Why are men abandoning their wives in forests (reason will surprise you!)

People have found a unique (read: twisted!) way to end relationship with their spouse. And believe us, this new breakup trend seems dark.

A chilling phrase has been making the rounds online: “Alpine divorce.” According to viral posts, men are allegedly abandoning their wives during hikes - leaving them alone in remote forests or mountain terrain as a twisted form of ending a relationship.

The claim has sparked outrage, fear and fascination across social media platforms, with users sharing stories of being left behind on trails and framing it as a dark new breakup trend.

But how much of this is real - and how much is internet myth? A closer look reveals a far more complicated story behind the sensational label.

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What is Alpine divorce?

The term “Alpine divorce” has recently started trending on social media after viral TikTok and X posts described people - mostly women - being abandoned by their partner during hikes or outdoor trips in wilderness or mountain terrain.

Users have used this phrase to describe situations where someone feels left behind, isolated, or deliberately deserted in a dangerous outdoor setting as part of ending a relationship.

However, it is not a recognized legal process, formal relationship trend, or officially documented social phenomenon outside of social media slang. It’s best understood as an internet meme/slang term sparked by a few dramatic stories - not evidence of a widespread social trend.

Are people actually experiencing it?

A TikTok video showing a woman allegedly left alone during a trek went viral, with millions of views and comments from others saying the same thing happened to them or people they know.

Comments often describe partners being left on trails, in woods, or in harsh outdoor conditions by someone who keeps going ahead, sometimes framed jokingly or seriously as a relationship breakup moment.

The post further claimed that several commenters said they had gone through similar experiences. Various replies suggested it was something many men allegedly do, adding that it was “so common it’s called Alpine Divorce” and that support groups even exist for it. Expressing shock, the poster questioned why anyone would consider abandoning a partner in such a manner and described feeling deeply disturbed by the idea.

According to a report by The Mirror US, the conversation soon gained momentum, with more users joining in to share their accounts and reactions.

Real cases come to light

A video from a creator with username @everafteriya described the situation in a short caption: "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."

In the comments, others responded with similar stories. A person said they were abandoned on a hike and later found another hiker who helped guide them back safely before they returned home and ended the relationship.

Another commenter expressed shock after discovering that online communities exist for people who say they were left alone during hikes.

Although unrelated, an Austrian climber left his girlfriend to die on country's highest mountain

An Austrian court found an experienced mountaineer guilty of gross negligent manslaughter over the death of his partner during a winter climb in January 2025.

The incident occurred on Grossglockner, Austria’s tallest mountain, which rises 3,798 metres above sea level.

The accused, identified as Thomas P in line with Austrian privacy regulations, was tried before the Innsbruck Regional Court. The court ruled that his actions amounted to gross negligence in connection with the death of his 33-year-old girlfriend, Kerstin G.