Do you want to go on a long hiking tour in sneakers? Not a good idea!Bild: yay images / imago images
Vacation & Leisure
Pretty videos from the mountains are always going viral on social media. Some people use this as an opportunity to plan tours in Insta-worthy hiking areas. But that can go really wrong.
14.01.2026, 16:2914.01.2026, 16:29
It wasn’t until November that time again: two young adults had to be rescued by the mountain rescue service in the Allgäu Alps. They had chosen a challenging route, but were not well equipped for it.
At an altitude of 2,000 meters, the two inexperienced hikers had reached a point where they did not dare go forward or back. That’s why they finally called 911. According to the mountain rescue service, the two said they planned their tour using Tiktok.
What may at first glance seem like a curious isolated case appears, upon closer inspection, to be part of a larger (problematic) trend.
Mountain rescue warns of deceptive social media images
“We always deal with very inexperienced people who have found themselves in an awkward situation or even injured themselves,” explains Christian Eder, state Alpine training manager and head of the Tyrol Mountain Rescue Academy, to “Euronews”.
It cannot be clearly proven whether the incidents are all directly related to social media; Statistics are not kept on this. “Our experience shows that since social media has become so present, accidents involving inexperienced people have increased,” says Eders.
Volker Lischke is similarly concerned about current developments. The member of the federal management of the mountain rescue service in the German Red Cross (DRK) considers the influence of social media to be “problematic” at least in some cases.
Pictures and videos of beautiful mountain lakes and viewpoints are shared online – but how steep and challenging the path to get there can be is often not discussed. In addition, from Lischke’s point of view, “the situation – i.e. weather, road conditions and much more – is not always identical.”
A route that is easy to complete one day can pose risks the next day. The expert therefore emphasizes to “Euronews” the importance of intensive tour preparation. Although traditional guides now also exist in digital form, the willingness to do so is decreasing.
Tiktok hiking group criticizes inadequate preparation
Tiktok creators 4vsdunya also share the impression that some people without previous hiking experience are influenced by aesthetic social media images. The young men regularly post videos of their tours in the mountains and sometimes even organize hikes for their followers.
But some are not well prepared. The group explains to “Euronews”:
“Despite advice in advance, every now and then people come in sneakers or unsuitable footwear. Although the tours are deliberately not designed to be difficult, sturdy footwear is extremely important, even on supposedly easy routes.”
From the creators’ point of view, part of the problem is the gorpcore trend. This refers to the trend that more and more people (even in the city) are wearing fleece jackets, trekking pants, windbreakers or hiking boots as streetwear.
But that doesn’t make you a hiking professional. “The look can create a false sense of security,” say 4vsdunya. “Expensive or hyped equipment is quickly seen as a sign of competence, although inexperienced people in particular often lack assessment, routine and resilience.”
In the end, it depends on whether the new hikers are just interested in aesthetics or whether they are genuinely interested and willing to learn.
Volker Lischke from the DRK advises, if in doubt, to switch down a gear. This not only protects your own health, but also protects your wallet. Without appropriate insurance, hikers have to pay for the expensive rescue mission by the mountain rescue service themselves.
