16-year-old ‘experienced’ hiker who got stranded on Canadian mountain after using Claude AI says it is unfair to blame chatbot

Bryce Vincent Gowryluk, a Canadian hiker who was stranded on a steep mountain in British Columbia and later had to be rescued by helicopter, is frustrated by headlines from global media outlets saying Anthropic’s AI chatbot Claude is to blame for his ordeal.

The 16-year-old “experienced hiker from Vancouver” says he did not ask the Anthropic's chatbot to direct him onto the treacherous climbing route where he eventually got stuck, CBC News reported on Thursday, October 8.

“People are really taking it out of context, because people think that I planned … or was coerced by the AI to go on the Widowmaker, which is not true,” Gowryluk told the publication. “I just feel like people who are judging the situation are really unfair in their stance,” he added.


The teenager’s rescue attracted international headlines after American outdoor publication Backpacker reported on his experience on October 5, followed by The New York Times, People, and other media channels. The coverage mostly blamed his use of Claude to help plan a hike to Crown Mountain near Vancouver.

However, Gowryluk said he had spent three days planning the trip and consulted multiple sources, including AllTrails and Google Maps. He said he also used Claude to cross-check information about the terrain, but largely relied on Claude “to help him with his packing list,” according to CBC News.

Teen hiker says taking the wrong turn was his mistake

Gowryluk set out on October 3 from Grouse Mountain to Crown Mountain and back within 8 hours. The teen, who regularly climbs indoors, intended to follow a challenging alpine route. But while navigating rocky terrain and a boulder-strewn valley, he mistakenly entered the Widowmaker Arete.

Initially, the terrain was not unusually difficult. As he continued climbing, however, the route turned steep, leaving him unable to safely descend.

Gowryluk acknowledged the navigational error. Speaking to The New York Times, he said: “That was my mistake; that was my error.”

He eventually stranded on a ledge near a sheer rock face. Unable to move safely in either direction, he called his mother and contacted emergency services.

“He wasn't frantic. He just said, 'Mom, I have to call the North Shore Rescue. I can't go any further. I've climbed too high, and I can't get back down,'” his mother told CBC.

She also pointed out that her son “is an air cadet with survivalist training and is a certified belayer.”

North Shore Rescue sent a helicopter to the area. Because the aircraft could not approach the cliff safely, rescuers were lowered to Gowryluk and helped him reach a suitable extraction point before airlifting him to safety.

“It turns out that this hiker had somehow got far off the Crown hiking route (we are unclear exactly how/where) and became stranded on a climbing route known as the ‘Widowmaker’, at the base of its final headwall,” North Shore Rescue wrote in a Facebook post, describing Gowryluk’s situation on Sunday.

Rescue manager says AI cannot replace navigation skills

North Shore Rescue manager Paul Markey said the teenager had carried appropriate equipment for hiking but was not prepared for the technical climbing terrain he encountered.

“In this particular case, the boy had a headlamp, good clothing, a good pair of boots, a spare battery and spare food,” Markey told The Guardian.

“He was pretty well equipped for hiking and scrambling, but he was certainly not prepared or equipped for rock climbing,” he added.

Markey also said Claude the AI Chatbot, had never been to the specific area where Gowryluk became stranded and could therefore provide only a limited description of the terrain.

“The main thing is: do not blindly rely on AI as a route planning tool,” Markey told The Guardian, warning that chatbots and navigation apps cannot replace proper training, experience and sound decisions in the field.