Social Media Idiocy Strikes Again! Two TikTok hikers, wearing Crocs and carrying minimal gear, attempted a 16-mile trek up Mount Charleston’s icy South Loop Trail, only to face freezing temperatures, three inches of snow, and dead phone batteries during their descent. Ill-prepared and without proper navigation tools, they relied on swapping a single pair of hiking boots between them to survive the treacherous conditions. Their ordeal nearly required a helicopter rescue, highlighting the dangerous trend of unprepared adventurers tackling serious trails without respect for the wilderness.
Let’s cut the crap: two hikers, Josh Macandog and Issay Dibaba, just proved that social media stupidity isn’t confined to selfies and TikTok dances—it can follow you straight up a 16-mile, ice-covered mountain in Crocs. Yeah, you heard that right. They thought a day hike up Mount Charleston’s South Loop Trail—one of the most challenging in Nevada—was the perfect setting for goofing around and snapping “cool” photos. Turns out, nature didn’t give a damn about their vibe.
16 Miles of Bad Decisions
These two geniuses started their hike at 8 a.m. on November 15, promising friends they’d be back by 5 p.m. Spoiler: they weren’t. Their plan? A gas station sandwich for lunch, zero cold-weather gear, and footwear straight out of the clown college handbook. Josh brought boots, but only one pair, and Issay figured Crocs were up to the task of slick, icy trails.
By 2 p.m., they reached the summit. They posed for photos and videos for social media, did their Tik Tok dances, ate their sandwiches, and started their descent—just as snow began to fall. Three inches of it. Their water bottles froze, their phones died, and a thick fog rolled in, leaving them with no navigation tools and no light. At this point, their descent turned into a comedy of errors: slipping, falling, hallucinating from dehydration, and eventually swapping shoes—one Croc, one boot each—like some tragic survival parody.
Social Media Narcissism Hits the Trails
This wasn’t just an honest mistake by some hiking rookies. It’s the byproduct of a culture obsessed with clout and content over common sense. These guys weren’t there to hike—they were there to show off. Climbing trees for photoshoots, dancing for videos, and ignoring the basic realities of the trail.
Social media has turned people into complete idiots. Everyone thinks they’re special because their five followers liked their TikTok. Women who live for Instagram selfies and talking to themselves on Twitter, dudes flexing for meaningless clout, and TikTokers acting like their stunts make them pioneers of the wilderness. Shit you even have mentally ill pastors (trying yo upstage the Jesus) with podcasts chasing clout online, and of course congregations full of sheep cheering it on– THE MENTAL ILLNESS OF SOCIAL MEDIA IS REAL!
Nature Doesn’t Care About Your Followers
Mount Charleston’s Fire Chief Jason Douglas summed it up: this trail is no joke. It’s not a casual stroll, especially in winter. Snow melts during the day, turns into ice at night, and even experienced hikers need traction devices like crampons to avoid injuries. In the last month alone, there were four air rescues on this trail. FOUR. Each one costing taxpayers and putting search-and-rescue teams in harm’s way.
Josh and Issay got lucky. Their friends reported them missing, which set search-and-rescue into motion. The hikers eventually stumbled back to their car around 9 p.m., hours late and hypothermic. Helicopters were ready to launch, but thankfully, weren’t needed. Let’s be real though: it shouldn’t have gotten that far.
The Real Cost of Their Stupidity
Every time one of these social media hikers screws up, it’s a drain on public resources. Search-and-rescue teams risk their lives to save people who thought filters and hashtags were more important than survival gear. Taxpayers foot the bill for helicopters and emergency services. And while these clowns get their feel-good rescue story, someone else with a real emergency could be left waiting.
Take Responsibility or Stay Home
If you’re still thinking about chasing clout in the wilderness, here’s a reality check:
- Crocs Aren’t Hiking Shoes: This isn’t a debate. Get boots with proper traction and gear for the conditions.
- Phones Don’t Replace Survival Skills: When your battery dies, so does your plan. Learn how to use a map and compass.
- Respect the Outdoors: The wilderness isn’t your stage, and it sure as hell isn’t forgiving.
Whether you are an experienced outdoorsman or a beginning adventurer, proper pre-trip planning is essential to ensure a safe and enjoyable trip. Check out our Comprehensive Guide to Planning Your Next Outdoor Adventure.
Stop the Madness
Social media isn’t just annoying—it’s dangerous. It’s breeding attention-addicted idiots who care more about “likes” than living. If you’re unprepared, you don’t belong on the trails. Period. Nature doesn’t care about your followers, your videos, or your selfies. Show up ready, or stay the hell home. The rest of us—and the search-and-rescue teams—are sick of cleaning up your mess.
Social media has become a breeding ground for attention-seeking, mentally unstable behavior, turning everyday people into narcissistic wrecks desperate for validation. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram reward shallow, performative nonsense, encouraging users to trade their dignity for fleeting likes and follows. You see it everywhere: women acting like celebrities over five likes on a selfie, dudes flexing fake lifestyles, and TikTokers chasing viral trends without a shred of self-awareness. This endless pursuit of clout has warped reality, creating a generation of fragile egos addicted to online approval. The worst part? These platforms glorify this behavior, leaving us with a society where substance, skill, and genuine connection take a backseat to curated fakery and shallow self-obsession. It’s not just annoying—it’s a mental health crisis hiding in plain sight.
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