This is a downright grotesque lead-in for the story. I suppose the implied connection is something about how being an "adventure sports personality" creates pressure to continually up the ante, but frankly that's garbage too. Wu was an experienced hiker in a park in the country where she grew up, and I haven't seen anyone seriously claim she was pushing her boundaries for a story or a photoshoot. A solo traverse is dangerous, sure, but expert hikers who aren't "adventure sports personalities" do similar things all the time. And sometimes die in similar accidents, because bad weather and bad falls are in no way selfie-based risks.
There's no story here beyond bad luck and the inherent dangers of remote, rugged places, so for ostensibly dignified outlets like the Washington Post to headline their pieces with "Bikini Hiker" was lurid and unfair. But seeing Outside do it, even with a more accurate story, is much nastier. This is their beat, and they're usually much better at discussing these risks than non-dedicated journalists. Anyone who keeps track of dedicated hikers and climbers knows that these incidents happen, and happened long before selfies got involved. So Outside ought to know better, and with any luck their readers do know better.
There's no story here beyond bad luck and the inherent dangers of remote, rugged places, so for ostensibly dignified outlets like the Washington Post to headline their pieces with "Bikini Hiker" was lurid and unfair. But seeing Outside do it, even with a more accurate story, is much nastier. This is their beat, and they're usually much better at discussing these risks than non-dedicated journalists. Anyone who keeps track of dedicated hikers and climbers knows that these incidents happen, and happened long before selfies got involved. So Outside ought to know better, and with any luck their readers do know better.