From Straight Arrow · · 1m 10s
Hikers Trust AI, Get Lost
AI chatbots lead hikers astray on mountain trails.
In brief
AI chatbots lead hikers astray on mountain trails. Hikers using AI chatbots for trail planning get lost and require rescue due to chatbots' overconfidence. Originally reported by Straight Arrow.
16-year-old hiker stuck
Bryce Vincent Gowryluk, 16, was stuck on a ledge on the Widowmaker route in British Columbia’s North Shore Mountains.
“I am trapped on a ledge, there’s nowhere for me to go.”
AI chatbot planning
Gowryluk used Anthropic’s Claude to plan his mountain hike, packing 20 pounds of gear for an eight-hour trip.
Rescue team response
North Shore Rescue deployed a helicopter to transport Gowryluk down after he called for help from the ledge.
Claude’s misleading advice
Claude suggested Crown Couloir, a scramble over loose rock, but Gowryluk ended up on Widowmaker Arête, a multi-pitch climb.
Other hiker incidents
At least three other cases since 2025: British Columbia, California, and Poland hikers got lost after using AI chatbots.
AI confidence problem
Chatbots sound confident even when wrong, leading hikers to trust them despite potential risks.
Hiker’s warning
Gowryluk said he’d never use AI chatbots for trails again after this incident.
The key point
Hikers using AI chatbots for trail planning get lost and require rescue due to chatbots' overconfidence.
