Teenager rescued in British Columbia after AI-planned hike

A 16-year-old hiker, Bryce Vincent Gowryluk, required a helicopter rescue after becoming trapped on a near-vertical rock face on Mount Crown in British Columbia, Canada.

Gowryluk had used the Anthropic AI assistant Claude, along with AllTrails and Google Maps, to plan his excursion and organize his gear. He intended to complete a seven to eight-hour trek starting from the summit of Mount Grouse. However, the AI suggested a route through a channel that led him into the ‘Widowmaker’ section, an area designated for technical rock climbing rather than standard hiking.

Upon realizing he was in a dangerous, unmapped area with no safe way to proceed or retreat, Gowryluk remained stationary on a narrow ledge and contacted the police. North Shore Rescue teams eventually reached him using ropes and airlifted him to safety. He did not sustain serious injuries.