# Hikers Trust AI, Get Lost

> AI chatbots lead hikers astray on mountain trails.
- Title: Hikers Trust AI, Get Lost · Straight Arrow | Shortify
- Summary: AI chatbots lead hikers astray on mountain trails. Hikers using AI chatbots for trail planning get lost and require rescue due to chatbots' overconfidence.
- Keywords: hiker, ai chatbot, climbing, rescue, widowmaker, british columbia, california, poland, google maps, anthropic, claudie, news
- Source: Straight Arrow — https://san.com/cc/chatbots-dont-climb-mountains-so-why-are-hikers-getting-lost-after-trusting-them
- Published: 2026-10-08T22:13:26+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: hiker, ai chatbot, climbing, rescue, widowmaker, british columbia, california, poland, google maps, anthropic, claudie, news
## 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.
## Key takeaway

Hikers using AI chatbots for trail planning get lost and require rescue due to chatbots' overconfidence.