Driver stranded on Utah mountain after taking Google shortcut

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Turns out Google shortcuts aren’t always the best directions.

A 23-year-old man found out the hard way when he was stranded by himself in his Toyota Tercel on Strawberry Peak in Wasatch County, Utah, late at night.

The incident happened in July 4 and it took three hours for him to get rescued, according to a Facebook post by Wasatch County Search and Rescue, per people.com.

The driver called 911 and claimed the route he’d taken was the “shortcut that Google recommended,” according to the post.

The Wasatch County Search and Rescue team took three hours to get the driver back down the mountain, authorities said, and there were no injuries.

A Google spokesperson told people.com in a statement that “safety is a top priority, and whenever possible we aim to route drivers on paved roads.”

“While our investigation has not yet identified roads in Maps that lead to this location, we’ll make any necessary updates to accurately route local drivers,” the spokesperson added.

Of course, this isn’t the first time a navigation tool didn’t help a driver arrive at their destination.

In 2023, tourists drove their cars into a Hawaii harbor just weeks apart in two separate occasions because it was the route that GPS suggested — as in down a boat ramp at Honokohau Harbor.

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