On Saturday, October 3, North Shore Rescue pulled 16‑year‑old Bryce Gowryluk from a perilous ledge on Crown Mountain’s Widowmaker Arete in British Columbia. The teenager had strayed from the official trail after following a route suggested by the AI assistant Claude, which led him onto the cliff's most dangerous section.
Crown Mountain’s standard 7‑8 hour trek typically follows a well‑marked path beside the headwall, keeping hikers at a safe distance from the vertical face. The Widowmaker Arete, however, is a near‑vertical cliff that most hikers avoid, and the AI‑directed path placed Gowryluk in a precarious spot.
Helicopter pilot Mark Davis and rescue crew deployed a rope ladder from the helicopter, lifting Gowryluk into a harness after a three‑hour wait. Markey told CTV News that falling from that ledge would have been a death sentence, underscoring the severity of the situation.
Gowryluk called his mother Joelle and the police after realizing he was stranded, and the latter dispatched the rescue team within minutes. Joelle said she was terrified but relieved when her son was safely extracted.
The incident has prompted park officials to issue a warning that hikers should not rely solely on AI for trail navigation, and local authorities plan to review guidelines for wilderness safety.