‘He Just Kept Walking’: Alpine Divorce Trend Goes Viral
The phrase alpine divorce has resurfaced on social media after a TikTok by @everafteriya showing a woman left alone on a mountain trail drew millions of views, renewed debate about whether men are abandoning partners on hikes and recalled a January 2025 Grossglockner manslaughter conviction that ended in a death.
Users on X and TikTok have connected the viral clip to a broader concept: the idea of taking a partner into the mountains and leaving them behind, sometimes with lethal consequences. The clip and the online reaction have pushed the term into wide circulation and prompted stories, outrage and reminders of a convicted case on the Grossglockner.
@everafteriya’s TikTok shows POV footage of a woman walking alone on a rocky trail; the caption reads: "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 creator later said the man she was with told her he “wanted to get to the top of the mountain before other people on the trail, so he said let’s run, ” and that his running ahead is how they became separated—an account that remains unclear in the provided context.
Another social post from @hell_line0 on X captured the reaction: "Just saw a TikTok of a girl whose boyfriend abandoned her during a hike in the woods, " writing that comments suggested "It’s so common it’s called Alpine Divorce and there are support groups for it…All I can say is wtf is wrong with men??? Why would you ever consider abandoning someone that way? I’m mortified. " @hell_line0 did not specify which TikTok she was referencing.
Alpine Divorce: definition, origins and a 19th-century echo
The term Alpine Divorce is used online to describe quitting a marriage or relationship by taking a partner into the mountains and either leaving them behind or orchestrating their demise. Its origin is unclear in the provided context, but one early use appears in an 19th-century short story by Robert Barr titled An Alpine Divorce, in which a man schemes to kill his wife on a trip to the Swiss Alps.
Austrian conviction on Grossglockner recalled
The online discussion has also brought up a criminal case: an Austrian climber was convicted of manslaughter after he abandoned his girlfriend on the Grossglockner mountain in January 2025; she died of hypothermia. During the trial it emerged the man had done the same thing to a previous girlfriend two years earlier, and that earlier woman survived.
How hikers say the abandonment happens
Multiple accounts in the viral threads describe the same mechanics: the person planning to leave walks ahead at a faster pace, suggests running or otherwise creates distance, then disappears from sight. Commenters warned that leaving a less experienced partner alone on rough terrain can lead to injury or death if they cannot navigate back.
Viral reach and online response
The @everafteriya video has drawn large view counts—one post in the thread said it had racked up over two million views, and another user wrote that the clip appeared on their FYP with 4. 4 million views on February 23, 2026. Comment threads contain personal recollections such as "I legit had this happen on a hike in YOSEMITE, " and claims that support groups exist for survivors of such abandonments. One social post read: "just found out alpine divorce is a thing and women are recalling being abandoned on hikes in remote areas, some of yall need to start toting guns (and using them) idk. " Another commenter wrote: "The men in the comments are finding ways to make it seem like this is not a gendered crime but just a teeny tiny flaw... IF IT WALKS LIKE A GENDERED CRIME. IF IT TALKS LIKE ONE. IT IS A GENDERED FUCKING CRIME. "
Other viral threads, removed videos and related cultural notes
Women have posted multiple videos claiming to have been left behind on hikes, and a popular multi-part video series from 2024 drew outrage before it was taken down; stitches and compilations with commentary still circulate. Separate TikTok posts have also spotlighted relationship red flags—one creator’s breakup video revealed a boyfriend’s YouTube history with playlists titled "Put her to work" and "Women want to care for you. " Another online admonition advised: "Fellas, make sure to delete your YouTube watch history if you like to watch videos about controlling your girlfriend. "
Some commentators question whether Alpine Divorce is a widespread, underreported trend; that uncertainty is part of why the conversations have intensified online. In the TikTok at the center of the latest wave the woman ultimately returned from the trail by herself "safe and sound, " a detail viewers noted as they shared their own experiences and warnings.
What happens next is unclear in the provided context.
