{"id":12643,"date":"2026-02-27T15:34:24","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T23:34:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/?p=12643"},"modified":"2026-02-27T15:34:24","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T23:34:24","slug":"alpine-divorce-behind-the-sinister-dating-term-made-popular-by-a-chilling-tiktok","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/?p=12643","title":{"rendered":"Alpine Divorce: Behind the sinister dating term made popular by a chilling TikTok"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"main\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"hydrate-root sc-10wlkbs-0\" data-component=\"SupportNSCNative\" data-loading=\"lazy\" data-theme-name=\"independent\">\n<aside class=\"sc-hez36s-0 dFpFuY\">\n<div class=\"sc-hez36s-1 iBibVd\">\n<h3 data-testid=\"support-nsc-title\" class=\"sc-hez36s-2 jVZWGn\">Your support helps us to tell the story<\/h3>\n<div class=\"sc-hez36s-8 juUDRT\">\n<div class=\"sc-hez36s-13 cqPbFA\">\n<div class=\"sc-aja53j-0 rAFIl sc-hez36s-16 jZSKtc\">\n<div class=\"sc-aja53j-6 PdmgT\">\n<div data-testid=\"dropdown-with-gradient-collapsed-content-container\" class=\"sc-aja53j-5 eZqxmv\">\n<div>\n<div data-testid=\"dropdown-with-gradient-collapsed-content\" class=\"sc-aja53j-4 tawua\">\n<div>\n<div data-testid=\"support-nsc-collapsed-content-tablet\" class=\"sc-hez36s-7 gZmYS\">\n<p class=\"sc-1uza6dc-0 iCTyfe\">From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it&#8217;s investigating the financials of Elon Musk&#8217;s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, &#8216;The A Word&#8217;, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-1uza6dc-0 iCTyfe\">At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-1uza6dc-0 iCTyfe\">The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"sc-1uza6dc-1 cglitp\">Your support makes all the difference.<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"sc-aja53j-1 keLMOw sc-aja53j-7 eMEmGu\"><span data-testid=\"dropdown-with-gradient-dropdown-tablet\" class=\"sc-aja53j-3 dHXFkr\"><span data-action-type=\"Read more\" class=\"sc-aja53j-2 dcYUYI\">Read more<\/span><svg class=\"sc-eaj12q-0 hUgQwJ sc-culv3z-0 eifaJK sc-a5wy94-0 hyKPon\"><use href=\"#ee6613da15642019\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Ditching a significant other during a hike, also referred to as \u201cAlpine Divorce,\u201d is the latest eyebrow-raising dating trend \u2014 with people pointing out the chilling dangers of that move.<\/p>\n<p>The phrase was mentioned in the comments of a TikTok video posted last week, where a woman with the username @EverAfterIya documented herself walking on an outdoor terrain, near rocky mountains. She could also be heard sobbing in the background, where she said she was having the \u201cworst Saturday of [her] life.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>\u201cPOV: 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,\u201d the text over the video, which has 19 million views, reads. <\/p>\n<p>In the caption, the TikTok user questions the connection she thought she had with this man, who allegedly left her alone during their hike. She also said the move felt like a way for him to end the relationship. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis inner dialogue tends to fuel the feelings of despair, especially when the surrounding beauty draws attention to your loneliness,\u201d she wrote. \u201cWhile you could have spent this day in a more fulfilling, peaceful environment, instead, you are stuck wrestling with heartache in a breathtaking yet isolating setting.\u201d <\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-awdjp1-2 cbpRGD sc-awdjp1-3 image align-center\">\n<figure class=\"sc-1cbdeug-0 cXcwgU\">\n<div class=\"sc-awdjp1-0 iDKkCP\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.the-independent.com\/2026\/02\/27\/21\/02\/iStock-814397912.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.the-independent.com\/2026\/02\/27\/21\/02\/iStock-814397912.jpeg?quality=75&amp;width=320&amp;auto=webp 320w, https:\/\/static.the-independent.com\/2026\/02\/27\/21\/02\/iStock-814397912.jpeg?quality=75&amp;width=640&amp;auto=webp 640w\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Women are sharing their experiences online with getting abandoned by their boyfriend on a hike, also known as \u2018Alpine Divorce\u2019\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-1cbdeug-1 sc-1cbdeug-3 gtVitN hgzWpY\">Women are sharing their experiences online with getting abandoned by their boyfriend on a hike, also known as \u2018Alpine Divorce\u2019<span class=\"sc-1cbdeug-7 exGSyR\"> <!-- -->(<!-- -->Getty Images<!-- -->)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>In the comments, multiple people have shared their jarring experiences of being abandoned by their partner during a hike, which they called an &#8220;Alpine Divorce.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is so common it\u2019s actually referred to as an \u2018Alpine Divorce,\u2019\u201d one wrote, while another added: \u201cMy boyfriend did this to me. I found another hiker to show me how to get back, then I went home and blocked his number.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt happened to me many years ago. I met 2 girls on the mountain and told them what happened, and we walked down together,\u201d a third woman shared. \u201cThey wouldn&#8217;t let me go alone. I&#8217;ll never forget them.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Many X users were shocked to hear how many women have experienced \u201cAlpine Divorce.\u201d They\u2019re also criticizing men who have left their partners behind on a hike. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cJust saw a TikTok of a girl whose boyfriend abandoned her during a hike in the woods,\u201d a viral post on X reads. \u201cThe comments were all about how this is a thing multiple men do. It&#8217;s so common it&#8217;s called Alpine Divorce, and there are support groups for it&#8230;.All I can say is wtf is wrong with men??? Why would you ever consider abandoning someone that way? I&#8217;m mortified.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat&#8217;s truly awful. Abandoning someone like that? Incomprehensible male behavior, seriously,\u201d another wrote. <\/p>\n<p>It turns out that the term originates from a sinister 1893 short story called \u201cAn Alpine Divorce.\u201d In the story, written by Robert Barr, a man is planning to murder his wife during a visit to the Swiss Alps by pushing her off a cliff. <\/p>\n<p>The \u201cAlpine Divorce\u201d trend has also received traction after climber Thomas Plamberger was charged with manslaughter, after leaving his girlfriend, Kerstin Gurtner, on Austria\u2019s highest mountain before she froze to death.<\/p>\n<p>Plamberger decided to leave her at 2 a.m. on January 19, 2025, and descend to the nearest mountain hut to seek help, only returning six and a half hours later in the morning to find her dead, according to the public prosecutor. Gurtner froze to death alone on the mountain after she was left in -8C temperatures, with winds of up to 45mph contributing to temperatures that \u201cfeel\u201d as low as -20C.<\/p>\n<p>Prosecutors are arguing that Plamberger made nine key mistakes that led to his girlfriend\u2019s death, from not planning the expedition properly to failing to make contact with search teams and police. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it&#8217;s investigating the financials of Elon Musk&#8217;s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, &#8216;The A Word&#8217;, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more Ditching a significant other during a hike, also referred to as \u201cAlpine Divorce,\u201d is the latest eyebrow-raising dating trend \u2014 with people pointing out the chilling dangers of that move. The phrase was mentioned in the comments of a TikTok video posted last week, where a woman with the username @EverAfterIya documented herself walking on an outdoor terrain, near rocky mountains. She could also be heard sobbing in the background, where she said she was having the \u201cworst Saturday of [her] life.\u201d \u201cPOV: 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,\u201d the text over the video, which has 19 million views, reads. In the caption, the TikTok user questions the connection she thought she had with this man, who allegedly left her alone during their hike. She also said the move felt like a way for him to end the relationship. \u201cThis inner dialogue tends to fuel the feelings of despair, especially when the surrounding beauty draws attention to your l&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12644,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12643"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12643"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12643\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12644"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12643"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12643"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12643"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}