Instagram Effect Drives Surge in Mountain Rescues Among Young Hikers

An increasing number of young individuals are being saved from mountainous areas after engaging in perilous activities for social media imagery. In the Scottish Highlands, incidents involving mountaineers aged 17 to 25 have surged nearly fourfold since 2022, with this demographic representing 25% of rescues last year, a rise from 15% in 2018. In 2025, nearly 400 mountain rescue incidents involved those aged 18 to 24 across England and Wales, more than twice the 166 recorded in 2019. This trend is also observed in the United States, France, Italy, and Switzerland. Nick Phillips from Mountain Rescue England and Wales links this increase to social media influences, while Catriona Thomas highlights that young people often overlook the effort behind the perfect shot. Ludovic Richard from France's mountain-safety observatory corroborates the "Instagram effect" as a catalyst for hazardous behavior. In December, two individuals in their 20s were rescued from Britain’s second-highest peak in -15°C conditions, dressed only in trainers and tracksuits. Recently, photography was declared the most dangerous recreational pursuit at Grand Canyon National Park.