Lost in the algorithm: Hikers stranded on Mt. Shasta after following Gemini AI’s plan

In what authorities are calling a “critical misstep,” three hikers relied heavily on Google’s Gemini AI to guide them through a Mt. Shasta summit, leaving them stranded on the mountain’s southeastern flank.

On Saturday, three young, novice hikers from Roseville, more than 200 miles south of the mountain, made camp at around 8,400 feet and then departed at 3 a.m. the following day with day packs for Mt. Shasta, according to the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office.

In a post on Facebook, the Sheriff’s Office said, “The men summited at 7:00 pm that evening, well after the recommended turnaround time of 12:00 pm, and descended in the dark.”

Officials said that, an hour into their descent, the group called the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch to ask for directions but eventually wandered off route into Mud Creek Canyon.

That evening, one of the hikers fell and suffered a knee injury.

The group became stranded in Mud Creek Canyon and were forced to create a small encampment, with little to no shelter, in the steep drainage. They remained there until the following morning, when they were met by the U.S. Forest Service’s climbing rangers, who provided them with medical aid.

The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Volunteers were deployed to assist, and all three hikers and rescue teams returned to the trailhead without incident, according to sheriff’s officials.

When rescued, one of the men told a sheriff‘s deputy that the group had relied on Google’s Gemini AI for information about the route and what to pack for their trip.

“This was a critical misstep, as they were advised by Gemini to bring far less food and water than their group required, especially when their planned 8 hour ascent became a multi-day ordeal,” the sheriff’s office said in the Facebook post. “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 incident occurred days before Google announced its multi-year partnership with Beast Industries, a company founded by YouTube influencer Jimmy Donaldson, also known as his media personality MrBeast, who produces viral spectacles online.

According to the announcement, on Sunday a new MrBeast video will follow Donaldson and his crew as they attempt to survive “some of the most extreme and treacherous climates on Earth.”

Teams will race to navigate the jungle, the desert and the Arctic using Google’s Gemini to help them identify dangers and survive “brutal weather.”

Officials say hikers should adhere to the noon turnaround rule, meaning if they haven’t reached the summit by noon, they are advised to turn around while there is still sufficient daylight.

The sheriff’s office said hikers should also have multiple methods of wayfinding. “Do not simply rely on your cellphone or Garmin, and stop to verify that you are on the correct route often.”

The Clear Creek Route on Mt. Shasta, which the three hikers wandered onto, is not a technical mountaineering route, but officials say it still requires climbers to be physically fit and prepared for unforeseen circumstances, such as an injury, inclement weather or an unplanned overnight stay.

“Serious accidents and fatalities occur on the Clear Creek route when individuals become lost and wander into more dangerous terrain, such as the Mud Creek drainage,” officials said on Facebook.