Overview

• On May 24 two hikers lost near Cascade Mountain called forest rangers believing their friend had died after ingesting psychedelic mushrooms
• A responding ranger found the pair in an altered mental state and located the third hiker alive and uninjured
• Park officials summoned an ambulance for the intoxicated hikers rather than for injuries from a fall or exposure
• The mushrooms contained psilocybin, a naturally occurring compound that can cause hallucinations and altered perceptions
• The Department of Environmental Conservation issued details of the incident on May 29 to highlight the dangers of substance use during backcountry excursions