Three inexperienced hikers who used artificial intelligence to plan a climb on California’s Mount Shasta were forced to spend the night stranded in a steep canyon after their route veered dangerously off track, authorities said.
The young men, all from Roseville, later told a Siskiyou County sheriff’s deputy that they had depended heavily on Google Gemini for guidance on the trail and advice on what supplies to bring.
That decision became a “critical misstep,” the sheriff’s office said, because Gemini allegedly recommended far less food and water than the hikers needed when what they expected to be an eight-hour climb turned into a days-long ordeal.
The sheriff’s office warned that serious injuries and deaths have happened after people lost their way on Mount Shasta and drifted into hazardous areas, including the Mud Creek drainage. (Facebook/Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office)
The group had set up camp at roughly 8,400 feet on Saturday, Aug. 29, before leaving with daypacks at 3 a.m. Sunday in an attempt to reach the summit.
They did not make it to the top until 7 p.m., authorities said — a full seven hours after the recommended noon turnaround time — which left them facing the descent after dark.
Roughly an hour later, the hikers contacted the sheriff’s office seeking directions, but they eventually strayed from the Clear Creek Route and entered Mud Creek Canyon.
During the ordeal, one of the men fell and hurt his knee, leaving the trio stuck overnight in the rugged, steep canyon.
A view of Mount Shasta in California as rescuers made their way up to the stranded hikers. (Facebook/Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office)
U.S. Forest Service climbing rangers reached the hikers the next morning and treated the injured man. Siskiyou County Search and Rescue volunteers also were sent to help, and everyone made it back to the trailhead safely.
“It is always advisable to call the local USFS Mount Shasta Ranger Station ahead of your trip to ensure you have the most accurate information, and to never rely solely on AI for your trip planning,” the sheriff’s office said.
Climbers who have not reached the summit by noon should turn back, the sheriff’s office said, giving themselves — and rescuers, if needed — enough daylight to get off the mountain.
Rescuers reached the stranded hikers the following morning. All rescuers and the trio of hikers made it safely to the trailhead. (Facebook/Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office)
Hikers should also carry more than one way to navigate and regularly check that they are still on the correct route rather than depending on a cellphone or GPS device.
The Clear Creek Route does not require technical mountaineering, but hikers still need to be fit and prepared for injuries, bad weather or an unexpected night on the mountain, the sheriff’s office said.
Serious accidents and deaths have occurred when people became lost and wandered into more dangerous areas such as the Mud Creek drainage.
