The body of a missing teenage girl who was hiking in subzero temperatures has been found after she got lost and succumbed to the cold.

19-year-old Emily Sotelo was found dead after going on a mission to visit all of New Hampshire’s 48 peaks before turning 20.

On Sunday, the girl’s mother dropped off her daughter at a Franconia Notch State Park trail from where the teenager embarked on a solo hike in an attempt to finish her quest.

While walking through the park, however, she strayed off the trail and ended up getting lost while temperatures dropped to well below the freezing point.

After the teen went missing and stopped reporting to her family, a search was initiated and Emily was found dead four days later on her birthday.

Though the official cause of death has yet to be determined, it is believed that the teen died from exposure.

“She made all three peaks she wanted to and unfortunately on the descend she missed the turn which is hard to find on a windy day or just in general,” Emily’s friend, Brian Garvey, explained.

“This has happened before at the same exact area she got off trail was back in 2021. Luckily those guys made it out by thawing out their cell phone under their armpit and SAR found them before they froze.”

Another friend, Jessie Callaghan, said: “She was sweet and so happy to be out in the woods. She was young and ready to take on anything.”

Following the tragedy in the park, Fish and Game officer David Walsh warned people to prepare themselves for the unexpected should they choose to hike in the cold and treacherous environment.

“The biggest lessons learned in a tragedy like this is when you’re hiking in New Hampshire, especially in the White Mountains, be prepared for the unexpected,” he said.

Our thoughts are with Emily’s friends and family during this tragic time.

 

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