A Vancouver search-and-rescue group, North Shore Rescue, recently succeeded in persuading Google Maps to remove a nonexistent hiking trail on the north side of Mount Fromme, potentially endangering hikers and resulting in at least one fatality.
In a Facebook post, North Shore Rescue reported the removal of the fictitious trail on Nov. 6, just two days after a lost hiker had to be airlifted from the area. The organization emphasized the dangerous nature of the region, devoid of trails and marked by steep, cliff-laden terrain, leading to a previous fatality two years ago.
The most recent incident occurred on Nov. 4, prompting a rescue mission for a stranded hiker attempting to climb Fromme from the Kennedy Falls area. This follows a similar rescue a month earlier and another incident in September, where a hiker had to be rescued from the same location.
Despite warning signs placed by North Shore Rescue in the weeks following the September rescue, indicating the absence of trails, a second hiker got lost on Nov. 4. The group attempted to contact Google Maps to remove the nonexistent trail but received a response only on Nov. 6, thanking the community for reporting the issue.
As for legal liability, it is crucial to recognize that navigation using urban street map programs like Google Maps may not be suitable for wilderness activities. While North Shore Rescue urged the use of outdoor-specific programs such as CalTopo or Gaia GPS, legal responsibility in this case might hinge on whether Google Maps can be held accountable for hosting inaccurate and potentially hazardous trail information. Additionally, the responsibility of individual hikers to exercise caution and use proper outdoor navigation tools could influence liability considerations.
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