Three California hikers who used Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence assistant to plan their Mount Shasta climb had to be rescued after becoming stranded in a steep canyon, local authorities said.
The three men from Roseville, California, made camp at about 8,400 feet on Saturday, Aug. 29, before setting out for the summit with their daypacks at 3 a.m. the following morning, according to the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office.
After the rescue, the hikers told a sheriff’s deputy they relied heavily on Gemini for information about the Clear Creek Route and advice on what to pack. Authorities said the AI assistant recommended the group bring less food and water than they needed for what was initially expected to be an eight-hour climb. Instead, the outing stretched into a multi-day ordeal.
The hikers did not reach the summit until about 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30, well past the sheriff’s office’s recommended noon turnaround time.
Hikers wandered off route
Mount Shasta is a California stratovolcano that rises more than 14,000 feet, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
About an hour into the hikers’ descent from the summit, the group called the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office dispatch for directions after losing the route, before eventually wandering off the Clear Creek Route and into Mud Creek Canyon.
Later that night, one of the hikers fell and injured his knee. Unable to continue, the group became stranded in the canyon’s steep drainage and was forced to spend the night there until U.S. Forest Service climbing rangers reached them the following morning.
The climbers received medical aid, and Siskiyou County Search and Rescue volunteers also responded. All three hikers and the rescue teams later returned to the trailhead without incident, authorities said.
What officials want hikers to know
The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office described the hikers’ reliance on AI as a “critical misstep” and urged climbers to get information directly from local authorities before heading onto Mount Shasta.
The agency also emphasized the importance of the noon turnaround rule. Hikers who have not reached the summit by noon should turn back while there is still enough daylight to descend safely.
And while phones and GPS devices can help with navigation, officials said hikers should use multiple ways to find their route and regularly stop to make sure they are still on course.
The agency warned that serious accidents and fatalities have occurred when hikers on the route become lost and enter more dangerous terrain, including the Mud Creek drainage.
Officials recommended that climbers contact the local U.S. Forest Service Mount Shasta Ranger Station before their trip for the latest information, emphasizing that they should “never rely solely on AI for your trip planning.”
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com or on X @athompsonUSAT
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hikers rescued after AI misroutes, strands them on Mount Shasta
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