Hiker missing in New Hampshire is found dead

Phil Helsel
Updated ·1 min read
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A hiker who went on a solo trek on a New Hampshire mountain three days ago but never returned was found dead Wednesday, state officials said.

Emily Sotelo’s body was found on the northwest side of Mount Lafayette around 11:15 a.m., the New Hampshire Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division said in a statement.

The disappearance of Sotelo, who left for a solo hike Sunday, set off a search that was at times hampered by high winds, cold temperatures and blowing snow, the agency said.

Tracks and items belonging to her were found at the headwaters of Lafayette Brook, the department said, and that led ground teams to the area where she was found Wednesday.

Several search-and-rescue groups, as well as the New Hampshire National Guard, were among those that helped search for Sotelo, the state fish and game department said.

Mount Lafayette is a mountain with an elevation of around 5,200 feet in the northwestern part of the state, near the town of Franconia.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com