Death in the White Mountains: The Tragic Tale of Emily Sotelo
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- čas přidán 28. 01. 2023
- On November 20th, 2022, 19 year old college student Emily Sotelo embarked on a journey to summit Mt. Lafayette in New Hampshire to celebrate her upcoming birthday on the 23rd. This is the story of her journey and how it all went wrong.
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I live in New Hampshire and can confirm that while the White Mountains are not impressively tall, the weather is impressively terrible and unpredictable.
Some consider it the worst weather in the world!
Never turn back!!! Full speed ahead!!! Get in harm's way is a rush!!! What can one say???
That is the truth!
Its amazing how many "hikers" think they can bring a bag of granola, yoga pants, and a selfi stick and theyre prepared for the woods. Thank God natural selection still exists albeit half-neutered. And thank God she hadnt reproduced and spread her defective genes. Also her jawline is very unfortunate for a biological female.
Nature isnt like your favorite glamping Netflix show. Come under prepared and reap the consequences. Nature cares not about coddling you because your minority victim status empowered feminist whatever the hell.
mt wahsington isnt the only mt subjective to dangerous temperatures and high winds, NH is a windy place to begin with almost everyday in the winter the wind chill is 10 degrees below the actual temperature...
I don't understand how under-prepared she was. I have done this loop 3 times in the summer and carried more gear than what was listed in this video. You need to know when to turnaround, never underestimate the White Mountains.
never underestimate mountains in general. but also never underestimate the ocean too (as in being at the beach)
@@Gizziiusa Lakes are dangerous too!
@@fishmonger6879 So true. Especially in winter, and out on the water. A father, and his 2 young sons recently died of hypothermia after they all fell into the lake. They were fishing/boating at night. Not really known what happened that they fell in.
Are White mountains racist? Because hiking is fundamentally rooted in white supremacy. And that's a fact because my purple-haired liberal arts professor told us so.
This is what I don’t get. She just kept going. Didn’t call anyone and ask for help, didn’t turn around and just head back. She wasn’t that far in.
And yeah obviously she wasn’t prepared considering she was wearing shoes and not boots. Snow will get in the top and every step you take you have your ankles covered in snow, which then melts, yada yada. Doesn’t bring a lighter or even a hat? I’m genuinely confused by this case.
Most unbelievable fact about this sad story is how her family disputed the rescuers' assesment about the girl lack of experience.
Taking a course doesn't make anyone by any means "experienced" on anything, it just offers foundational criteria and training which have to be put to use gradually and carefully over time, while being constantly expanded and re-evaluated.
This is especially true when dealing with activities in hostile environments.
That dispute also surprised the hell outta me. The girl is dead...she's under-dressed... ill-equipped... and no nav aid. 2 + 2 = 4.
@@ohioguy215 As I mentioned elsewhere, didn't she hike most of the Whites by this time? I thought she was trying to complete all the 4K+ peaks before her 20th birthday, which may have caused her to push on when she hit bad weather. Considering that background, this makes it even more bewildering.
@@Golf05 The narrator stated that she did do other peaks in the Whites...but not during winter months. The only thing you have to battle in summer is ticks and black flies. It's really not rocket science to prepare for a winter hike which she apparently did not do. Unfortunate.
@@Golf05 PS...for example...no hat. Are you serious. That's rule 1. We're at 14 F today with wind chill of -25. I don't even check the mail without a ball cap and two hoods.
She surely feels responsible.
This is insane. I’m no mountaineer, but even I know her provisions were absolutely ridiculous. A 7-8 hour trek and just one bottle of water, a few granola bars and a banana?! And if I was her mum, there’s no WAY I’d let her go alone, let alone drop her off at 4:30am.
I said this exact samething
I hear ya, her whole story is just odd, down to her mom casually dropping her off alone in the wilderness like it was some two hour light jog around the block 🤔 i dont care how experienced, no sane reasoning mother would let her 19 year old daughter do that without forcing her to at least take more food, water, and clothing or someone to accompany her.
@@adamfrost3139 For real, my mom made me take more gear just to drive to the grocery store in winter, much less climbing a freaking mountain.
And track shoes - not even mountain boots.
There's something very strange going on here. With her family "refuting" claims that she had been unprepared by saying she had completed "a wilderness training course" (then her surviving family members are definitely owed a refund for that)..that she was a "trained EMT", and all the rest of it? . If all true, there was something else happening here. Psychological issues? Substances? INCLUDING possibility of prescription psych drugs which can DEFINITELY mess with judgment and cognition...even cause suicidal ideation and impulses? (Well documented in the literature.) It was her birthday also. So was she celebrating the night before and still under the influence of something????? And birthdays can make people re-evaluate their lives. So again, any possible suicidal ideation going on here??? Just way too many questions here for the very inadequate explanations being offered by the fam. And seems like a lot was being expected of her by her family and herself. Future doctor and all the rest of it. "Shining star" syndrome? College years can make young people very insecure and emotionally vulnerable in a lot of ways. Suicide attempts not all that unheard of, particularly among freshmen. So what's really going on here???? None of these familial assertions of her preparedness wash with the fact that she went into that wilderness by herself at that time of year so woefully unprepared. Is her mother trying to protect herself from some feared legal consequence? ......"Heated gloves" ...great. (could have saved herself money and just gotten a pair of really good mittens which always keep your hands warmer than gloves anyway). But.... no HAT?? Seriously??? EXERCISE pants??? ONE water bottle for a long-ass slog like that that she had to get up at 4:30 a.m. to complete before it would get dark????? No map or compass for at least minimal "old school" navigation purposes? No BOOTS? In the Whites? And didn't they say she had hiked these mountains before? NO flashlight I'm assuming? Even a few extra justifiable pounds for a decent SLEEPING BAG...or even one from Walmart... arguably could have saved her life. Again, what did they teach her in that "wilderness training course"? And what's up with the fam? Uh-uh. No way. Sus as hell. Sorry.
I just don't get how you can claim "wilderness training" and then walk into an arctic condition with no compass, no map, no fire starting provision, not even a minimal head cover or winter footwear. How could anyone be that naive. This one should have never happened.
Yes.
I was thinking the same exact thing. I’m not an expert winter climber but I’ve hiked 30 of these peaks, 20 of them in winter and solo. Many times I’ve carried and had to pull out the same layers of clothing on summer hikes that I start out with in winter. No hat? That’s just insane. And because of the snow drifts on the ridges don’t EVER think you can go up there without a compass. This is so sad.
Naive, arrogant, stupid. And her mother who let her out of the car dressed like that just as ignorant.
@@littleblackpistol I didn't say anything about her mom for a reason. I expect she beats herself up every day since that day. It just stands to reason. Some things are better left unsaid.
I agree
No navigation equipment or firestarter? Just light clothes? This is the problem with hiking becoming a trendy hobby for the masses like aerobics: you get people who act like they're going to a gym and forget that nature is unpredictable and ruthless, and must always be respected. Expect much more of this.
Yeah dude… people are so excited to wear their “cute” yoga pants and sports bra forgetting that it is a dangerous hobby. I know she wasn’t wearing that but I see what you’re saying often
You have to be prepared for any situation. I doesnt seem like she was even prepared for the existing weather. It wasn't a nice day that suddenly turned bad. It seems a bit strange how underprepared she was for an experienced hiker. Minimal clothes, minimal food, and not turning back when the weather worsened seem more like novice moves and we know she wasn't.
My heart goes out to friends and family.
Growing up in Alaska, even as a 12yr old, my dad made sure us idiot-kids learned how always packing emergency supplies, regardless of the trail, season and our constant complaining about how we'd "... never use it dad, gawd your soo mean..." .
As sad as this story is, I m even more shocked that anyone was shocked it happened 😳... as dad always said, just bc it hasn't happened (yet) doesn't mean it can't or won't...only that you've been lucky.
@@LindysEpiphany If you watch the video it says she was prepared for cold weather, but not prepared for getting lost.
There wasn't enough research in this video - Emily was not a hiker, she was a mountain runner - two entirely different things.
Snow can be dangerous even when the trail isn't challenging, at 19 I was dumb and had a bit of a death wish so I went on a hike on a closed trail and a snow storm was coming, it wasn't a high mountain and popular for day trips but the snow storm created these wandering snow banks up to my chest and I had to fight my way through them, it was the most exhausting thing I've ever done and at one point I couldn't move my limbs anymore, I discovered I can override the intense exhaustion by screaming through every step, it was absolute hell and I was crawling out of the forest with nothing left in me, I might have frozen to death but luckily my dad came looking for me.
Wow! Great story !!!!!
Dads are great. My dad was too serious to ever suggest that he was psychic, but I suspect he was. He would text "are you ok?" and invariably, no, I was not. Now I do it with my daughters. I call it my antennas goin off, that's the best way I can describe it. When I was a kid I asked my dad why all my friends had to "check in" at a certain time, but me and my brother had no such rule. He told me if something happens to me, he'll know it, and waiting several hours for a call that's not gonna come is a mistake. Your dad's antenna was wangin that day 🤣. I miss my dad so much.
@@poutinedream5066 sounds like you had a great Dad that was a very special person and loved you very much! Thanks for sharing!
I agree, any and everyone can make mistakes in the wilderness. What seems so easy and gentle can turn extremely difficult in a moment. Buy maps, carry a compass, and make sure you have a deep understanding of where you're going. Becoming lost and hopeless is frightening and common. I know 'cause I've been there.
That happened to me too but I was with my husband. And it was in may so a bright sunny day so no weather issue. I'm more the outdoor person than my husband. The plan was to hike the not so high mountain and catch the gondola at the top to go down. But I didn't consider the difficulty/steepness of some areas, sometimes clambering up the sides & I was unprepared of the physical challenge on my body. It took us longer than expected, my legs cramped a few times, I was dehydrated and had no energy to continue and I can see the panic on my husband's face, he massaged my legs & pushed me to go on. We almost missed the gondola, arriving 10 min before the last gondola would have left. If we missed it, we might have called rescue cuz I don't have the strength anymore. I tell you my legs were shaking so hard and I didn't down a gatorade so fast in my life.
The infamous “day hike” is in fact one of the most dangerous hikes. People go up thinking they’ll be back in a few hours, so if things go bad there massively less prepared than if you were spending an night
Seriously I have seen people hike some of our mountains here in the Cascades in Washington with literally just a tank top on and shorts no backpack no nothing but the minimal clothes on their backs.
@@chenanigans I have gone out for a quick jog on unfamiliar forest trails and stumbled back many hours later on the brink of collapse.
8 miles of rugged terrain may not be doable in a day... I wouldn't even attempt that in snow with good gear unless I had to.
If I was doing that trip, at that time of year I would take gear that would allow me to survive overnight in case things went wrong. A 20 lb pack of survival gear would have turned a fatal outcome into a memorable misadventure.
Right! My rule is, always be prepared for a day hike to turn into an overnight stay. You might not bring a sleeping bag or tent, but should have a tarp or emergency foil blanket and extra food, water, clothing, and fire starting materials.
Never underestimate how quickly things can go bad when you're alone, even on the most seemingly easy trips. This story reminds me of my cousin, who went to Northstar Tahoe a few years ago. He had an extra day off, so he wanted take a weekend trip up there and get some skiing in on the fresh snow. He'd done this same trip countless times before, and had over 40 years of experience with hiking, backpacking, etc. He invited his brother to go with him, but the latter turned him down because he couldn't get the day off. So my cousin got his gear, hopped in his truck, and went up there alone. He was supposed to be back at home Monday, but never showed. Which was fine, maybe he got caught in traffic. My elderly aunt would leap out of her chair every time a car passed the house, hoping he was finally back. She couldn't sleep that night, and called in for search and rescue the next morning. It didn't take them long to find his truck... and him.
He'd fallen headfirst into a tree well. His brother had to drive up there to confirm and bring back the body. And whatever he saw up there has haunted him ever since. I don't want to describe what falling like that and being exposed to the elements for a few days will do to a human skull. Just use your imagination. Needless to say, he had a closed casket funeral. For the sake of our sanity, we all agreed that he must have died quickly, that he hadn't been conscious and screaming in agony in his final moments. But we'll never know. He was a kind person who didn't deserve to die alone out in the snow. All he got was a 10 second mention on the local news, and that was that. His brother blamed himself for not tagging along for what should have been a quick and easy trip. He visited that grave every day for the next year. I and most of the others in my generation of the family love outdoors activities, and I'm sure at least one of us would've been able to go along if we'd known about it. But we didn't. So, take care out there, folks. Bring a friend, let trusted people know where you're going, take everything you need, research the area and trails, stay up to date on the weather, and check in often. Because sometimes the worst case scenario does happen.
Yaaaawwn
That's terrible. I hope his brother finds peace. Guilt is a killer. So many people out here, self hating, self medicating, self sabotaging, feeling guilt that's been long forgiven, or like in this case, for something they couldn't have possibly foreseen. He's gotta get past this. Maybe professional help, but he's gotta navigate through it somehow before it's too late. Best wishes.
@@jokesonyou1373 Yawn is what your girl says ever time you try and bang her
I'm so sorry for your loss
@@poutinedream5066 Thank you. He didn't eat or sleep for the week between him retrieving the body and the funeral. He was a shaky wreck for a while after that. But he's fine now. He's since gotten married and still has his career. Had Thanksgiving with him and my aunt and uncle just a couple of months ago. He's back to normal, but kept the beard he grew after the funeral. He'll be all right.
She, obviously, had the "I'm bulletproof" mentality of a young person. I think back and realize my foolish actions that could have led to my death. Most of us know well how "young and dumb" we were. Condolences to the family.
Speak for yourself, perhaps, about the "bulletproof" thing? All generalizations are inherently flawed. Just take a look around you; a sense of invincibility is not the exclusive domain of youth. How old is Donald Trump? Vladimir Putin? What was the average age of those people who attempted to overthrow our government on January 6th? Etc., etc. I think there's an old Pennsylvania Dutch saying: "Too soon we grow old.... too late, smart."
@@meself349 i think the smart thing passed you by.
@@meself349 when that feeling carries on to the adult years is pathological. It's fairly normal when we are young to feel that we are gonna stay young and alive for ever, even when we know we won't.
@@meself349 Seek help
No. I was never not sensible when I was young.
A little philosophy I took from the military is “ if your plan is that everything is going to go right, then you do not have a plan.”. I apply it to the outdoors as well. Listen, I’ve made mistakes. I once made a mistake in the Whites many years ago, that left me exposed on a ridge in a lightning storm. But I was lucky. So I’m a lot smarter now. I’m so sorry that this young woman’s mistake cost her life.
A lightning storm, damn that must've been scary!
I had some friends, two of whom were self-reliant, capable climbers with considerable experience in wintertime climbing, nearly get killed on Mt Washington by a fast moving storm. Underestimate the White Mountains, especially during winter, at one’s own peril!
Mt. Washington is dangerous and unpredictable even in the best conditions. There are too many stories up there of rocks coming down just before or after the cars on the car trail (I will not call that a "road"), weather on the summit changing so quickly that people get stranded up there for hours... not a good place. Glad they got off of the mountain alive!
I was on Mount Washington climbing the Pinnacle Gully on the 21st, absolutely gorgeous day until 3 pm when we started getting pelted with projectile ice and spindrift off of the now filed above. We made the choice to turn back before it got any sketchier, knowing when to call it quits is a very important, and uncommon skill.
Hahaha that's funny to me. More cocky fools claimed by nature. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
@@IAmSaveRio yeah you had to get to basecamp to change each others tampons. Fools.
@@DeborahRosen99 You’re absolutely right and very well said. The formations up there on Mt. Washington, created by blasts of rime ice simply look otherworldly, and the way the station up there is chained to peak itself looks pretty damn intimidating if you ask me.
This was kinda crazy on her part. I remember I went to Aspen in December one year and only had tennis shoes. I went outside for a hike and realized within 10 minutes that my feet were gonna freeze off if I kept walking up that trail, so I went to the ski shop and bought some waterproof winter boots. I wasn’t even gonna walk 8 miles like this girl. People need to have more sense and less confidence.
tennis shoes in winter? xD
@@AirNorthOne If you've not had much experience with snow in your life, you might wear tennis shoes in the snow. But you'll only do it once. I moved from Texas to Iowa in January and I only had tennis shoes and flip flops. I had no clue.
@@SarahGreen523 understandable 🙂
Not saying tragedy can't strike, but there are posted warnings and instructions left by professionals all over the Whites. What strikes is overconfidence and carelessness.
Any classes that don't teach to over prepare and avoid hiking alone and stay home in threatening conditions are worse than useless.
Hearing her packing list at the beginning hurt so much. Whenever you hike, ESPECIALLY IF ALONE, you should have the 10 essentials. Things like map, compass, emergency blanket, extra food and water, flashlight, and fire starter. Plus in the winter: handwarmers, goggles, wool socks, and a hat and layers for the love of god. Amazed she got that far without microspikes too
I would think at LEAST a HAT was basic common sense.
In those overnight conditions (-20F) an emergency blanket would likely not have been enough. A ground pad, light (silnylon) tarp with trek poles and pegs to create a shelter, and light sleeping bag with a liner would have saved her.
she wasn't even wearing headgear
I carry more than she did when i take the bus to work.
IMO a mobile phone (she texted her mother) is a fool's "comfort blanket". Here in Britain there's always news stories of mountain rescuers having to "strongly advise" idiots they have rescued, who have ventured onto slopes armed just with those devices and no other equipment or suitable clothing/footwear. People expect to be rescued just with a call (like roadside assistance). "I've got a map, it's on my mobile!". "Darling please keep in touch, you do have the emergency numbers don't you?". Sometimes very expensive helicopters have had to be used, which are not charged for. The mobile phone is here to stay. Just expect more tragedies like this.
Many years ago, my ice climbing friends and I attempted a winter ascent of Mt. Washington. We exited the treeline and the wind was unreal. 500' from the top we had to turn back. The weather turn into a complete whiteout, and you could barely stand in the wind. To this day I don't know how we found our way back down to the parking lot. It was brutal. When we left the parking lot that morning to start the climb, it was roughly 45 degrees and partly cloudy. Mt. Washington deserves every bit of its fearsome reputation.
Glad you came down safely. I think Mt. Washington may be the most dangerous peak in New England, both for its weather and its geology.
ha ha, not to be cruel but its posted everywhere and you guys found out why.
There is a very good book about decision making in the mountains, it’s called Where You’ll Find Me. It’s a short read about another women who passed away trying to traverse part of the Northern Whites in the winter. Having spent a lot of time in the Whites it always makes me sad to hear of such great avoidable loss. I am very sorry for her, her family and friends.
It's not just severe cold winter conditions that can kill, but the opposite extreme. This incident reminds me of another involving strangely enough an ER doctor who died when she went off trail at the Grand Canyon. And it was a very strange incident: she left her young daughter and nephew at the side of a trail to get water from the river by going off trail. Got lost and died from exposure. She was not only an experienced hiker, but one who had hiked that very trail multiple times. Had another hiker not come along and spotted the kids and taken them to the trailhead, they too would had perished. The woman was a well respected doctor and obviously very intelligent AND experienced, yet, she still made an incredibly stupid decision. So often people with experience seem to make very bad choices and I believe at a certain point in a person experience, they become over confident and get the idea that they can handle any situations or somehow the rules don't apply to them anymore.
This happens not with just hikers and mountain climbers, but pilots, spelunkers, etc.
RIP Sarah Beadle. She had spent the 2 months prior tramping around the National Parks out west with her children and a neice or nephew. It was the height of the summer heat when they did the Grand Canyon. Less than 7 miles from the trailhead yet they drank all their water before reaching the river, just a short mile away. Tragic
Doctors are unfortunately often known for their 'I am so special' arrogant personalities, unfortunately. It's I AM SMART syndrome - they think that because they are smart in one area (the area of expertise they trained years for), they are naturally superior at everything they try, and certainly superior to the advice of lesser mortals, meaning anyone without their level of education. It's from years of being top of the class and praised and rewarded for being good at exams etc. Nature will make a monkey out of these idiots fast, and fatally when they bring this attitude into situations they have no education about, and especially when they ignore all advice from the lessers.
@@littleblackpistol Not always. I always thought caring for people was right. And have learned that there are so many predators out there, male and female, looking for caring people that they can rip off and destroy. Look into it more deeply.
Reminds me of a case in Moab, UT -- an MD took his two sons mt. biking on the strenuous, technical Porcupine Rim trail on a hot, summer day -- 107 F. The whole first half is mostly uphill. They ran out of water and the younger son, 10-12, was suffering heat stress. The father MD told him to stay put in the pitiable shade of a juniper tree while he and older son U-turned to get water... when rescue team made it to the spot, the boy was gone. They didn't find his body for 3 days -- suffering heat stroke, he had wandered off erratically in a delirium.
Technical mt. biking going uphill is like sprinting -- in the blazing sun, you're transpiring gallons of sweat. The father MD should have known this. Even good hydration is often not enough to prevent heat stress if you're burning energy like thatin the broiling sun with almost no shade. In my 60s now, I've been on two short, moderate hikes in 102 F August heat in the southwest, and didn't think I was going to make it back under that relentless sun --- staggering to the finish line. I know my much reduced limits now.
@@plnkfloydian7814 TWO cases cited here of medical doctors, who well know that "heat can kill too," but still LOST THEIR CHILDREN because they didn't understand this WELL ENOUGH, wise guy.
I'm from New England and remembered this happening and seeing all the missing posts about it on local facebooks. The White Mountains are no joke. Being active in the outdoors-- ALWAYS remember your 10 essentials & pack like you might get stuck there. (Coming from someone who accidentally got stuck on a trail & had to backtrack on Mt. Mansfield in VT with one of my friends, our maybe 6 hour hike turning into a 14hr one).
If she had taken a course on wilderness survival, she didn't put what she had learned into practice. Proper footwear, a head covering and tools to start a fire are the big 3 absolute must have items for survival. Even if you only have the ability to light a fire and nothing else, you stand a decent chance of surviving. Shelter is another very big point, but you can scavenge the items needed for a shelter if need be. I include 2 big black trash bags with me in my emergency survival kit, which is kept on my person at all times.
None of this sort of advice is practical for her. She was woefully unprepared.
Even if she had a hatchet and fire starter she would've died.
Chick was out in negative Fahrenheit Temps with 50mph winds.
When it's that cold you literally lose control of fingers and hands.
She didn't even have a hat on. And leggings ?!?
She was probably dead way before even the first evening, like they estimated
RE: Brad Kempton above: Packing a couple trashbags I agree are very beneficial -- even for short hikes. Can sit on them when ground is damp, can sit on them in snow, use as a protection in rain or snow, and to keep equipment dry(er). They scrunch or fold nicely, don't take much room or weight. Cheap protection. I've used trashbags, wrapped in ropes too as boot heighteners for emergency stream crossing.
@@urdadshusband781 Yes, I agree. She failed the baseline of survival - dress for the weather you will encounter. She knew she was going above treeline in winter, in an area notorious for sudden breaks of appalling winds and snowstorms. Yet she dressed like she was going to the bloody gym to workout Trainers and leggings, n hat, which staggers me, seriously. And carried useless bits of fruit, ffs. I am guessing it's yet another case of I AM VERY SMART - the kid who learns they are smart, and thinks that means they don't need advice from those they deem less smart ie people not going to medical school. As someone who was fixated on medical school, she sure didn't understand basic human biology as pertains to cold weather, wind chill and insulating oneself properly, or how hypothermia works.
The "absolute must have" item I bought for my (adult) kids and insist they take with them (yes they're adults but I'm still their mom) is a PLB. They're pretty experienced in the outdoors (hiking, rock climbing, snowboarding, etc.) so they go prepared, but an emergency can happen with even the most prepared people. They take their PLBs with them every time they go out into nature.
@@theodoralambert7999well said!
This is my backyard and I was really upset that I heard of her disappearance after it was too late. Most people don't understand the difference between hiking these trails in the summer and doing it in the fall and winter. We might not have any peaks over 6500 feet, but you can have cool calm weather at 800 ft above sea level, and 100 mph winds and -60 at 1200. I learned this the hard way when I was a teenager and if I hadn't been carrying a small bottle of gasoline like my uncle taught me, my best friend and I would have died on that same mountain in 2001
how do you light a fire in 100mph wind?? Can you elaborate?
Story!!!
@@Asp3n77 you don't! I imagine you're dead if you're at the summit exposed to something like that. I've been forced to turn back in the summer due to high winds and rain that felt like you were being hit with BBs all over your body and I doubt it was more than 30 mph. Probably still had a good mile or more to the summit and where we turned back it was mostly exposed but still nothing like what you'd experience at the observatory
@@Asp3n77 A friend and I decided we were going to ignore a storm warning because we had planned the trip in the summer and know the area we were hunting/camping very well. I figured with the right equipment and our campsite being in a really sheltered area only a half mile where we break off the entrance it was just snow we would deal with. We had planned to make camp and have dinner before the storm rolled through and we'd just hunker down for the night. We did get there on time, 45 minutes later than I wanted but plenty of time to set up and get comfy. I was right about us not experiencing any real strong winds at that elevation but completely wrong about how cold it would get. I had to wake my buddy up to get a fire started while I tried to make a wind break because even though the wind wasn't bad it was constant. It took us hours to get a fire going. I was just about to give up and say let's just try to make our way down. Next morning everything was covered in ice. So beautiful but I got my ass kicked falling down constantly. Even if I had brought crampons you would have to really stomp your foot down to dig in and get traction. I was just a kid so it was a good experience because I was finally forced to accept I'm not invincible, I'm not the world's greatest outdoorsman, and even if you're informed of the conditions have adequate gear mistakes are still made and things don't always go as planned, so from then on I knew to take it more seriously and if there's a risk like that I now have a check list and a plan in place/certain protocols to follow so that I'll be out of danger or if needed contact rescue long before the situation is dire. We had no cell phones or radio and our families only knew what side of the mountain we were on. All my planning had relied on us and it worked right up until we let the fire go out even though we had no tent heater. One mistake can change everything and if someone's hurt or you become hypothermic the mistakes are like a domino effect
Sorry for the enormous sentagraph
Never change your background music man, it matches your voice and narrative style perfectly, keep them coming broski!!!
Agreed
Best of all, is that it's still easy to hear what he says.
I don't hear any background music
so you enjoy music that makes even the happiest person consider suicide?
I feel so sad for this girl’s family. She was overconfident and it cost her her life, but it’s still really sad.
Sounds like she never checked the weather. That’s kinda important in winter in the mountains
Her dopey Mom dropped her off and apparently waited on her hand and foot. There's more to parenting than doing everything your child tells you to do.
she was an idiot lolxxx
Typical whiteLib
Based on her family's reaction to her being called inexperienced, they're likely part of the problem.
There is LITERALLY NO WAY, that I would drop my daughter off alone at 4:30 AM , ALONE to hike in the mountains!!! NO WAY!!!
😢😢😢
Totally agree.. smh
Especially the White Mountains!!! Its like the Mini Mount Everest of the East Coast in the US.
Also I feel like I would have insisted that my child bring the appropriate gear for hiking, but maybe her mom was just clueless. I feel really bad for her that she was the one who dropped her daughter off.
At least check the forecast first.
I ride bicycles long distances.
I check the weather first.
If it says 90 plus or 40 and lower
I just don’t go. Not worth my life
I live in this region of New Hampshire. The White Mountains may not be very high compared to the Rockies and other ranges, but they are not to be taken lightly. They create their own weather, and Mt. Washington (the tallest of the range) is the location of the strongest winds ever recorded with humans present. The weather can turn on a dime and even the best local weather stations frequently struggle to predict local temperature and precipitation. It's a beautiful place, but one mistake can cost your life in the White Mountains. I heard of Emily's story in the local news as it unfolded, and I knew she couldn't have made it through the first night. My sympathy goes out to her friends and family.
I LOVE the white mountains in NH...one year we went to Bretton Woods for a few days to ski..one day we were kinda not feeling up to skiing...but wanted to go to the base lodge and just relax...I didn't wear any long underwear because we weren't doing any skiing...so the walk from the parking lot to the base lodge was absolutely frigid...the wind was blowing pretty hard too..I was thinking to myself...so this is what it's like to be here essentially "naked" ...naked meaning not wearing skiing layers of clothing..only had worn my regular street clothes..hat..ski jacket..gloves...and boots ...I miss skiing as I no longer can do it...but I have awesome memories ❤
As an experienced Hiker and Outdoorsmen, I avoid Winter summits, it's just too dangerous. My season starts in early May and ends in mid-October. Even fair-weather hiking can be dangerous especially when hiking alone.
It's only as dangerous as your own incompetence. You knowing where to draw your limits is very admirable. Winter hiking isn't for the weak, that's for sure.
in august of 1989, i and a friend were camping in the white mts. we were driving in our car in late morning when we suddenly decided to climb mt washington. weve done it before, even in the winter, so since the weather was beautiful, we didnt bother going back to camp to get our equipment that we should have had for this hike. cotton clothes, shorts, nothing for cold weather or nourishment. once we were well on our way into the hike, it started raining and the winds picked up. soon it was sleeting. we were on the verge of hyperthermia and in bad shape. we knew we had to go back down and getting totally out of it, we thought we were on our way down but next thing we see through the fog and mist was the sign telling us the summit was one half mile to the top. we knew we had no choice but to continue up to the summit. as we were doing this a hiker was coming down, and looking at us, he started telling us how stupid we were plus other certain words i wont repeat about our lack of intelligence. all true of course but the shape we were in we only wanted to get to the top. we got to the top and they let us inside, but they were closing the mt down because of the weather, and there was 1 last vehicle going down in about an hour. that whole hour i was shivering and my hands were shaking. finally,as we were going down in the vehicle, i was in alot better shape including my friend. we found out later that 1 hiker died on another mt because of the weather that day. to this day my friend wont talk about that hike. we still hike but because of our stupidity we had to learn "experience gives the test before the lesson". we were very, very lucky to have survived to somehow find that sign to the summit.
So sad, her Mother must feel so guilty, what was she thinking going up a mountain in winter so badly prepared.
Her mother seems in denial that her daughter did anything wrong.
@@littleblackpistol Well feeling guilty now will do her no good.
She literally drove her to her death. Did she not notice the lack of gear?
@@Diana-gn8rp Let’s hope she doesn’t think about it like that. I doubt Emily would want her mother to blame herself.
I get the impression the mom knew nothing about hiking and lacked the knowledge to understand the risks. If one of my college age kids wanted to hike in cold weather I would go over the supplies and clothing needed, etc.
I'm originally from NH - grew up there, and when I was younger backpacked trails like the Lafayette trail and others. I never went without at least one other guy, and we planned our hike in advance and used full size packs that could carry down -20 mummy bag, tent, and all other related equipment that we would need if we got into a trouble situation. We went knowing that something could potentially go wrong, especially regarding the weather. On more than one occasion we made the decision not to go as far as we originally intended in order to save our lives. This girl, unfortunately, was very foolish not to be adequately prepared. Never ever underestimate the White Mountains in any season of the year.
Good for you!
To think she only packed a banana and not even wore a hat. Sigh,..i feel sad for her but angry too a little, its like "damnit woman, what the hell were you thinking"😖 🤦♂️
I'm not much of a hiker but I do like a long walk occasionally, and go fishing somewhat more often.
Rule 1 is tell someone where I'm going and rule 2 is take someone if I'm going "off the beaten path" or on an unfamiliar route.
@@adamfrost3139 she wasn't unfortunately.
@@adamfrost3139 Gods way of thinning the herd.
A common saying while I was in Scouts was “Hope for the best, plan for the worst.” Especially for cold weather, where it is better to pack more clothes than you may think is necessary. You can always take layers off, but you can’t put on what you don’t have.
The problem with people saying things like you did here...she wasn't even prepared for the best. She was not making it up and down that mountain that day, regardless of getting lost.
One part of this story that is puzzling is her departure time of 4:30 am in unfamiliar terrain (for her). According to one of the SAR officials who assisted in her recovery, Emily did not have a headlamp, or other form of lighting with her. It would have been pitch dark when she was dropped off, and sounds like it was likely overcast. Without a light, she would not have been able to see 5 feet ahead for at least another hour. Did she wait around in the cold for the sun to rise an hour later? With no light under such conditions it would be virtually impossible to even get started without getting hopelessly lost. It simply doesn't make sense to begin such a potentially perilous journey a full hour before first light with no light. And things going as they did, she would have been helpless without a light once it got dark again. Such a tragic, and sad outcome.
gotta wonder if she lost some of her equipment somewhere along the way and ppl are just assuming she didn't bring it.
I often hike in the woods with no light turned on, although I do have one with me. I just got back from a night hike near Mt. Lafayette tonight (Osseo trail). I agree she should have had a light (and lots of other equipment), but it is often possible to hike without one. For example, in the winter the trail is often so packed down by other people that you immediately feel if you've stepped off of it. The Mt. Lafayette trail, particularly at the bottom of the mountain, is easy to follow because it's wide, especially if you have good night vision. I love hiking at night in the dark. I turned around a mile from the summit because I needed crampons & possibly ice axes and didn't have them.
This was super sad to watch. The fact she was all alone when she died makes it worse. She was most definitely terrified. I'm a fairly reckless 27 year old dude and I don't think I would have gone on such a hike alone in those conditions. Too bad she couldn't have gotten out of there.
Your mountaineering content is phenomenal. The storytelling and structure of your videos are great. Please produce more!
Oh, hey! I caught a fresh one this time! Heh!
It breaks my heart that the family was skeptical of her death being natural causes bc she had wilderness training. ANYONE can get lost and die in the wild, at any skill level. It could have been her downfall in a sense, she may have been too confident in her abilities and obviously under concerned about the weather...
Bless her family for asking for any donations to go to the search and rescue teams though. Not only to compensate for her search and retrieval but for future ones as well. I hope they can heal from this tragedy.
Just based on the video (and no further background research into what the family said in detail) I don't think they doubt her death was from natural causes. They just refuted the official statement that Emily was totally unprepared by saying that she had taken classes to prepare herself.
That said: It doesn't sound like she followed the tips she learned in that training.
Absolutely. The family placed too much faith in the wilderness training and not enough belief in the cruelty of weather. People who've had survival training, even very experienced ice climbers, are sometimes caught off guard by a vicious storm in rugged conditions. Emily simply didn't have the proper equipment and supplies for the hike, no matter how difficult it is for her parents to accept. I hope they can find whatever peace is possible in the aftermath of this tragedy.
Wilderness survival training is one thing. Winter wilderness survival is quite another. She didn't know enough to recognize when conditions were too dangerous to continue (arguably, when her mother dropped her off). She went out in the mountains when it was snowing with no hat, no snow boots, nothing to start a fire with, and plainly no idea of the forecast - who does that? No understanding of how to build a snow shelter. No food to speak of to keep her calorie needs met, and probably no idea how to find food on the mountain (in winter). She had no business being out there.
@@DeborahRosen99 these cases are similar IMO to the scuba divers that go into caves not understanding the gravity of the situation and without knowing that it’s not the same. They know enough to get themselves into trouble. It’s unfortunate, seems like education is about all you can do. We don’t know what we don’t know, but often times we think we do!
@@DeborahRosen99 Agreed. She approached the hike as if it was a walk in the park behind her house. She shouldn't have had to pay for her mistake with her life but she did seriously underestimate the risk.
It’s my day off and don’t want to get out of bed. That is why I am here, thanks for the content!
It’s kind of crazy to see you cover this story! I live in Maine and I hike in the white mountains all the time, I’ve actually done this exact hike she’s done before and it is NOT an easy hike. It was heartbreaking to hear it all unfold. Then not too long after her death there was I believe two more that happened as well. It’s heartbreaking to see
The problem with the notion about learning from one's mistakes is that there are some mistakes you cannot afford to make. One should learn from the mistakes of others, foremost of which is the belief that it won't happen to you. This was a totally preventable tragedy.
Godspeed Ms. Emily Godspeed 💗💗As A 28 Year Climber & Hiker In The White Mountains New Hampshire I’ve Done This Loop 25 Times, 15 Times In Full Winter Conditions. The Section Just Above Greenleaf Hut To The Ridge Is One Of The Most Tricky To Follow In The Whites Especially In A Whiteout. We’ve Turned Around In That Exact Spot Before In A Whiteout. Please RESPECT The Memories Of This Fallen Angel. It’s Shaken Us To The Core. Also A Huge Thank You To ALL The Search & Rescue Agencies & Groups That Work In The Whites 💗💗 These Are Some Of Most Beautiful & Spiritual Mountains On Earth…. That Said They’re Also Some Of The Unforgiving.
👍🙏
Are you just retarded or were you dropped on your head as a crack-baby? You don’t need to capitalize every single word you fuckin’ troglodyte
There's no way this lady was an experienced hiker. If it snowed the day before and she knew that there's no way an experienced person would wear low crop shoes
Didn't she climb all the other 4K+ elevation mountains in the Whites and was trying to complete the last of them before her 20th birthday? She had to have some idea what she was doing so this is all very baffling.
Experienced only in the sense she had hiked a lot before. Knowledgeable? Not at all. Frighteningly ignorant and arrogant rather. I think she had likely been lucky before because there's no way she was prepared properly for all the other hikes but shat the bed on this one.
@@littleblackpistol Well, if she did 46 of the peaks without incident, that's a lot of luck. I think she just hit the perfect storm on this one and paid the price. Don't know if she typically hikes this late in the season but with her birthday coming up in Nov, I suspect she pushed too hard to get her final peaks in before then. Very sad.
@@littleblackpistol that's my takeaway. She had enough experience to make her think she could do it, but lacked the wisdom to appreciate what could go wrong. Sometimes people are lucky, lulling them into a false sense of confidence until their luck runs out.
@@Golf05 Some people do experience luck in quantities though. I think you are right in that she finally met her match with the appalling late season conditions this last time though.
I hiked this loop in 2019, after my thru hike attempt of the AT (quit after 950 miles in Virginia bc of a chronic tendinitis). As I still had some time and funds left , I decided to travel north and do a couple of day hikes. In other words: I was fairly experienced at this point. It was June, the weather was perfect (in the low 70ies at the trail head), blue skies, no winds. But this trail still kicked my butt. To attempt this loop in wintertime, solo during snowfall, with only trail runners, a couple of granola bars and no GPS or emergency device whatsoever, is suicide. I am sorry for their friends and family. But I hope that some may take it as a cautionary tale. Friends of mine got into a huge pickle a month later on Mt. Washington. In July!! The Whites can be brutal!
Agreed. This girl needs major judgment for being so asinine and putting others at risk trying to rescue her silly self. How the hell does anyone, let alone the 'experienced' (blah blah) hiker get to the point they look at that peak in winter and dress like they are going to the gym?
@@littleblackpistol Sir, because she is 19. As I recently posted, I have had five truly real near-death experiences - all under the age of 20. I was an excellent athlete in great shape. I look back and shiver. Situational awareness is rare in your teens. By the age of 25, mortality took on a different approach, to include orders to Vietnam.
@@tomperkins5657 true, some once mentioned, teenager's brain is not fully developed/mature till mid 20s, girls a little earlier, boys usually slightly later. Before that, their judgement to risk is impaired.
Let me get this straight….
Your first attempt at a thru-hike ends in dramatic failure (you didn’t even make it half way)….
…and that makes you “experienced”???
Lololol
How does that even make sense?
“I tried to do something, and failed half way. I have a physical impairment that prevents me from completing this sort of thing.
In order words…I’m experienced”
Lololol
No
“In other words”…you better keep practicing and stop acting like you know what you’re talking about.
Geez Louise!
This ENTIRE VIDEO is about sanctimonious audacity getting a girl in trouble.
Don’t boast audacity yourself.
You’re missing the entire point.
@@anais4766 You are absolutely correct, sir.
OMG folks! Anyone, especially solo, should carry a Garmin Inreach. Even in less challenging conditions, unanticipated circumstances may happen. Don't force the mountain rescue to risk their lives looking for you with no information about where you are.
Its amazing how many "hikers" think they can bring a bag of granola, yoga pants, and a selfi stick and theyre prepared for the woods. Thank God natural selection still exists albeit half-neutered. And thank God she hadnt reproduced and spread her defective genes. Also her jawline is very unfortunate for a biological female.
Nature isnt like your favorite glamping Netflix show. Come under prepared and reap the consequences. Nature cares not about coddling you because your minority victim status empowered feminist whatever the hell.
Thanks. Your post helped pushed me to research options for Australian conditions.
I've never owned a Garmin, but Google Maps on a cell phone has directed me back to the trail more than once when I have taken a wrong turn. You see your location with respect to the trail very clearly .. no reason for anyone to not have access to this navigation aid.
As someone whose around the same age as the person in question and has also done all of the 48, she was incredibly unprepared for it. I haven’t done any of the 48 alone and I wouldn’t either. It’s tragic but shows why being prepared is important
I hate to see your channel lacking the growth it deserves. The algorithm needs to show you some love this year!
Hiking in freshly fallen snow without snowshoes will kill your legs, too. It's worse than walking in loose sand. Your calves will be screaming at you fairly quickly if you're not used to it.
This is a very sad story of a young and joyful soul who embarked on a journey ill-prepared for what Mother Nature threw at her. Even with two years of experience journeying on other mountains Emily embarked without even the basic survival gear. As a former military survival instructor I advise my students to always go prepared for nature outings or adventures. It is better to have survival gear and not need it than to need it and not have it. Rest in peace, Emily.
the wilderness survivor course didnt help
As a winter hiker in the mountains, both the white mountains and ADK, she was not at all prepared for a winter hike up high... Very sad situation.
What is ADK?
@@nancybryson5488 Adirondacks
@@nancybryson5488 Adirondacks.
@@nancybryson5488 Adirondack mountains in eastern NY. There’s 46 “high peaks” (above 4000 feet).
@@gregoryeusanio2720 some obove 5,000ft.
I just don't understand why people continue to get themselves in these predicaments. As a woman, I would never go into the vast wilderness alone like this. There are so many things that can go wrong from animal attacks, to breaking an ankle, getting lost, change of weather, losing cell reception. It's not worth the risk!
Not to get all fuddy duddy about it but you better be prepared if you're a man too. Wilderness rules know no gender.
@@jonathanbrown4933 I appreciate you saying that so respectfully. I think she meant that we are at a far greater risk for gender-based violence from men who might also be venturing outdoors. As you said, nature doesn’t discriminate.
I was not that she was alone that led to her death. It was that she was woefully unprepared.
Has nothing to do with gender.
@@lizziepadalecki8116 she didn’t mention that. You did.
Thank you for posting this video
Climbing a 5000 plus ft mountain in late November is just a Bad Idea to begin With…
Never underestimate the naivety of a 19yr old. This is sad and I hope the family has found peace
Naivete and arrogance.
@@trawlins396 absolutely there's for the same words I used in another thread elsewhere that she was naive and arrogant .
I also used the word ignorant because this case is absolutely mind-blowing .
Mother’s description of the mountains is the epitome of the sublime.
man that's tragic. I made the mistake of hiking in the winter under prepared at Mt Greylock in MA. the darkness falls so fast in the winter and the cold turns more wicked. once I felt my body going into emergency mode I retreated as quickly and carefully back to safety. luckily I wasn't at the mercy of any terrible weather conditions like Emily. it was a horrifying experience and I know it had to be frightening to her. hope her family is at peace and she's remember well
Under prepared is an understatement.
In my scuba diving experiencing "You never dive without an experienced Buddy". She had no training....just an inexperienced hike while being totally unprepared. God rest her soul.
Never hike climb or dive alone
The New Hampshire White mountains aren’t the highest obviously, but several weather factors coming together right overhead gives them some of the most extreme weather in the world. Check out the observatory for an idea of what it looks like up there on a mild spring day everywhere else.
You told this story so well, very compelling and tragic. Just subbed.
This is so sad. Emily had her whole life ahead of her. Thank you for telling her story.
I'm from NH and followed this closely. How she thought her decisions to do this with next to no gear just blows my mind. Bring from the white mountains I've seen this happen so many times and their is no reason for it.
I grew up next to Mount Lafayette and it always was this big imposing mountain your parents always warned you wasn’t a mountain to take lightly. so sad this happened.
Thank you for taking the time to speak clearly and with good pronunciation; thanks to that, the automatic subtitle thing was able to decipher what you said without troubles, which is of great help for us non native english speakers, sometimes.
Great job on the video!! I just subscribed!! Keep up the good work! I’ll be sure to watch your other videos!
You do a great job. Keep up the great work on these videos. Thanks!
Unfortunately she was COMPLETELY unprepared for this hike and the outcome was no surprise. She apparently had no conception of her lack of understanding about how bad conditions can become. Hopefully others can take a lesson from this tragedy.
Thanks for covering this. I'm a local here and that helped to set the story straight
So sad. Rest In Peace, Emily. Condolences out to all touched by this tragic loss.
There's so many stories of new mountaineers going up a mountain dressed far too lightly. I don't understand why you wouldn't just always bring extra clothes and supplies even if it slows you down. You can go lighter and risk death or have a bit tougher a climb but be prepared for the weather.
It is because of the weight.
And it is because they have none of the experience of what can and does go wrong .
@@lifesahobby I would take some extra weight over dying anyday. I haven't mountain climbed more than a couple times but I brought plenty of supplies from the start.
This is very recent so I am pretty sure this one bought into the strong n independent feminism BS. Over confident due to it's general gaslighting in what women can do. She was in college, so was clearly indoctrinated by those forced college courses as well and thought she could it all on her own in dominant ways.
she was going to join her mother for lunch. See the flaw in her thinking?
For the same reasons that people go into the Grand Canyon without enough water. People underestimate the danger, and unfortunately they sometimes pay with their lives. People don't realize how easy it is to get in trouble on even an "easy" hike.
The plethora of inexperienced, unprepared and overconfident trekkers losing their lives has reached a level that we can no longer ignore. I live in NW Washington at the northern base of Olympic National Park and local bulletin boards are plastered with individuals of all ages who are missing. Many indicate that possible victims are unprepared for severe micro climate changes (re: gear & clothing) and/or trekking solo on “black diamonds” when their skill level is somewhere between the bunny hill and beginners. My heart goes out to Emily’s surviving family and friends. I just wish there’d been a well prepared Good Samaritan up there who could’ve helped her maintain thermoregulation, shelter and hope. Her missing info rode my twitter account through the duration of her ordeal. This one really hits hard. And to the newbies: PLEASE pack gear, read books, watch youtube survival videos, practice and most importantly, please hike with others who are more experienced until you’ve worn our at least 2 pair of boots. Lastly leave your specific itinerary w/ a trusted, hyper-responsible person who will contact EMS/SAR if you fail to check in at a specific time, post-adventure.
PS: one more super serious word-GARMIN.
Because they're motivated by getting a cool selfie.
To go alone on a hike that long wasn't just foolish, it was reckless and irresponsible.
I live in new england. This was devastating to many when it happened. You should make a video about the girl who died in “where youll find me” (book).
I agree Kate Matrosova’s story would be a great one for this channel, as well as Ty Gagne’s other book The Last Traverse, about James Osborne and Fred Fredrickson.
Always love your videos. You have a great voice and cadence and you put a lot of respect and research behind it.
Such a tragedy 😢
I guess no one thinks it would happen to them. Coming unprepared, being to sure of their own abilities and underestimating mountains is deadly combo. Rest in peace ❤
Yeah at her age we all have that irrational feeling of being invincible, which often leads to dangerous behavior.
Its amazing how many "hikers" think they can bring a bag of granola, yoga pants, and a selfi stick and theyre prepared for the woods. Thank God natural selection still exists albeit half-neutered. And thank God she hadnt reproduced and spread her defective genes. Also her jawline is very unfortunate for a biological female.
Nature isnt like your favorite glamping Netflix show. Come under prepared and reap the consequences. Nature cares not about coddling you because your minority victim status empowered feminist whatever the hell.
Wow. Found the one comment that's sympathetic and mournful. Everyone else in the comments just being misogynistic. Yikes.
@@EmmaDilemma039 so calling a woman out for doing something stupid is misogynistic?? Ok
That attitude is why Emily did what she did and just thought everything would be all good. She is used to this false reality of being coddled at every turn and everything she does is worshipped and ok. Well nature is real, its not biased one way or the other.
Sometimes people calling out your stupidity is for your own good. But like all women and blkks, you play the vicitim card to avoid any personal growth. And thats why society is falling apart
@Whitey Fisk read what you just said back to yourself and reevaluate what part of that wasn't misogynistic, and why you felt the need to argue with me about it.
Obviously she made several catastrophic mistakes that led to her death. But you can criticize someone's actions without belittling and disrespecting them. And many of the comments focus on criticism and condemnation and much of it is misogynistic criticism.
She's still a person who deserves sympathy. Her death was tragic.
There is a well written book about many accidents that have happened in the granite state's mountains, titled 'Not Without Peril'.
Excellent video. Thank you! Six of us climbed Mount Washington, five weeks before this young lady passed away. We deliberately didn’t go during harsh winter conditions. Or when there would be a high possibility of harsh winter conditions. Better safe then sorry.
Always pack the ten essentials, without fail.
Tragic how she lost her life. Thanks for the video!
I feel an affinity for this young woman, having spent summers in the thrall of the White Mountains, myself. We also share an alma mater in common (Vanderbilt), even though I’m twice her age.
I’m perplexed by how woefully unprepared she was. So perplexed, in fact, that I wonder if she was perfectly aware of the risk she was taking. Many before her have fled to the oblivion of the White Mountains. It seems to be the least likely scenario, but 19 can be a surprising age.
If it wasn’t deliberate, then her lack of preparation shows extreme arrogance toward the natural world, which is shocking, given that she was raised in New Hampshire.
Perhaps the most tragic scenario of all would be that it was simply a momentary lapse in judgment, paired with an underestimation of the changing weather. Many of us are lucky to have survived the phase where we only abstractly grasped our own mortality.
My heart goes out to her family. 💔
The wannabe medical student part flags up for me. They tend to be the high achieving smart kid, who is praised endlessly and ends up swollen headed about how much smarter they are than what they deem the 'average' person. Arrogance, in short. Arrogance of the pampered teenager.
also, still very young and you'd have thought maybe a family member ran through what she had. seems what she was went up there wearing was also very poorly judged. However, 19 years old, and a parent asking what you've got in your bag could be waved off with typical teenaged impatience and intolerance
@@spangol87 That’s the part that breaks my heart. I can just imagine her waving her mom off, her mom sighing in exasperation, trusting it will all work out, saying “I love you, be safe,” and driving away.
Very perceptive to ponder the "deliberate" option.
This reminds me of a short story by Jack London, "To Light a Fire" even tho it was written over a hundred years ago, it's just as relevant today as it was the day it was written, anyone venturing into the back country in Winter needs to read this, or listen, it's available free in audiobook on CZcams, it's only forty minutes long, Listen, it may well save your life !!!
RIP 🙏
The guy in that story deserved it though. Trying to turn his dog into a pair of mittens.
I can’t believe that she went by herself. Really disappointed to hear her family saying that she was experienced. She was not experienced at all. Because if she was, she wouldn’t have made such bad choices
Tragic situation! Thanks for the narrative.
Her biggest mistake was not turning back. And she had no personal locator beacon as well.
I worked with a guy and he shared a house with three other guys, one of which was an avid and experienced hiker. Even if this guy was going out on a hike that would take a few hours, he packed enough equipment to last at least a week. One day when he was heading out for what to him was a short hike, five hours, one of them asked him why he carried so much extra equipment because it seemed like a waste of effort for a quick hike. He smiled and said that he got stuck out overnight onetime and it could have gotten really bad because he wasn't prepared. That taught him a valuable lesson, so he was always prepared for whatever might happen. Sometimes a trail marker is missed, or turning on to the wrong, turning a five hour hike into two days. A simple mistake that puts your life in jeopardy if you're not prepared. Nobody questioned him after that.
That's smart. Every hike you go on,no matter how short, you should have enough supplies to last you at least 48 Hrs.
Treating an 8-mile mountain climb in the winter like it was a 4-mile hike through the woods in the spring.
No wonder this ends in tragedy. She was so woefully underprepared it's dumbfounding.
What a beautiful young woman. Poor girl my condolences to her family.
Friends if you're going out on hike or outdoor adventure, especially alone, never go unprepared and always play it safe, know when to turn back, the mountain or wilderness area will always be there the next time for you to attempt when you're better prepared and ready, mountain's not going anywhere. But life? Life can go in sudden moment. Be safe everyone.
The mountain laws
1. Plan your trip and report where you are going.
2. Adapt the tour according to ability and conditions.
3. Pay attention to weather and avalanche warnings.
4. Be prepared for storms and cold, even on short trips.
5. Bring the necessary equipment to be able to help yourself and others.
6. Make safe road choices. Recognize avalanche-prone terrain and unsafe ice.
7. Use a map and compass. Always know where you are.
8. Turn in time, there is no shame in turning.
9. Conserve your strength and seek shelter if necessary.
google translate. From my Nordic country.
Norwegian here: I was HOPING someone would have written these somewhere here! XD
(Though in Norwegian, at least, their title is Mountain Sense Rules/Laws - fjellvettreglene).
And she *certainly* showed 0 sense! If it was 27 F when she STARTED the hike - I think that's what MM said? then that's already below freezing (32F), so wth was she doing, going anywhere WITHOUT A HAT????
Also, I am in NO way an avid hiker, and I usually only ever go above the treeline in Northern Norway, where the treeline is probably a bit lower than in ...Wherever this was, considering the trees themselves tend to get rather scraggly and not impressively tall the further North I've gone....
And by "usually", I mean the.... Maybe three times in my life when I've been hiking up mountains, and not just hills.
But even for just normal hikes done ever since elementary school; doesn't matter how short or easy you think they're gonna be. In the winter ESPECIALLY, you don't go hiking without wearing a hat, proper boots, wool socks, wool mittens (I prefer to layer wool mittens and then windproof ones over them - and that's when I'm at work in daycares during winter!), and at LEAST one pair of extra socks, mittens, hat, etc! And also something to sit on, made of either wool, hide, or modern foam stuff, to protect yourself from urine infections, and so forth.....
And something hot to drink!
I am BAFFLED that her mother just drove her there and dropped her off there dressed and packed like that!!!!
@@HadridarMatramen Yes, it is Fjellvettreglene (Mountain Sense Rules/Law). I live in Arctic Norway myself. I am not very experienced in haiking and cross country skiing. I don't judge anybody. It's a free world. If you want a challenge, go for it. It may go wrong. Who knows but that's how it is. In most cases it ends well. Still, for haikers and cross country skiiers, alpine skiiers etc, keep in mind The Mountain Sense Rules/Law. It's good to know.
I've hiked those same moutains a long time ago in my youth. They can be extremely treacherous. Once, just a few hundred feet below the Mt. Washington summit, a thunderstorm blew in from over the top and we had lightening striking all around us . As the summit area is above treeline, we had no choice but to descend down into the trees as we were pelted by heavy rain and hail Concerning the unfortunate young lady in this video, I'd have to say that in my opinion she wasn't well enough prepared. Especially no fire making ability. After nearly fifty years in Alaska, fire and proper clothing and gear (like a compass) can mean the difference.
I’ve done this section 3 times. I cannot imagine hiking it in November. And no one should ever do it in my opinion without a tent and sleeping bag to get out of the weather when necessary.
I grew up in NH and I go back every summer to camp. Just normal woods camping, and I've had multiple summer nights dip into the 40's. Those woods are cold, dark, and I love them.
There is a similar incident that happened in germany, where a 24 year old with limited experience tried to summit the 2600m high "Hochkalter" in mid October. Just in case you want to do a video on that ;)
A course in wilderness training should have included how to properly dress for cold hiking conditions. Also, that wilderness course should have advised Emily to take a Personal Locater Beacon along with her, especially if she planned to hike alone. It could have saved her life. Hopefully others can learn from this very sad event.
Or maybe even a HAT??
Infinitely interesting content with an appreciated delivery wrapped in a unique style. Keep ‘em comin! I pray that this message finds you well!
Poor girl, my son is the same age as her. I couldn't imagine losing him. My thoughts and prayers are with her parents, family and friends. ❤️🙏🏻
Climb a mountain in November without a hat? WTF?
I'm just astounded at her negilgence. Unfortunately she paid the ultimate price for it.
Very informative! Sad though 😢
Great job On the story...
That is a terrible waste of a young lovely woman. It tells us all that, out fascination with mountain trekking/climbing can be dangerous....the one thing you MUST always check and recheck is weather, your route, your clothing and what you potentially need to eat, drink and camp under should things become dodgy.Always tell someone where you are going and, what time you feel you will return. REST IN PEACE EMILY.
Sad situation but there’s a sign on the Mt. Washington trails which states, in essence, you’re about to leave the tree line and will die if the weather is bad. She’s had to have seen these signs while climbing on earlier trips. I think the stat is only Denali has killed more people than Mt. Washington.
An experienced hiker and a trained EMT, and she did not even wear a hat?.....Amazing!! I live and hike in the southeastern U.S., in the Deep South, and I would not go hiking in the mountains down here in November without a hat. I feel sorry for this poor girl, but she made some really bad choices. And the White Mountains are not a forgiving place.
I live in the Mount Washington Valley and remember when this happened, it was very sad to hear. I’ve hiked all 40 of the 4,000 footers in the Whites. Mnt. Lafayette is a beautiful one. I solo hiked the 22 mile Presidential Traverse a few years ago and had my mom drop me off at 4am at the trail head. People are faulting her mother, but my mom did the same thing and it is common for people to start a hike that early with headlamps. She was definitely underprepared though and probably hadn’t hiked much in winter. I think that is unfortunately what did her in. My heart goes out to her and her family❤
I see people all over the internet (Reddit especially) who will fight you if you tell people to pack gear and protection. So many people think the outdoors are just a backdrop for their photo shoots and social media pages. It’s very frustrating when you try to warn people an they don’t listen and go out there unprepared.
Huge facts. I always overpack
And those ppl are probably all of 14 yrs old.
Why? If they want to die, that's on them.
I used to hike solo and with just my cell phone when I was younger but service is far from reliable in the mountains. Now I always carry a Garmin InReach, it's a life saver in situations like this, you're not starting a fire in those conditions more than likely.
I visited New Hampshire and the east coast for the first time in early November of 2021 and hiked to the top of Mount Washington and it was my favorite hike of all time.
The contrast in weather was insane from the bottom compared to the top.
It was a beautiful day with the sun partially shining at the bottom and a beautiful New England day, easily 50 degrees at the start.
Being a seasoned hiker and all around wildman I was prepared with the right boots as I walked up boulders and some of the craziest terrain I've hiked on by far.
At the top when I reached the chalet (which was closed for the season) the wind must have been blowing constantly at around 40 m.p.h., but a few gusts were double that.
I don't know what the temperature was, but with the light snow/sleet mix it was hovering in the upper 20s probably, but with the wind it was one of the coldest moments I've experienced..and living in Minnesota I'm not stranger to a month straight of below zero temps, but this was something else entirely because the cold was hitting you from every angle and constantly switching directions violently.
I almost got knocked off a large boulder with one huge gust-first time I felt fear from the wind. After that wind punch, I stayed low to the rocks as I made my way back down the ice covered streams.
Coolest hike ever, but not one you'd ever take in shorts if you're looking to survive it.