BEAR MOUNTAIN, N.Y. -- About 200 campers from Camp Karlin Stolin in Highland visited Bear Mountain State Park on Thursday, many to enjoy a hike. But not all of them returned at the end of the day.
"It's the third time this group has been on the trail. For some reason the six, a group of six, were separate and they bushwacked down from the trail," said Morris Jacobowitz of Chaverim of Rockland, one of the volunteer groups looking for the boys.
Only four found their way back, leaving two in the woods.
"They were up. They were up the night, they were trying to find the way. It was a little too dark," said Jack Meyer, another volunteer.
State police were notified about 10 p.m. Thursday night. By morning, they had their search helicopter in the air, and volunteers were scouring the mountains.
Meanwhile, the boys were able to find two good Samaritans.
"They found a hiker on the trail who actually called police for them," Meyer says.
They lost connection, but a second hiker's phone worked better. The kids called their parents, then police.
"Their physical state is fine; everybody is fine," Meyer said. "It was a long night; they were scared. But everything is fine right now."
David Leiman, the assistant director of Camp Karlin Stolin, said it was a long night for everyone.
"We prayed that the children returned safely," he said. "Those that could get rest got rest; those that were responsible to be up were up."
He added that, despite being a bit dehydrated, the boys are getting back to normal -- and the camp will still be taking campers for hikes.