Missing Solo Camper Found Alive More Than 3 Weeks After Getting Lost In Snowstorms

Tiffany Slaton

Missing Solo Camper Found Alive More Than 3 Weeks After Getting Lost In Snowstorms

A woman who vanished during a solo camping trip in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains has been found alive.

Reports state that Tiffany Slaton, 27, was discovered 24 days after being last heard from, taking shelter in an empty cabin at Vermilion Valley Resort. She was found the day before her 28th birthday. The cabin’s owner, Christopher Gutierrez, had intentionally left it unlocked in case a stranded hiker ever needed help, a decision that likely saved her life.
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Slaton’s trip began as a short solo getaway, but after falling from a cliff and getting cut off by avalanche-blocked trails, her three-day hike turned into a harrowing weeks-long fight to stay alive.
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After her parents reported her missing on April 29, a massive search effort was launched, covering over 600 square miles with helicopters and ground teams. But Slaton had already hiked more than 40 miles, surviving 13 snowstorms and navigating dangerous, snow-covered terrain.

Amid her journey, Slaton reportedly splinted her own leg, popped a dislocated knee back into place, and relied on wild leeks, boiled snow, and pine needle tea to survive.

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Eventually, she reached the Vermilion Valley area and spotted what she thought was a hallucination, a cabin in the snow. Inside, she found “the best sleeping bag I had ever seen” and took shelter from another oncoming storm.
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The cabin’s owner arrived the next day, after the road was plowed open. He recalled:

“She pops out, didn’t say a word, just ran up, and all she wanted was a hug.”

Authorities have described her survival as nothing short of miraculous. Slaton’s family is celebrating her safe return, and she’s continuing her recovery journey.

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