An injured hiker who made a late-night call to forest rangers seeking help from extra-terrestrial predators was rescued this week from the Catskill mountains. Responding officers didn’t find any evidence of alien hunters, but plenty of clues that drugs and alcohol might be behind the misadventure.
According to officials with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, rangers at Catskill Park in New York state received the call at 2:45 a.m on Monday. The 36-year-old hiker was on Mount Tremper and had injured his ankle. He also said he believed he was, “being hunted like in 'Predator," referring to the 1987 Hollywood blockbuster depicting a series of deadly encounters with a hostile, extra-terrestrial species known as the Yautja.
Three park rangers responded to the call and at around 6 a.m., they located the hiker fast asleep off the trail. Shortly afterwards, they discovered his 31-year-old hiking companion in the Mount Tremper lean-to.
The men were observed to exhibit significant signs of drug and alcohol impairment, and it’s believed the two were involved in an altercation during which the caller had twisted his ankle. Both parties were examined by medics, and no signs of alien abduction or probing were present.
In addition to telling someone where you are going, leaving early to avoid afternoon thunderstorms and dressing in hiking layers, walkers are reminded that sobriety is an important aspect of hiking safety.
