The Chilling Rise of 'Alpine Divorce' in Modern Dating
A disturbing new dating trend has emerged from the shadows of social media, where partners are being deliberately abandoned during mountain hikes. This cruel practice, now widely known as "Alpine Divorce," has sparked outrage and concern as women share their traumatic experiences online.
Viral TikTok Exposes the Trend
The phrase gained prominence in the comments of a viral TikTok video posted last week by user @EverAfterIya. The emotional clip shows the creator walking through rugged mountainous terrain while sobbing audibly. On-screen text reveals the heartbreaking context: "POV: You go on a hike with him in the mountains, but he leaves you alone by yourself and you realize he never liked you to begin with."
The video has amassed a staggering 19 million views, with the creator describing in her caption how the abandonment felt like a deliberate relationship-ending move. "This inner dialogue tends to fuel the feelings of despair, especially when the surrounding beauty draws attention to your loneliness," she wrote, highlighting the psychological impact of being stranded in breathtaking yet isolating wilderness.
Women Share Their Traumatic Experiences
In response to the viral video, countless women have come forward with similar stories of hiking abandonment. One commenter revealed: "My boyfriend did this to me. I found another hiker to show me how to get back, then I went home and blocked his number." Another shared: "It happened to me many years ago. I met 2 girls on the mountain and told them what happened, and we walked down together. They wouldn't let me go alone. I'll never forget them."
The phenomenon has spread beyond TikTok to other platforms, with X users expressing shock at how common these experiences appear to be. One viral post stated: "Just saw a TikTok of a girl whose boyfriend abandoned her during a hike in the woods. The comments were all about how this is a thing multiple men do. It's so common it's called Alpine Divorce, and there are support groups for it."
Historical Origins and Real-World Consequences
The term "Alpine Divorce" actually originates from a sinister 1893 short story by Robert Barr titled "An Alpine Divorce." In this chilling narrative, a man plots to murder his wife by pushing her off a cliff during their Swiss Alps visit, giving the phrase its dark historical context.
Tragically, the trend has real-world parallels in a recent manslaughter case. Climber Thomas Plamberger was charged after leaving his girlfriend, Kerstin Gurtner, on Austria's highest mountain in January 2025. He descended to seek help at 2 a.m., returning six and a half hours later to find she had frozen to death in -8°C temperatures with winds up to 45mph.
Prosecutors identified nine critical mistakes in Plamberger's actions, from inadequate expedition planning to failure to properly contact search teams. This case has brought renewed attention to the dangers of wilderness abandonment and the potentially fatal consequences of what some are treating as a casual dating trend.
A Growing Concern for Safety and Relationships
The emergence of "Alpine Divorce" as a recognized phenomenon highlights serious concerns about partner safety and relationship ethics. What some might dismiss as merely cruel behavior can quickly become life-threatening in wilderness environments where weather conditions, terrain difficulty, and isolation create genuine danger.
As more women share their stories, the trend has sparked broader conversations about trust, safety planning for outdoor activities, and the psychological impact of abandonment in vulnerable situations. The combination of social media exposure and real-world tragedies has transformed what was once a literary reference into a sobering modern dating warning.
