Tragic last adventure of ‘The Bikini Hiker’: How influencer famed for scaling mountains in her swimwear froze to death after falling down a ravine during a climb

Gigi Wu was trapped. One misplaced foot had left her stuck at the bottom of a ravine, some 65ft under the layer of rock and ice she had been climbing moments before.

It was Saturday, January 19, 2019. The 36-year-old was lost in the 260,000 acre Yushan National Park with no way of knowing if or when help would arrive.

She had only been climbing for five years, but had grown into proficient mountaineer, famed online for her swimwear selfies atop Taiwan’s summits.

When she finally found a way to call Alex Yang on her satellite phone, her friend felt her voice conveyed a sense of urgency, but not fear.

Wu’s voice faded in and out as she tried to make sense of her situation. Yang called the authorities who set out to find the ‘Bikini Hiker’. But with the weather forcing rescue attempts to be aborted, it would be another two days before they found her.

As temperatures plunged overnight, Wu remained stuck in the bottom of ravine waiting for help. By the time rescuers found her, she had died of hypothermia.

Gigi Wu was an avid climber who tragically fell into a ravine and later died in 2019

Wu became a social media sensation for her fun photographs from extraordinary locations

Poor weather conditions hampered efforts to rescue the 36-year-old after her fall

Gigi Wu was a social media sensation. Over a period of just five years, she scaled more than 100 peaks across Taiwan, often bravely taking on the challenges alone.

But to set herself apart from the hundreds of climbing influencers already filling up the internet in the early 2010s, it was her choice of attire that drew the most attention.

The ‘Bikini Hiker’ developed her trademark style after losing a bet with friends, according to a collection of hiking ‘legends’.

The Taiwanese influencer shared her journeys with thousands of followers, enjoying the natural scenery on the way up before switching to swimwear to mark her accomplishment at the summit.

But her adventures took a tragic turn during a 25-day solo hike in January 2019 when she was suddenly injured and trapped on a mountain.

Wu was no amateur mountaineer. She had taken up the sport after her father died in April 2014 from a stroke, and was spending some 127 days a year climbing.

Late in 2014, Wu had decided to quit her job and used what savings she had to fund a hobby that offered respite from the pain of losing her dad, per Sports Illustrated.

She bonded with Alex Yang over a climb of Jade Mountain in Taiwan

She shared photos of herself in swimwear after scaling some of Taiwan’s highest mountains

She met Alex Yang that year and the two bonded over a climb of Jade Mountain, the tallest in Taiwan.

Yang was reportedly shocked when she reached the summit and switched to her swimsuit for a photo to be shared with fans on Facebook.

At the time, Wu was trying to tick off the 100 peaks of Taiwan measuring at least 3,000 metres. She proudly accomplished the feat in July 2016.

She explained to Yang that she had lost a bet with a friend and was, as a result, bound to taking a photo of herself at the top of each mountain she climbed.

She would climb the mountains, of course, wearing full hiking gear before changing into a bikini at the top. 

Wu shared her photos with a growing crowd of tens of thousands of fans, detailing her journeys as she conquered summit after summit.

But it was Yang that she thought of five years later when she found herself stuck, hiking the Batongguan Historic Trail in Yushan National Park.

Wu usually checked in with her friend at a regular time each day when hiking alone, to let him know everything was fine.

But this time was different. Yang received a brief call about an hour and a half earlier than usual.

Wu began climbing after losing her father. In 2014 she quit her job and committed to climbing

A search and rescue team at Yushan National Park amid the frantic search for Gigi Wu

In her last post, the Thursday before, she said that she was ‘celebrating today’, and shared a picture of the fantastic mountain scenery.

But that Saturday afternoon, Wu’s tone was off. 

Her voice, or the signal, was faint. But Yang understood that she had fallen down a cliff and could not move her legs.

It was not the first time she had fallen.

On Christmas Eve 2018, she had posted a picture of her legs badly bruised from another fall.

She acknowledged at the time that she had slipped from the path and could have fallen further. It was a lucky escape.

But this time was different. Yang promptly called for help, relaying her condition to the Nantou fire service.

Wu could not move. But her quick-thinking meant that rescuers knew where she was. 

But with poor weather conditions straining access, it would be more than a day before authorities could send out a helicopter.

In the meantime, Yang continued to text his friend with updates on the rescue mission and assurances. But the responses had stopped. 

The island’s National Airborne Service Corps said it attempted to dispatch Black Hawk rescue helicopters to her location on three separate occasions, but each time the weather set them back. 

The decision was finally taken to send in two search and rescue parties comprising three members each, who found Wu’s body via her distress beacon around midday on Monday, January 21.

Authorities believed she had died from hypothermia as night-time temperatures fell to 2C. 

On Christmas Eve 2018, she had posted a picture of her legs badly bruised from another fall

In her final moments Wu called her friend, who relayed her condition to the authorities

Wu became trapped when she fell down a ravine during a solo hike in Taiwan

Wu had expected to begin to descend just three days later. She was nearing the end of her 3,109m climb when she fell.

Even after the tragedy, rescuers were held back, waiting for stable weather to be able to airlift her body from the narrow gully.

More than 1,000 people, in the meantime, took to Facebook to share messages of condolences for the woman who took her own personal tragedy and resisted it, finding a positive outlet in which to grow. 

Her final messages were shared with the friend who had been by her side since the start of her journey.