Emily Sotelo Missing Hiker Found Dead In New Hampshire Mountains

A missing 20-year-old hiker from New Hampshire was found dead on a mountain more than three days after she disappeared. An intensive search and rescue operation was conducted in subzero temperatures, and her body was found at the end of it.

On Sunday, a Massachusetts woman named Emily Sotelo went missing after hiking on a well-traveled trail that passes by Mount Lafayette, Haystack, and Flume.

The New York Post reported that temperatures dropped to zero and winds reached speeds of 30 to 40 miles per hour earlier in the week.

On Monday, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division began an investigation to find Sotelo after receiving a missing person’s report from her family. Near Lafayette Brook, authorities found Sotelo’s footprints and some of his belongings.

On Wednesday, Sotelo’s body has discovered on the northwest side of Mount Lafayette at 11:15 a.m. A New Hampshire National Guard plane took the body to the Cannon Mountain Ski Area. 

The circumstances surrounding her untimely demise remained mysterious.

Who is Emily Sotelo?

The Nashville school newspaper, The Vanderbilt Hustler, reported that Sotelo was a sophomore there. She studied both biochemistry and chemical biology at the undergraduate level.

According to reports, she spent her Thanksgiving break in New Hampshire with her mom.

Vice Provost G.L. Black expressed his condolences for Sotelo’s passing by noting how she had become involved in campus life after transferring from William & Mary this academic year.

The search was aided by the Pemigewasset Valley SAR, the Androscoggin Valley SAR, the Mountain Rescue Service, and the Lakes Region SAR.

New England K-9 and the Upper Valley Wilderness Response Team also provided assistance. Fish and Game conservation officers have assisted in their search by the NH Army National Guard, the Civil Air Patrol, and the White Mountain National Forest.

AT&T First Net and New Hampshire Homeland Security & Emergency Management also contributed to the search effort.

Emily Sotelo Cause Of Death

There is no official word on what killed Sotelo, but Capt. Michael Eastman of the New Hampshire Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division speculated that the elements played a role. 

It has not been decided whether or not an autopsy will be performed. Sotelo’s last known clothing item was a brown jacket and black workout pants.

The 20-year-old from Westford, Massachusetts, apparently wanted to hike all of New Hampshire’s 4,000-foot peaks before her birthday this week, as reported by Col. Kevin Jordan, the department’s chief of law enforcement.

A seasoned warm-weather hiker, she was an asset to any group. Her mother, Olivera Sotelo, told the media that her daughter did not like to climb mountains during the winter and still had “four or five” mountains to climb.

According to Fish and Game officer David Walsh, Sotelo’s death would warn all hikers about the risks associated with winter hikes. 

He warned people about the risks involved in hiking as an unprepared traveler in the White Mountains, a mountain range notorious for its danger in the winter.

The official emphasized the importance of being well-informed. “Be aware of the current weather.” Comply with the weather and dress appropriately. Take precautions by stocking up on extra supplies like food, water, and clothing. 

Also, make sure you have a compass and a headlamp map. Sotelo’s parents said their daughter intended to explore the area’s trails on foot. But she hadn’t thought about the freezing temperatures that would soon follow her departure.

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