Found Deceased NH - Hiker Emily Sotelo, from MA, dropped off in Franconia, Lafayette trailhead, Hiking Mounts Lafayette, Haystack & Flume, 20 Nov 2022

[Wilsonsmom]

I can't imagine someone who belonged to a hiking centric group would so blatantly disregard logic and safety. However I was 19 once and besides feeling invincible, I was kinda naive too. So sad.

That’s just it, it’s the tallest peak outside the presidentials in New Hampshire. I’ve climbed Mt. Washington twice many years ago and even in June there’s ice on the shaded trails and you never know what will happen weather wise. The White Mountain’s are no joke. I read that her an mom were staying for a week in a motel and she planned to do “several hikes”. This is really sad.

 

[RickshawFan]

It was noted elsewhere in this thread that this particular trail route would have given Emily 3 peaks of over 4000 ft elevation and one very close to 4000 ft, so this would likely have been the penultimate hike for her goal of 48 peaks over 4000ft by 20th birthday. That would be the reason why she and her mother were staying in a motel and starting at 5 am, precisely to hit this goal, not just for a great scenic hike.

I don't know if she planned any of her other hikes to bag 4 peaks at once but this one sounded like the final MUST-DO for her goal.

I agree the pressure to conclude her goal in this short time frame had to have interfered with an option to cancel this trip and just wait for better weather or some other hikes with safer routes and better weather conditions.

I wish she had reset her goal so as to finish by 21. Why did it have to be 20?

 

[RickshawFan]

I can't imagine someone who belonged to a hiking centric group would so blatantly disregard logic and safety. However I was 19 once and besides feeling invincible, I was kinda naive too. So sad.

British Columbia Adventure Smart, a feature of their official SAR branch (like the US #recreate responsibly), has been warning about the dangers of SM hiking groups, like those on FB. They don’t filter for experience or leadership skills, and are creating dangerous situations.

BCAdventureSmart site: AdventureSmart | Get Informed and Go Outdoors!

 

[RickshawFan]

Thank you for all you do! Based on those trails that day, how far up do you think someone would get before realizing there's a problem? I am having a hard time imagining seeing the snow at the trailhead and not turning around realizing you need real gear for the hike.

I agree with you. This was not a trip that was viable even from the parking lot.

 

[joeconn4]

My question is for those who hike these trails alone. I am personally bothered by a solo quest, which SCREAMS DANGER!
What would the benefit be vs such a risky and dangerous thing to do? I get the "being one with nature" and pushing my muscles and body to extremes I guess. But, going out climbing cliffs in sub freezing temps, with snow and ice and winds....ALONE....is not only terrifying...it's risky as heck. I just don't understand the draw, risking your life I guess.

Peace

We all have widely different backgrounds, which all contribute to widely different points of view on what is totally safe vs relatively safe vs dangerous. I suspect there are some things you do in your life that I'd look at and nope out of. I've noted on here that I hike alone most of the time. I do a lot of semi-risky sporty things alone, including mountain biking, XC skiing at ski centers as well as ungroomed trails, trail running. When I was racing triathlons 30+/- years ago I used to do 1.5-2 hour solo swims in Lake Champlain out-and-back to a small rock formation (~1.25 miles one way). I don't swim too much any more, but everything else is still part of what I do. Most of these things, I started off doing them with other people in high school or college, maybe teams I was on, and then as my friends dropped out of these sports or moved away I stuck with it and eventually you're at the point where you can either hang up the bike/skis/pack or if you're comfortable you just keep doing them alone.

Over time I've learned how to lessen the severe risks. I can't tell you how many times the last 10 years I've set out with a certain plan and turned back if either the weather turned or if I just wasn't on top of my game that day or if the trails were not conducive to what my plan entailed. You gotta put your pride aside and make good decisions! I have also built detailed pack notes that I review as I'm packing for whatever the outing is because I know if I forget something it's either going to compromise the outing or possibly put me into an unnecessarily dangerous situation.

The weather plays a huge part in how risky things like solo hiking, trail running, mountain biking can be on any given day. The route Ms. Sotelo was attempting, this time of the year and on the hottest days of the summer, that's a 10 out of 10 on the risk scale, with very very little margin of error for a solo hiker. But on a usual spring/summer/fall day it's just a long hike that I think most fit adult hikers could expect to handle.

 

[joeconn4]

It was noted elsewhere in this thread that this particular trail route would have given Emily 3 peaks of over 4000 ft elevation and one very close to 4000 ft, so this would likely have been the penultimate hike for her goal of 48 peaks over 4000ft by 20th birthday.

This route actually has 5 peaks >4000'.

• Lafayette 5260'
• Lincoln 5089'
• Little Haystack 4780' (not part of the 48 4000'ers list due to less than 200' higher than the col between it and Lincoln)
• Liberty 4459'
• Flume 4328'

Summiting Lafayette first, after that point the terrain is going to feel mostly downhill even though you end up summiting 4 more peaks. Despite that, I'd prefer to do this loop in the opposite direction because IMO the descent off Flume (Flume Slide Trail) is the toughest descent in that area with the most risk even in good weather. I'd much rather go up Flume Slide and go down Greenleaf/Old Bridle Path.

 

[Warwick1991]

RIP Dear Emily, May you soar with the eagles!

First off, Thank you to all the posters here, who have spread their knowledge and expertise regarding the area(s) in NH. It looks like absolute heaven. Gorgeous country.

For the posters here with hiking abilities and history, thank you! I have learned so much! Let me just say, as a flat lander in the Midwest....my hiking history consists of woodlands and stream beds. An occasional dune from the Lakeshores of the Great Lakes. Nothing at all like what I have read about here. The last time I personally tried to hike in a higher elevation, ( CO ) I couldn't breathe!!! Almost ended up in the ER. I wish I had the strength and endurance to go to the mountains and hike.

I watched a YouTube video last night ( on this site a few pages back ) where a guy was hiking and filming in the very same area where Emily was. I was exhausted, my heart was racing...I had to use an inhaler for crying out loud!

My question is for those who hike these trails alone. I am personally bothered by a solo quest, which SCREAMS DANGER!
What would the benefit be vs such a risky and dangerous thing to do? I get the "being one with nature" and pushing my muscles and body to extremes I guess. But, going out climbing cliffs in sub freezing temps, with snow and ice and winds....ALONE....is not only terrifying...it's risky as heck. I just don't understand the draw, risking your life I guess.

Peace

Almost every hike I've done in the White Mountains as an adult has been alone. I did so annually - in the summer - for well over 20 years. That said, I planned and watched the weather, and like many other lone hikers, if there's something presenting a major risk - like a washed out trail or potential preciptitation - I turn around. I made sure I packed a compass, flashlight, fire starting devices, first aid kit, medications, emergency blanket, food, knife/utensils, water, and maps from the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), along with a firearm. I also pack a poncho and use an aluminum hiking pole. My boots provide ankle support - I've learned about that the hard way. I don't depend on a cellphone. Emergency locator beacons are now readily available, and if I went again I'd also pack one of those, along with some flares. Most decent trails in NH are mapped, and it's important to learn to read a map with grades and understand where you're going. Of course tell someone where you're going in case you don't return. All of my solo hikes were day hikes. Also, I generally chose trails that I knew had other people hiking on them.

I did have an accident once - I sprained an ankle right near the summit of a mountain as I began the descent. I did have supplies with me. I went down the trail using a walking stick for extra support. There were other people on the trail, and one group was kind enough to wait until I reached the trailhead and got into my car. The shoes I wore did not have proper ankle support... I didn't repeat that mistake again, and I wore my hiking boots for several days before I actually hiked in them.

Rain can make trails slippery and turn trails to mud, and hazardous conditions can remain well after the rain stops.

As far as objectives are concerned, the goals were self directed and I did not always tell other people about my hiking accomplishments. I felt they were self-discipline exercises in some respects - setting an objective and meeting it without any outside incentives. I proved to myself that I could set an objective and accomplish it - that was enough for me. If heat, cold, or other dangers presented themselves, I turned around. Like @joeconn4, I put my pride aside and tried again when conditions were right.

 

[realanastasia]

Hiker who joined search for teen found frozen pays tribute to her

Fellow hiker Jessie Callaghan paid tribute to the late Emily Sotelo, 19, who was found dead after a grueling four-day search in Franconia Notch State Park on Wednesday.

www.dailymail.co.uk

“Callaghan said she had gone hiking with Sotelo over the summer, and believed the young hiker was likely scared and desperate as she tried making her way down the mountain before getting lost on her solo hiking trip.

'She clearly had completed the most dangerous part of the decent' Callaghan wrote in a Facebook post, noting that Sotelo was found further along the trail from where she was last seen, 'but just didn't make it out. Her body had given up. So close.'

'It was her birthday,' Callaghan added as Sotelo went on the trip days before turning 20. 'This was her 'coming of age' experience.'

Callaghan added that Sotelo's mother was waiting for her in the parking lot after dropping her off at the beginning of the trail.

'I know that I only met her briefly for a magical interlude in the woods,' Callaghan wrote. 'Talking for a couple miles. But her joy, when I met her, brought me joy. It just sucks that it has been snuffed out'.

While a cause of death has not yet been confirmed by an autopsy, police believe she died from exposure.”

 

[Warwick1991]

There's a book called "Not Without Peril, 150 Years of Misadventure on the Presidential Range of New Hampshire," by Nicholas Howe, with an updated edition published in 2012 by the Appalachian Mountain Club, that has many tragic stories of hikes and climbs gone wrong. It is well worth reading, especially if someone hikes in the White Mountains. This book has many accounts of people overcome by sudden changes in the weather. There are accounts of deaths of hikers and climbers that go back many years, with the same mournful outcome. Many of the accounts are heartbreaking, like Emily Sotelo's story.

 

[RickshawFan]

Hiker who joined search for teen found frozen pays tribute to her

Fellow hiker Jessie Callaghan paid tribute to the late Emily Sotelo, 19, who was found dead after a grueling four-day search in Franconia Notch State Park on Wednesday.

www.dailymail.co.uk

“Callaghan said she had gone hiking with Sotelo over the summer, and believed the young hiker was likely scared and desperate as she tried making her way down the mountain before getting lost on her solo hiking trip.

'She clearly had completed the most dangerous part of the decent' Callaghan wrote in a Facebook post, noting that Sotelo was found further along the trail from where she was last seen, 'but just didn't make it out. Her body had given up. So close.'

'It was her birthday,' Callaghan added as Sotelo went on the trip days before turning 20. 'This was her 'coming of age' experience.'

Callaghan added that Sotelo's mother was waiting for her in the parking lot after dropping her off at the beginning of the trail.

'I know that I only met her briefly for a magical interlude in the woods,' Callaghan wrote. 'Talking for a couple miles. But her joy, when I met her, brought me joy. It just sucks that it has been snuffed out'.

While a cause of death has not yet been confirmed by an autopsy, police believe she died from exposure.”

“Gone hiking together over the summer” morphed into “we only hiked a couple miles together, but it was magical”.

“Coming of age” novellas don’t usually result in death, let alone a catastrophic death. The whole point of “coming of age” involves a growth experience in the transition to adult life. I see no growth experience at all in fatal hypothermia. Just sayin’.

The geography in this article doesn’t match the geography of the Franconia ridge, the fact that mom was waiting at the Flume parking lot several miles away (maybe 6?) not the Lafayette parking lot, and poor ES did not descend the mountain and almost make it down; per NH F&G, she got blown off Lafayette and ran down a remote wilderness wash (nowhere near a trail).

IMO romanticizing catastrophes like this waters down the lessons we all need to learn to prevent more tragedies.
Almost this very thing happened to two dudes, in the same place, same conditions, in 2021. But they were lucky to be wearing spikes. They were fortunate SAR got to them in time.

IMO the Whites aren’t any more dangerous than other mountains. It’s just that it’s easy for folks to drive up there from major cities for weekend “adventures”. And since COVID , newbies have been flocking to the Whites. I would guess that ES was one of them.

 

[willyengland]

When I'm so cold in the night and it is getting worse I get up and walk.
After just one day hiking one is normally not completely exhausted. 16 miles over two days isn't much.
But keep in mind that with fall in body temperature mental confusion appears.
Also, women are smaller and often less well clothed. But we don't know ...

 

[ForesterJake]

“Gone hiking together over the summer” morphed into “we only hiked a couple miles together, but it was magical”.

“Coming of age” novellas don’t usually result in death, let alone a catastrophic death. The whole point of “coming of age” involves a growth experience in the transition to adult life. I see no growth experience at all in fatal hypothermia. Just sayin’.

The geography in this article doesn’t match the geography of the Franconia ridge, the fact that mom was waiting at the Flume parking lot several miles away (maybe 6?) not the Lafayette parking lot, and poor ES did not descend the mountain and almost make it down; per NH F&G, she got blown off Lafayette and ran down a remote wilderness wash (nowhere near a trail).

IMO romanticizing catastrophes like this waters down the lessons we all need to learn to prevent more tragedies.
Almost this very thing happened to two dudes, in the same place, same conditions, in 2021. But they were lucky to be wearing spikes. They were fortunate SAR got to them in time.

IMO the Whites aren’t any more dangerous than other mountains. It’s just that it’s easy for folks to drive up there from major cities for weekend “adventures”. And since COVID , newbies have been flocking to the Whites. I would guess that ES was one of them.

Absolutely spot on

 

[ItalyReader]

@Warwick1991 There's a book called "Not Without Peril, 150 Years of Misadventure on the Presidential Range of New Hampshire," by Nicholas Howe, with an updated edition published in 2012 by the Appalachian Mountain Club, that has many tragic stories of hikes and climbs gone wrong. It is well worth reading, especially if someone hikes in the White Mountains. This book has many accounts of people overcome by sudden changes in the weather. There are accounts of deaths of hikers and climbers that go back many years, with the same mournful outcome. Many of the accounts are heartbreaking, like Emily Sotelo's story.
———
Thank you, Warwick, for this incredible book suggestion. ***** five gold stars!
I devoured it in two days.
This should be a must read for anyone considering even a day hike in the White Mountains.
I truly had no idea of the extreme degree of weather there year round. That Idaho weather, by comparison, seemed mild by comparison to the author, gives one the general idea.
Also that it was often impossible to even walk upright due to the regularly high winds, and that rescuers need to crawl supine in order to not be blown off the mountain.
I now understand what the news articles relating to ES referred to when they said she was blown off the mountain.
Author and native born son Nick Howe illustrates so clearly the varied characteristics of the various people attracted to this range.
A mesmerizing panoply of desires, wills, fantasies, egos, determination, selfishness, and selflessness.
Heroes and experts who lived or died, and inexpert hobbyists who lived or died.
Also the extreme and dangerous lengths to which the rescuers went to save lost or stranded hikers.
Every chapter had me newly riveted.

Thank you again.

Btw as I Google researched many of the mentions in the book, by chance I came across a story not mentioned in the book,
of Pam Bales / Infinite Storm. I haven’t watched the film yet but read some summaries of the true story which again indicates the severity of the weather up on the Whites. Worth checking out too.

 

[RickshawFan]

@Warwick1991 There's a book called "Not Without Peril, 150 Years of Misadventure on the Presidential Range of New Hampshire," by Nicholas Howe, with an updated edition published in 2012 by the Appalachian Mountain Club, that has many tragic stories of hikes and climbs gone wrong. It is well worth reading, especially if someone hikes in the White Mountains. This book has many accounts of people overcome by sudden changes in the weather. There are accounts of deaths of hikers and climbers that go back many years, with the same mournful outcome. Many of the accounts are heartbreaking, like Emily Sotelo's story.
———
Thank you, Warwick, for this incredible book suggestion. ***** five gold stars!
I devoured it in two days.
This should be a must read for anyone considering even a day hike in the White Mountains.
I truly had no idea of the extreme degree of weather there year round. That Idaho weather, by comparison, seemed mild by comparison to the author, gives one the general idea.
Also that it was often impossible to even walk upright due to the regularly high winds, and that rescuers need to crawl supine in order to not be blown off the mountain.
I now understand what the news articles relating to ES referred to when they said she was blown off the mountain.
Author and native born son Nick Howe illustrates so clearly the varied characteristics of the various people attracted to this range.
A mesmerizing panoply of desires, wills, fantasies, egos, determination, selfishness, and selflessness.
Heroes and experts who lived or died, and inexpert hobbyists who lived or died.
Also the extreme and dangerous lengths to which the rescuers went to save lost or stranded hikers.
Every chapter had me newly riveted.

Thank you again.

Btw as I Google researched many of the mentions in the book, by chance I came across a story not mentioned in the book,
of Pam Bales / Infinite Storm. I haven’t watched the film yet but read some summaries of the true story which again indicates the severity of the weather up on the Whites. Worth checking out too.

How extreme is it to go up Lafayette in winter with sneakers/trailrunners/low hikers? This guy ^^^^ did it as a suicide method.

 

[Warwick1991]

@Warwick1991 There's a book called "Not Without Peril, 150 Years of Misadventure on the Presidential Range of New Hampshire," by Nicholas Howe, with an updated edition published in 2012 by the Appalachian Mountain Club, that has many tragic stories of hikes and climbs gone wrong. It is well worth reading, especially if someone hikes in the White Mountains. This book has many accounts of people overcome by sudden changes in the weather. There are accounts of deaths of hikers and climbers that go back many years, with the same mournful outcome. Many of the accounts are heartbreaking, like Emily Sotelo's story.
———
Thank you, Warwick, for this incredible book suggestion. ***** five gold stars!
I devoured it in two days.
This should be a must read for anyone considering even a day hike in the White Mountains.
I truly had no idea of the extreme degree of weather there year round. That Idaho weather, by comparison, seemed mild by comparison to the author, gives one the general idea.
Also that it was often impossible to even walk upright due to the regularly high winds, and that rescuers need to crawl supine in order to not be blown off the mountain.
I now understand what the news articles relating to ES referred to when they said she was blown off the mountain.
Author and native born son Nick Howe illustrates so clearly the varied characteristics of the various people attracted to this range.
A mesmerizing panoply of desires, wills, fantasies, egos, determination, selfishness, and selflessness.
Heroes and experts who lived or died, and inexpert hobbyists who lived or died.
Also the extreme and dangerous lengths to which the rescuers went to save lost or stranded hikers.
Every chapter had me newly riveted.

Thank you again.

Btw as I Google researched many of the mentions in the book, by chance I came across a story not mentioned in the book,
of Pam Bales / Infinite Storm. I haven’t watched the film yet but read some summaries of the true story which again indicates the severity of the weather up on the Whites. Worth checking out too.

You're welcome. The AMC has other books on hking in the White Mountains, too, but Howe's book is one that gioves a great perspective. In my earlier post, I didn't specifically mention that even in the summer, I packed a sweater or fleece jacket and an anorak that could resist wind. I always wear long pants when hiking as well - no shorts. in addition to weather protection, it's protection for my legs against brush and insects.

 

[Shamrock1]

I used to tell people that the “or Die” is emphasized when it comes to two things: motorcycle helmets and hiking. (The state motto is “Live Free or Die”). Not Without Peril is a must-read.

 

[Hap]

Here's another great read... about the woman from NYC who attempted a winter hike. Author Ty Gagne is very good at the details...

Author Ty Gagne on "The Last Traverse: Tragedy and Resilience in the Winter Whites"

Have you hiked Mount Lafayette in N.H.'s Franconia Notch? We talked with N.H. author Ty Gagne about his new book “The Last Traverse: Tragedy and…

www.nhpr.org

 

[Snoopster]

@Warwick1991 There's a book called "Not Without Peril, 150 Years of Misadventure on the Presidential Range of New Hampshire," by Nicholas Howe, with an updated edition published in 2012 by the Appalachian Mountain Club, that has many tragic stories of hikes and climbs gone wrong. It is well worth reading, especially if someone hikes in the White Mountains. This book has many accounts of people overcome by sudden changes in the weather. There are accounts of deaths of hikers and climbers that go back many years, with the same mournful outcome. Many of the accounts are heartbreaking, like Emily Sotelo's story.
———
Thank you, Warwick, for this incredible book suggestion. ***** five gold stars!
I devoured it in two days.
This should be a must read for anyone considering even a day hike in the White Mountains.
I truly had no idea of the extreme degree of weather there year round. That Idaho weather, by comparison, seemed mild by comparison to the author, gives one the general idea.
Also that it was often impossible to even walk upright due to the regularly high winds, and that rescuers need to crawl supine in order to not be blown off the mountain.
I now understand what the news articles relating to ES referred to when they said she was blown off the mountain.
Author and native born son Nick Howe illustrates so clearly the varied characteristics of the various people attracted to this range.
A mesmerizing panoply of desires, wills, fantasies, egos, determination, selfishness, and selflessness.
Heroes and experts who lived or died, and inexpert hobbyists who lived or died.
Also the extreme and dangerous lengths to which the rescuers went to save lost or stranded hikers.
Every chapter had me newly riveted.

Thank you again.

Btw as I Google researched many of the mentions in the book, by chance I came across a story not mentioned in the book,
of Pam Bales / Infinite Storm. I haven’t watched the film yet but read some summaries of the true story which again indicates the severity of the weather up on the Whites. Worth checking out too.

I'm adding it to my Christmas list. My family already considers me crazy for taking up hiking in my 60s. I still have a lot to learn. I think there's no better way to learn than from those who stumbled. I wish I could hug each of them personally.

 

[MissMYB]

Wow, that book is gping to be a must read for me. I'm so frustrated and sad that Emily would so casually set off to hike during such conditions in this perilous place. I cannot imagine how her mom must be feeling having watched her walk away to what was to become certain death. So heartbreaking.

 

[ItalyReader]

The obituary for Emily is online and her funeral service is today. They are asking for donations to the various volunteer organizations who searched for her and recovered her, in lieu of flowers. They also include the hikesafe website in the obituary.