More details have come to light on the incredible survival story of Georgia hiker Tiffany Slaton, who was rescued — just hours before her 28th birthday — after enduring a blizzard for three weeks in a remote cabin in the Sierra National Forest.
According to SF Gate, Slaton had set off on a solo cross-country trip to visit all 50 states, traveling by electric bike with a red trailer. She was last seen on April 24 at a convenience store near Shaver Lake. When her parents hadn’t heard from her for nine days, they reported her missing on April 29.
Thanks to tips from the public, investigators determined that she had likely been spotted around April 20 near Huntington Lake — more than 20 miles southwest of where she would eventually be found, across rough, mountainous terrain.
On Wednesday, snowplows cleared the road to Vermilion Valley Resort near Lake Edison, allowing resort owner Christopher Gutierrez to reach his property. Gutierrez intentionally leaves one of the cabins open for stranded travelers, and Slaton reportedly emerged and ran to hug him.
“She didn’t know how long she’d been out there,” Gutierrez said. “She didn’t have enough supplies to survive a blizzard.” He gave her a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and called authorities.
Slaton was taken to a hospital for evaluation. She was hungry and dehydrated, but otherwise in good health. “Three weeks — it’s unheard of,” said Fresno County Sheriff’s spokesperson Tony Botti. “It speaks to the tenacity that Tiffany has, that she’s a fighter.”
Her parents have publicly thanked Gutierrez for his kindness. Her mother said it was his decision to leave the cabin unlocked that made the difference: “Without that, I don’t think we would be having a happy ending.”
Slaton later called her father from the road. “Dad, I’m alive, and I’m sorry,” she said. He described it as “the third or fourth best day of our lives after our children’s birth.”
Sheriff’s officials plan to interview Slaton to learn more about how she endured freezing conditions at elevations above 6,500 feet, with limited supplies and no clear route to safety.
Image via Fresno County Sheriff's Department
