Alpine Divorce: Social media spotlight on outdoor abandonment

The hashtag “alpine divorce,” taken from an 1893 short story by writer Robert Barr about a husband plotting murder in the Alps, describes a partner—a man—abandoning a companion during a hike. The hashtag has amassed nearly 5 million TikTok views and 1.9 million X views. The term entered headlines after court gave Thomas P. a suspended manslaughter sentence for leaving his girlfriend alone on Grossglockner, where she froze to death. In 2016, Laurie Singer was left to finish most of the 222-mi John Muir Trail while suffering altitude-sickness and limited food, surviving after an eight-mile trek.

CNN

Prosecutors argue Thomas P. ignored rescue calls, contradicting his claim of help; he received a suspended manslaughter sentence. Jo Hemmings notes an avoidant style, stating perpetrators “lack empathy and compassion and avoid conflict – preferring to remove themselves,” and “walking ahead and refusing to adapt can be a subtle way of asserting authority or control.”

CNN

Singer recalled, “He kept going ahead of me, I was so scared… I would yell his name… I didn’t hear anything.” With an energy bar, she suffered swelling and blisters before other hikers supplied food, enabling her to hitchhike to safety. “No matter how much you think you know the person (you’re hiking with), you should always be self-reliant.”

CNN

Thomas P.’s defense claims he left to get help, while prosecutors stress his failure to answer calls. A girlfriend’s testimony suggests a prior abandonment on the same mountain, yet motives remain unclear. The term lacks a legal definition, leading to inconsistent law-enforcement responses.

CNN

• “POV: you go on a hike with him in the mountains but he leaves you alone by yourself and you realise he never liked you to begin with.” — TikTok user, 2026

CNN

• “I see this kind of behavior frequently in my counselling rooms – a partner, most often a man with a female partner, who withdraws under questioning, or may even leave the room or give up on the counselling altogether.” — Jo Hemmings, behavioral psychologist

CNN

• “Walking ahead and refusing to adapt can be a subtle way of asserting authority or control.” — Jo Hemmings

CNN

• “I trusted (my friend)… I thought I knew (him), and apparently, I didn’t.” — Laurie Singer, 2016 John Muir Trail survivor

CNN

• “No matter how much you think you know the person (you’re hiking with), you should always be self-reliant.” — Laurie Singer

CNN

The discussion urges hikers to prioritize self-reliance and scrutinize power dynamics in outdoor partnerships. Though no legislation is pending, awareness may shape safety guidelines and counseling practices for wilderness-related relationship abuse.

CNN