After 911 failed five times, she asked Siri for the nearest Starbucks. It was her only way out
Tiffany started her hike on April 20 and a few days into the journey, she fell from the cliff, getting lost in the snowstorm
Tiffany Slaton, of Jeffersonville, Georgia, set out to hike California's Sierra Nevada mountains on April 20 before getting lost for days. Hoping to celebrate her 28th birthday with Dunkaroos and elderberry syrup, she instead survived five failed 911 calls, asked Siri for the nearest Starbucks 18 miles away, and trekked through snow until a resort owner recognized her from a "missing persons" list. What started as a three-day solo camping adventure turned into a weeks-long ordeal of survival, and Slaton got out alive, which officials called a “miracle,” according to a May 2025 report by NBC News and a press conference posted by the Fresno County Sheriff's Office (@FresnoSheriff).
Trapped in snow
Slaton was supposed to hike around Shaver and Huntington lakes in Fresno County. But quite early in the journey, she toppled down a cliff and got trapped in an avalanche. For two hours, she remained unconscious. After waking up, the first thing she did was to splint her leg and “pop the other knee back into place,” as she described in the press conference. After five days, she ran out of food, her two sleeping bags and a tent were lost, and she had been forced to abandon her electric bike.
Survival of the fittest
Slaton brought in her foraging skills and nourished herself with wild leeks and melted snow water. Each day, while she was lost, she made tea with manzanita and pine needles, trying to survive. Being a skilled archer and trained horticulturist, she tried to use every resource to the best. Every day, she wrote in her journal to keep her mind sane. “The worst thing you can do in an emergency is panic,” Slaton said.
In the meantime, on April 29, Slaton’s parents reported to the authorities that they had not heard from their daughter in the past nine days. Investigation revealed that she was seen at Huntington Lake on April 20 and four days later, at the old Cressman’s General Store, about 20 miles west of the lake. Officers and volunteers combed 4,300 miles on foot, 600 square miles by helicopter, scrutinizing every dab and dot in the area.
Relief at last
After clambering around alone and hopeless for nearly 24 days, she reached the Vermillion Valley Resort, which felt like a warm refuge from the snowstorm. At first, she thought she was hallucinating, but when she found the door was unlocked, she went inside. Christopher Gutierrez, the resort owner, had left it open for days like these when a stranded hiker would need shelter. “She pops out, didn’t say a word, just ran up, and all she wanted was a hug. And it was, it was a pretty surreal moment,” Gutierrez recounted.
Since the cabin was inaccessible to vehicles due to the snowpack, Gutierrez drove her to where she could get in touch with the officers and paramedics. Once they reached there, Slaton was taken to the hospital for further treatment. “If he hadn’t come that day, they would’ve found my body there,” Slaton recalled.
Odds of survival
According to a survey by the Mountyn Company, 31% of the lost hikers are females hiking alone, and 48% are males hiking alone. A Safe & Found research study, conducted by SmokyMountains.com and cited by Outdoors.com, states that 41% of the hikers who get lost do so because of wandering off the trail. 17% get lost due to bad weather, and 16% get lost by falling off the trail. In the case of Slaton, all these factors played a part in diverting her from the desired course.
Both Guiterrez and Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni said her story is like those found in Hollywood scripts. “It is truly an incredible story of perseverance, determination and survival,” the sheriff added.
More on Scoop Upworthy
She can't walk and he can't see. But together, they make an incredible hiking team
Share on Facebook
