A strange and disturbing term has been trending rapidly across various social media platforms over the past few weeks: “Alpine divorce.” What started as a series of isolated posts has quickly escalated into a viral phenomenon, with users sharing their own experiences and reactions to the phenomenon that has left many people disturbed.
What does ‘Alpine divorce’ mean?
Despite its dramatic name, Alpine divorce is not actually a legal term. On social media, the term has been used to describe an individual who breaks off a relationship by leaving their partner stranded in a remote or possibly dangerous area, often while hiking through mountainous or wooded terrain.
The term itself plays off the harsh realities of alpine areas, which are known for their frigid temperatures, unpredictable weather, and difficult terrain. On social media, users have shared their own experiences of being left stranded on hiking trails, in the woods, or in unfamiliar highland areas while their partner walks ahead or simply gets out of sight.
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There is no formal definition of the term, and it is simply said to be slang. Nevertheless, the stories that have been circulating online have generated much debate.
Where did the term originate?
The term has been traced back to a short story written in 1893 called An Alpine Divorce by Robert Barr. In this fictional story, an unhappy husband plans to murder his wife on a holiday trip to the Swiss Alps. The term seems to have been picked up over the years and has resurfaced on the internet as slang.
Why is it trending now?
Social media platforms such as TikTok and X have amplified the term, with users recounting their experiences. One user wrote that she saw a video of a woman who claimed her boyfriend abandoned her during a hike, adding that the comment section was filled with similar stories.
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"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....All I can say is wtf is wrong with men??? Why would you ever consider abandoning someone that way? I'm mortified", she wrote.
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....All I can say is wtf is wrong with men??? Why…
— Maryam (@hell_line0) February 24, 2026
"Apparently men abandoning their partners on a hike or in the wilderness is so common it has a name: alpine divorce. Comments are filled with stories", wrote another.
This tiktok came up on my FYP and it has 4.4 million views. Apparently men abandoning their partners on a hike or in the wilderness is so common it has a name: alpine divorce. Comments are filled with stories.
— A Kendrick-level hater 🇵🇸🍉 (@californiabarby) February 23, 2026
Things like this snap me back into why being single is perfectly ok. pic.twitter.com/RmiqJXwPan
In one widely shared post, a woman described hiking alone in the Scottish Highlands while the man she was seeing was “miles ahead” of her. "This is a video of me hiking in the Scottish Highlands, trying to make the best out of my trip while the guy I was in a situationship with was miles ahead of me", wrote the user.
