A rescue group is blaming a "dangerous" TikTok trend for a surge in skiers getting lost in the backcountry at Vermont's Stowe Mountain Resort.

Stowe Mountain Rescue said in a Dec. 1. Facebook post that the ski patrol is seeing an "unprecedented number of lost skiers." According to the group, they are losing their way in backcountry terrain near the resort as they search for fresh powder that they've seen on social media.

"TikTok videos of whooping skiers in knee-deep powder are luring inexperienced skiers and riders into Stowe's backcountry at a time of year when the snow pack is unreliable," the group said. "Our team has been called in to help several times and at least one of the skiing parties we rescued quoted TikTok as their inspiration."

Additionally, Stowe Mountain Rescue said skiers have been following others' tracks on the Toll Road by the resort.

"The ski boundary is clearly marked but evidently the lure of tracks in fresh snow is too much to resist," the group said. "At this time of year, the snowpack diminishes as you lose elevation so those few nice turns below the Toll Road quickly turn into brambly terrain with woefully inadequate snow."

Rescuers say they just want people to stay in-bounds at Stowe, and advise anyone who does head for the backcountry to be properly equipped.

"There are dangers in blindly following, whether its TikTok posts or ski tracks, or anything else for that matter," the group said. "Accidents will happen in the backcountry and we'll always gladly respond, but this wave of lost skiers is largely the result of impulsive behavior which is entirely preventable."

Stowe, which was named one of the world's best ski destinations in 2023, is made up of two mountains, Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak. According to Ski Vermont, the state saw about 4.1 million skier visits last season.