Overview

• State forest rangers responded on Aug. 29 after a satellite text to Ray Brook Dispatch reported four hikers lost near Giant Ledge, with one experiencing a “debilitating high.”
• Rangers located the group around 6:45 p.m., guided them to the trailhead, and Shandaken Ambulance conducted medical evaluations with assistance from the Pine Hill Fire Department.
• Authorities said no serious injuries were reported, and rangers provided a courtesy ride back to the hikers’ rental lodging.
• Ranger Russell Martin returned the next day and recovered the group’s lost car keys from a sling bag under a log in tall ferns.
• The Police Benevolent Association of New York State praised the rangers’ efforts, and coverage noted a similar psilocybin-related rescue in May, reinforcing concerns about safety on popular trails.