Sometimes a hike results in a perfect selfie for the memories. Other times, it turns into a survival story.
This was the case for journalist Alec Luhn, whose solo journey through Norway‘s Folgefonna National Park on July 31st took a turn after a misstep caused him to fall down a mountain. What came next were six days filled with pain, resilience, and quick thinking. How he survived this extremely difficult conditions is the perfect reminder of the the raw human spirit and the lengths one will go to stay alive.
Upon his rescue, his wife said, “I’m going to tear you a new one later, but for now, I really love you.”
Luhn, who contributes to publications such as The Atlantic, The New York Times, and The Guardian, embarked on a four-day hike, aka a trekking adventure, eagerly anticipating peaceful solitude and awe-inspiring glacial vistas. His experience took an unexpected turn when he could not move, with his left foot “flopping around with no direction.” This, according to People, was a result of the fall.
In addition to the fall, his phone went missing when his backpack tore open during the hike.
The climate journalist found himself in a dire situation when he realized his disappearance would go unnoticed until he was expected home. Thinking on his feet, he turned a tent pole and a rain jacket into a makeshift shelter. To keep his energy up, he ate granola bars and peanuts. His thirst grew unbearable, so he resorted to drinking his own urine to avoid dehydration.
On day three, rain brought relief but also brought a cold storm. He was licking the raindrops from his skin.
🇳🇴🇺🇸 An American journalist survived six days in the Norwegian mountains with a broken leg
38-year-old Alec Luhn endured nearly a week alone in the mountains: to stay alive, he ate grass and moss, drank rainwater and even his own urine until rescuers finally found him.
While… pic.twitter.com/hAeWsCUNWj
— Based & Viral (@ViralBased) August 22, 2025
Hope came in the form of family for him. In an interview with The Washington Post, he revealed that his time stranded on the mountain made him ponder the things he’d regret if his life ended due to a random hike.
“Being trapped on that mountain gave me a chance to see what I would regret if I died,” he shared. “I spent a lot of time thinking about my wife and my family and how silly it was that here I was, possibly going to die because I wanted to do a cool hike around this glacier.”
When Luhn failed to return on the fourth of August, his wife, a journalist named Veronika Silchenko, contacted authorities for help. Two days later, on August 6, a team from the Norwegian Red Cross found him. He was still aware of his surroundings, but he was exhausted. They had to use a helicopter to take him to get medical care because he had frostbite and some broken bones.
CNN’s Anderson Cooper speaks with Alec Luhn, a hiker who was rescued after 6 days with little food and water on a remote mountaintop in Norway. pic.twitter.com/Bd6fX0ocy9
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) August 22, 2025
Now recovering in Norway, Luhn is preparing to return to the U.K., where he’ll be reunited with his wife. She’ll likely have some stern words for him, but ultimately, it’s about supporting each other through this tough time.
