Three novice hikers from Roswell, California found themselves lost and stranded during their weekend climb of Mount Shasta, relying on route and equipment recommendations from Google’s Gemini AI. One of them suffered a knee injury but was safely rescued by search and rescue personnel.
According to a statement from the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook, the three young hikers set up camp around 8,400 feet on Saturday (August 29) and began their ascent of Mount Shasta via the Clear Creek route early in the morning at 3 am the following day. The police reported that what was supposed to be an 8-hour journey took them 16 hours to reach the summit at 7 pm that evening, well past the recommended turnaround time of noon, before descending in the dark.
About an hour into the descent, the group called the sheriff’s office dispatch center for help with directions but ended up off the route and mistakenly entered Mud Creek Canyon. One of them fell and injured their knee that night.
The three hikers set up a makeshift camp in a steep canyon with little shelter until they were discovered and provided medical assistance the next morning by U.S. Forest Service rangers. The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office search and rescue volunteers then assisted the three individuals and rescue personnel in safely returning to the trailhead.
After being rescued, one of the men informed authorities that they had relied on advice from the Google Gemini AI for route planning and supplies. Described by the sheriff’s office in a Facebook post as a “critical error,” the AI recommended they carry insufficient food and water for their actual needs, turning their planned 8-hour trip into a multi-day ordeal. Officials cautioned hikers to call the local U.S. Forest Service Shasta Mountain ranger station for the latest trail conditions before embarking and emphasized not to rely solely on AI for trip planning. Google has yet to comment on the matter as of press time.
The incident occurred just days after Google announced a long-term partnership with YouTube star “MrBeast” (real name Jimmy Donaldson) under his Beast Industries banner. According to the partnership announcement, a new video will showcase Donaldson’s team using Google Gemini to identify dangers and seek survival in extreme environments such as jungles, deserts, and the Arctic.
The Siskiyou County authorities reiterated that climbers should adhere to the “noon turnaround” rule and have multiple navigation methods available. They advised against solely relying on phones or Garmin devices and recommended frequent stops to ensure they are on the correct route. While the Clear Creek route that the hikers mistakenly took is considered non-technical, climbers are still required to have good physical fitness and be prepared for emergencies like injuries, severe weather, or unexpected overnight stays; the Mud Creek area is known for being one of the more accident-prone and deadly regions of the mountain.