US camper missing for weeks, discovered in California cabin

A hiker who vanished for several weeks during a solo camping expedition in the California wilderness has been found safe after enduring a severe snowfalls and seeking shelter in a vacant lakeside cabin.

Tiffany Slaton, a resident of Jeffersonville, Georgia, was discovered near a lake in Fresno County, California.

Her rescue came when the owner of Vermilion Valley Resort, located between Yosemite and Kings Canyon national parks, visited his property to prepare for the summer season.

During his inspection, he noticed that one of his cabins was occupied by a woman.

Upon closer observation, he realized the woman matched the description of a hiker who had been reported missing.

Aware of the ongoing search for Slaton, the resort owner promptly contacted the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies arrived at the scene and confirmed the woman’s identity as Tiffany Slaton.

A medical team evaluated her condition and found that although she was dehydrated, she was otherwise physically stable.

She was transported to a hospital for further medical assessment and observation.

The lead detective on the case quickly informed Slaton’s parents in Georgia of her recovery.

Her mother, Fredrina Slaton, expressed her overwhelming relief in an interview with ABC30.

“I can’t wait to see and hug her,” she said.

“We talk to Tiffany all the time, and not being able to speak to her on Mother’s Day, it was incredibly hard.”

Slaton had set out on a solo journey through the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Her family reported her missing on April 29 after nine days without contact.

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office immediately initiated a search operation and issued public alerts to increase awareness.

Investigators verified that Slaton had last been seen on April 20 at Huntington Lake and again on April 24 near the old Cressman’s General Store.

Following those sightings, there were no further confirmed reports of her whereabouts.

Between May 6 and May 10, the sheriff’s office conducted an extensive search operation across approximately 600 square miles of the remote eastern Sierra Nevada.

Despite their efforts, crews were unable to search Lake Edison, the area where Slaton was ultimately located, due to significant snowfall blocking access.

Only after snowplows cleared the road to Lake Edison on Wednesday was the resort owner able to reach his property.

He had previously left one of the cabins unlocked in case someone became lost and needed shelter from the harsh conditions.

“When we got there, she pops out, didn’t say a word, just ran up, and all she wanted was a hug,” said resort owner Christopher Gutierrez.

“From what she told us, there was a blizzard, and she pushed through that blizzard.

“The first thing she saw was a cabin, and she held up in the cabin through the night.”

Slaton survived the ordeal by foraging and eating wild leeks, she reportedly told Gutierrez.

She had taken refuge in the cabin for several days, possibly weeks, depending on how long she had been trapped following the storm.

Authorities intend to conduct a follow-up interview with Slaton to learn more about her survival experience, the events leading up to her disappearance, and how she managed to endure the extreme conditions.

Officials believe her firsthand account could offer valuable insights for future search and rescue operations in similarly rugged and isolated terrains.

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