AGeorgia woman missing for nearly three weeks in the snowy wilderness of California’s Sierra Nevada was found alive Wednesday, just hours before her 28th birthday.
The Context
Tiffany Slaton, a 28-year-old from Jeffersonville, Georgia, vanished during a solo camping trip through Fresno County, a journey she called her “bucket list” adventure. She was last seen near Shaver Lake on April 24 and was reported missing five days later, prompting an extensive search across nearly 600 square miles of rugged mountain terrain.
What To Know
Slaton was located inside an unoccupied cabin at the Vermilion Valley Resort near Lake Edison. The resort owner, Christopher Gutierrez, had traveled there after snowplows cleared access roads for the first time in months. He discovered Slaton occupying a cabin he had purposefully left unlocked in case stranded hikers ever needed shelter.
“She pops out, didn’t say a word, just ran up, and all she wanted was a hug,” Gutierrez said, according to ABC 7 Bay Area.
Slaton survived on wild leeks and braved a mountain blizzard before finding the cabin, according to Gutierrez.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said Slaton was dehydrated but otherwise in good health in a press release. She was taken to a hospital for further evaluation.
Prior to her disappearance, Slaton had set out on a final personal trip before starting medical school, traveling with camping gear and an electric bike trailer.
Her last confirmed sighting was on April 24 near the old Cressman’s General Store. The Sheriff’s Office began full-scale search efforts earlier this month, but conditions including deep snow and blocked roads hindered access to key areas. Helicopters were deployed for aerial sweeps around Lake Edison, the area where she would eventually be found, but officials said they never spotted any trace of Tiffany or her belongings.
“This is one of the best birthday presents that Tiffany could receive,” her father, Bobby Slaton, said, according to ABC 7 Bay Area.
He said the family was “extremely excited and happy” to hear the news that Tiffany had been found.
“A ton of weight has been lifted, and we can’t thank the Sheriff’s Department of Fresno enough, the Search and Rescue team enough, and the community has been outstanding,” Bobby Slaton said.
What People Are Saying
Bobby Slaton, recalling a call from his daughter in comments to reporters: “She said, ‘Dad, I’m alive, and I’m sorry, but I’m alive and I wanted to call you and let you know I’m alive.’”
Christopher Gutierrez, according to CBS affiliate WMAZ-TV: “I can’t even grasp it or wrap my head around it. I think everybody, all the locals here are going to feel the same way. Usually—I don’t mean to be grim—but usually this doesn’t end well.”
What Happens Next
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said detectives will be arranging to meet with Tiffany soon to learn more about her experience.
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