Hikers Accidentally Mistake Fallen Comrade for Deceased, False Alarm Called to Emergency Services (Fair楼 Allude to Misfortune)
A pair of hikers had an extraordinary, if not slightly disconcerting, adventure up Cascade Mountain last month - both literally and figuratively speaking.
A ranger was dispatched to the popular trail in upstate New York around 9 a.m. on May 24 following a call from two hikers who claimed that a third person hiking with them had passed away, as reported by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. However, things turned out to be quite different.
Instead of speaking the tragic truth, it appears these hikers had indulged in some psychedelic mushrooms.
Summit of Cascade Mountain, Lake Placid, New York. It's likely even more enchanting (or decidedly more nerve-wracking) when you're tripping on shrooms.
After dialing the emergency services, the two then encountered a Cascade Summit Steward – a guardian of the mountain's sensitive alpine ecosystem – and informed this individual about their (allegedly) departed friend. They also claimed to be lost.
Once a ranger arrived on the scene, the steward reported that the two adventurers appeared to be in an unusual mental condition – a gentle way of saying tripping balls.
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The ranger led the two hikers, still under the influence of the shrooms, down the mountain, where an ambulance and New York State Police officers were waiting.
The third hiker – very much alive and unscathed – eventually returned to the campsite.
Psychedelic mushrooms are currently outlawed for recreational use throughout New York and at the federal level. Interestingly, there have been several bills proposed in the state legislature to legalize these fungi, but it's unclear if these particular hikers will face any sanctions for their wild trip.
To be clear, I'm not advocating for the use of magic mushrooms. Nevertheless, it's not unusual to find people partaking in these substances to intensify their natural surroundings.
Maybe just... make sure you're cozily nestled in your campsite and your phone is switched off.
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Enrichment Insights:- Currently, while there is a growing interest in the legalization or decriminalization of psychedelic mushrooms across the U.S., New York has not yet followed states like Oregon, which has legalized psilocybin for supervised use[1].- Bills like the one introduced by New York State Representative Amy Paulin in 2024 allow individuals aged 18 and older to undergo health screenings and take educational programs related to psilocybin use. However, it does not explicitly legalize recreational use[1].- The ongoing interest in revising laws concerning psilocybin can be observed in various legislative efforts aimed at legalizing or decriminalizing the substance[5].- Recent incidents, such as the false report of a hiker's death from consuming psychedelic mushrooms, underscore the presence and continuing interest in these substances[5].
In the realm of health-and-wellness and mental-health, some individuals might choose to enhance their outdoor experiences using psychedelic mushrooms, which are currently illegal for recreational use in New York. However, the consequences of such actions can lead to disorientation and false emergencies, as demonstrated by the hikers on Cascade Mountain.
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