News Summary
Tiffany Slaton, a 28-year-old hiker, was discovered alive in California’s Sierra Nevada after being missing for three weeks. She endured extreme winter conditions, surviving on melted snow and utilizing her survival skills. Found in an unlocked cabin, her remarkable story highlights the challenges of wilderness exploration and the resilience of the human spirit.
California – Missing Hiker Tiffany Slaton Found Alive After Three Weeks in High Sierra
Tiffany Slaton, a 28-year-old hiker, was discovered alive after being missing for three weeks in California’s eastern Sierra Nevada. She recounted her remarkable survival story during a press conference with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Department on May 16, 2025. Authorities found Slaton in an unlocked cabin at the Vermilion Valley Resort, which had been left open by the owner to assist lost hikers during severe winter storms.
Christopher Gutierrez, the resort’s owner, reported that Slaton had only been in the cabin for approximately eight hours when he discovered her. She was last seen on April 20, riding a bicycle near Huntington Lake. Concerned when they could not contact her for a week, Slaton’s parents, Bobby and Fredrina, reported her missing on April 29, triggering a search operation.
During her time lost in the wilderness, Slaton faced extreme winter conditions, including an avalanche that injured her leg. She lost all her camping gear, except for a lighter, a knife, and a few snacks. Despite multiple attempts to reach 911, she ultimately managed to obtain a GPS signal on her phone, which may have assisted rescue efforts.
Her survival was deemed extraordinary by authorities, considering the harsh conditions she endured, which included up to 12 feet of snow in the region. The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office systematically searched over 600 square miles of the Sierra National Forest before having to scale back due to the extensive area and challenging weather.
Throughout her ordeal, Slaton employed her knowledge of foraging and survival techniques to sustain herself, primarily drinking melted snow. She described her journey as “very long” and “arduous,” taking the time to document her experience in a journal to maintain her mental stability as she navigated the wilderness. At the time of her rescue, she was found dehydrated but in fair condition, and was subsequently taken to a hospital for evaluation.
In addition to her survival skills, Slaton is noted as a competitive archer from Bermuda, which contributed to her instincts during this prolonged survival situation. She highlighted the importance of her training and experience in enabling her to withstand such extreme conditions.
The cabin where Slaton was found served as her shelter during a snowstorm, severely restricting visibility and making her situation even more precarious. Following her rescue, her mother expressed immense relief upon learning of her daughter’s safety, marking it as one of the best days of their family’s lives.
Now that she has been rescued, Slaton plans to return to Georgia with her parents to recover from this traumatic experience and reflect on her harrowing journey through the wilderness. The circumstances of her disappearance and eventual rescue highlight both the challenges of exploring nature and the resilience of the human spirit in overcoming dire situations.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
- Los Angeles Times
- Wikipedia: Hiking
- NBC Bay Area
- Google Search: Tiffany Slaton missing hiker
- ABC30
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Mountain Rescue
- KMPH
- Google News: Rescue of Missing Hiker
