Climbers ask Google Gemini to plan their hike, end up lost in the mountains

Three hikers in the US thought AI could make planning their hiking adventure easier. They turned to Google's Gemini for help to plan the route, packing, food and water. But things went wrong, leaving them stranded on the mountain, hungry, thirsty and in need of rescue.Three hikers who relied on Gemini to plan their Mount Shasta climb ended up stranded and in need of rescue.We’re all using AI for one thing or another these days. From writing and coding to creating PPTs, answering questions and even deciding what to eat next. But before using any AI chatbot, there is one unsaid rule: you can take help from chatbots like Claude, ChatGPT and Gemini, but you shouldn’t blindly rely on them. Why? Three hikers in California learnt that the hard way. They decided to rely on Gemini AI so much that they ended up stranded in the wilderness.The three men from Roseville, California, set out from the Clear Creek Trailhead on August 29, hoping to complete their Mount Shasta climb in about eight hours. They had used Gemini AI to get information about the route, plan their climb and decide what to pack, along with YouTube and AllTrails.According to the official post from the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office, the climbers made camp at around 8,400 feet before setting off for the summit at 3am the following morning. But the climb took much longer than they expected.By the time they reached the summit, it was around 7pm, several hours past the recommended noon turnaround time. That meant they had to begin their descent in the dark. And from here things started to go downhill. About an hour into the descent, the climbers called the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office dispatch for directions. However, just after the call, the group wandered off route and into Mud Creek Canyon.Later that night, one of the climbers fell and injured his knee. The group eventually stopped at around 11,000 feet and spent the night stranded in the steep drainage. By then, the three men were exhausted, hungry and thirsty, as Gemini had advised them to carry less food and water, so that they could travel with lighter packs. US Forest Service climbing rangers reached them at around 9.30am the following morning. Rangers treated the injured climber and gave the group food and water before helping them continue down the mountain.However, the rescue was not that simple. According to officials, strong winds prevented two helicopter rescue attempts, forcing the climbers and rangers to make their way down on foot. They eventually reached the base camp at around 3pm, where Siskiyou County Search and Rescue personnel helped escort them back to the Clear Creek Trailhead. The rescue operation ended at around 6.30pm.After the rescue, the climbers revealed that they had relied heavily on Google’s Gemini AI for route information and advice on what to pack. The sheriff’s office described it as a “critical misstep” and warned climbers to “never rely solely on AI for your trip planning.”- EndsPublished By: Divya BhatiPublished On: Sep 4, 2026 17:00 IST