A 25-year-old hiker is encouraging fellow women to break out of the reportedly “toxic” trend known as the ‘Alpine Divorce.’ She’s doing so by sharing her inspiring story as someone with firsthand experience.
In a conversation with People, 25-year-old hiker Aila Taylor shared her heartbreaking story of experiencing the viral TikTok trend known as ‘Alpine Divorce.’
The story is set way back in 2024, and she and her now-ex-boyfriend were hiking on a mountain. Taylor claimed he’d often ditch her when they were on hiking dates together.
She also claimed he would usually blame her speed for ditching her. She was used to walking back to the starting point, alone. This is usually an unsafe feat, considering the dangers of being alone on a hike.
I wrote for @compactmag about the “Alpine Divorce”, modern dating, and the ego-related perils of hiking with people slightly above your fitness level pic.twitter.com/XFow9reJY2
— Felice Basbøll (@fbasboll) April 29, 2026
From encountering dangerous wildlife like mountain lions, poisonous snakes, and bugs, to actual criminals hiding in the mountains. There’s a whole list of reasons why hiking alone isn’t recommended for anyone.
Circling back to the day of the breakup, she recalled his usual excuse for ditching her. And mentioned that he “abandoned her on a mountain” because she was walking too slowly. Shortly after, she received a text that changed everything.
When she was in the Canadian mountains, which are usually covered in snow. Alone, with barely any phone signal, she began getting texts from him. When she responded to him by saying, “Now’s not a good time.”
He had a curt response when breaking up with her: “Well, there’ll never be a good time.” Taylor did not explain further about his response or whether or not they discussed it further. After he broke up with her over text, she reflected on her feelings.
The 25-year-old hiker said, “I didn’t feel abandoned, I felt annoyed.” Since it was also getting quite late and unsafe, she returned to the van she had gone hiking in.
Moreover, she acknowledged her luck in being unharmed in that situation. This is because she knew some individuals weren’t as lucky as her. This is because of the aftermath of the growing Alpine Divorce trend.
What is the Alpine Divorce Trend?
The Alpine Divorce refers to a breakup that essentially takes place outdoors. To be specific, one breaks up with the other while hiking in a mountain range.
The person who gets broken up with ends up hiking alone while also dealing with the aftermath of the breakup and the dangers of being alone on a mountain.
In some cases, it has turned deadly and has even resulted in the death of a person left behind.
? Pour rompre avec leur femme, ces hommes les abandonnent… en pleine nature.
— ? ?̀?? ???? (@_3emeOeil) March 26, 2026
Ce phénomène, surnommé “alpine divorce”, désigne des cas où un partenaire, souvent lors d’une randonnée, laisse volontairement l’autre seul en montagne ou en pleine nature, parfois après une dispute… pic.twitter.com/NZ1n5RcWlO
Although Taylor was lucky in getting through her experience safely, she had a similar experience in 2024. Upon reflecting on the incident, Taylor claimed that the Alpine Divorce was actually fueling an allegedly toxic behavior.
Using her own experience as an example, Taylor cited her boyfriend’s behavior of flaking on hikes to eventually implement that behavior in a breakup.
She said, “I think it’s important to recognize behaviors early on when they occur so it doesn’t escalate to the level it did with me.” Taylor also said, “It focuses on this concept of women being left behind and presents women as powerless.”
The 25-Year-Old Hiker Encourages Others to Step Forward And ‘Reclaim Their Narrative’
Like Taylor, many other women have come forward to share their experiences in response to the viral TikTok trend. She hopes to encourage others and urged them, saying, “We need to get out and reclaim our own narrative."
Dedicated social media forums on Reddit, TikTok, and X document multiple conversations and experiences of individuals who’ve endured the Alpine Divorce. And emphasize the importance of safety during such a situation.
She had but one final reflection to share when her heart had just been broken. The 25-year-old hiker claimed that the one thing that kept her grounded was the “beautiful world in front of her.”
Taylor is reportedly an environmental writer, activist, and public speaker. She continues to advocate for both women and the environment through her writing and on social media.
