A phenomenon dubbed "alpine divorce" is spreading rapidly on social media following the release of a viral TikTok video. In it, a young woman explains to the camera that she was abandoned by her partner mid-hike in Yosemite National Park, without food or water, as night approached. The video has garnered over twenty million views and sparked thousands of similar accounts.
In the comments, many internet users recounted similar situations they had experienced during outings in the mountains or in the wilderness. Some mentioned being left alone for hours on a trail or in a forest, forced to finish the hike without help.
A term originating in literature and revived by a recent tragedy
The expression "alpine divorce" originates from a satirical short story published in 1893 by the Scottish writer Robert Barr, in which a man plots to murder his wife during a trip to the Alps. On social media, the term is now used to describe partners abandoning each other during mountain excursions.
The phenomenon also echoes a recent case in Austria. In January 2025, a 33-year-old hiker died of hypothermia after being left alone during a climb. Her partner, who continued the ascent before alerting emergency services, was sentenced in February 2026 to five months' suspended imprisonment and a fine for aggravated manslaughter.
