only to get tossed himself just for being associated with the shirtless dude.

Classic, really. Those are the types of people I want to hang with, not even a question.

Catskill Shrooms aren’t the problem. Poor planning is.

You can either unlock new dimensions with your friends, or you can end up in the police blotter, car-key-less in the woods, explaining yourself to park rangers.

Choose wisely.

Join The Chase