Hiker dies of hypothermia after slipping off trail near summit of New York's tallest mountain
A 21-year-old New Jersey woman died of hypothermia after slipping off a trail near the summit of New York’s tallest mountain during a winter hike, officials said.
Brianna Mohr was found on Feb. 12 near the summit of Mount Marcy by New York State Forest Rangers, where she was pronounced dead, according to the New York State Police.
State rangers said they responded to a report of a hiker and her dog in distress on Mount Marcy at 3 p.m., launching an extensive search.
Mohr was found around 9 p.m. and showed no signs of life, police said. An autopsy later determined the cause of death to be hypothermia.
Her dog was not injured and was rescued.
According to AccuWeather.com, temperatures in Keene, New York, where the mountain is located, ranged from -8 to 20 degrees the day Mohr was hiking. Mount Marcy, in the Adirondacks, is the tallest mountain in the state at 5,344 feet.
Mohr called 911 at 3:05 p.m. to report that she had slipped off the trail near the summit and was unable to get back to it, a spokesperson for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation told the Asbury Park Press.
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Rangers searched for Mohr with snowmobiles and a tracked utility vehicle and the state police Aviation Unit flew overhead in case of a hoist rescue, the outlet reported.
The paper said rangers aboard the helicopter were unable to locate Mohr, and one ranger was dropped at the Marcy Dam Outpost to continue the search on foot just past 6 p.m.
The outlet shared a message posted on Instagram on Feb. 16 by Mohr's brother Ryan.
"You were the best friend and sister I could have ever asked for growing up with you was awesome because I always had you to tell me what was cool and what wasn’t because you were and always will be the coolest person I know," he wrote.
Mohr's mother, Stephanie West, posted a photo of her daughter on Valentine's Day with the caption, "I am so lost."
Mohr's Instagram account includes dozens of photos from trips to scenic destinations, including national parks.