Hiker survived avalanche and 13 snow storms with only a lighter and a knife
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
A hiker has described surviving off of melted snow and wild leeks after she went missing in a snow storm for 24 days.
Tiffany Slaton endured 13 snow storms as she trekked more than 20miles without shelter, even popping her own knee back into place after falling off a cliff.
The hiker climbed 10,000ft in eastern California and sustained herself with wild plants and other survival hacks.
She gave a detailed account of the ordeal at a news conference just two days after she was found in an unlocked mountain cabin.
Tiffany had been on a long biking and backpacking trip in California when she disappeared in the Sierra National Forest.
She was last seen on CCTV in the Huntington Lake community on April 20 and was reported missing by her parents on April 29 after she failed to get in touch.
A full-scale operation spanning 600 square miles failed to find her as she endured a 'heroic story' of 'determination, perseverance and survival'.
The experienced adventurer was caught in an avalanche and was knocked unconscious falling of a cliff.
She awoke to an injured leg, which she splinted herself while popping 'the other knee back into place'.
Even though she set off with basic camping supplies, an electric bike, two sleeping bags and a tent, she lost all of this equipment during her hike for survival.
The advanced archer was left with only a lighter, a knife and some snacks as she walked the Kaiser Pass, a 9,000ft peak which was buried under snowdrifts between 10-12ft deep.
Those snacks ran out within days, forcing Tiffany to forage to stay alive.
She gathered and ate leeks which grow in the Sierra Nevada range and hydrated herself with melted snow.
Tiffany even made tea every day with the manzanita shrub and pine needles.
'The worst thing you can do in an emergency situation is panic,' Tiffany said.
Without her expert knowledge as a horticulturalist and medical background as a dialysis technician, Tiffany would have had little chance of survival.
Her five calls to 911 all failed to connect and her phone's GPS told her the nearest Starbucks was 18 miles away.
More than 20 miles and 24 days later, the hiker stumbled upon an open cabin hidden amongst the heap of white snow at Vermilion Valley Resort.
The resort leaves the huts open during the winter in case any passing hikers need shelter.
Just eight hours after collapsing in the cabin, the resort's owner, Christopher Gutierrez, arrived to open the lodges for the summer.
Tiffany said of the safe haven: 'That was the 13th heavy snowstorm I had been in, and it was going to be the last one.
'If he hadn't come that day, they would've found my body there.'
It was complete luck that the path to the lodge had been ploughed just the day before, allowing Christopher to rescue Tiffany.
He said: '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. More Trending
'And that's when I knew. That's when I realized who this was.'
Tiffany spoke to reporters in sunglasses, because her sight was damaged by the sun reflecting off the white snow during the 24-day nightmare.
She also lost 10lbs during the ordeal.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE: Possible breakthrough in mystery of woman missing for almost a year
MORE: Urgent search for three missing children last seen in school uniforms
MORE: Students busted for bizarre TikTok 'Chromebook Challenge' to insert objects in laptops
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
15 minutes ago
- Metro
Dozens killed and injured in suicide bombing on Greek Orthodox Church in Syria
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A suicide bomber opened fire then detonated an explosive vest inside a Greek Orthodox church in Syria during Sunday mass. As many as 22 worshippers have been killed and another 63 injured in the 'terrorist attack' in Damascus. The gunman – believed to be linked with the Islamic State – entered the Mar Elias Church, shouting 'You pigs!' as he aimed his weapon at the crowd and proceeded to shoot people indiscriminately. He then blew himself up, detonating an explosive belt he was wearing. Footage circulating on social media from inside the church shows piles of dead bodies, with blood visible throughout the scene. Syrian resident, Lorance Meamari, said: 'He entered and started shouting 'You Pigs'. 'When he started firing, some men tried to grab him, but he blew himself up right in that spot near the crater. 'I personally extracted more than 10 victims, these were the ones I carried myself. More Trending 'We also extracted 10 or 15 bags of body parts.' The attack was the deadliest of its kind in Syria in years, and it has raised fresh concerns over the re-emergence of extremist sleeper cells in the war-torn nation. It comes as Damascus under its de facto Islamist rule is trying to win the support of minorities. Syria's foreign ministry described it as 'a desperate attempt to undermine national coexistence and to destabilise the country'. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: All 9 countries on the UK Foreign Office 'no go' travel list
Metro
7 hours ago
- Metro
One in seven people lost money to fraud last year, survey finds
One in seven of us has lost money to fraud or scams in the past year, according to a new survey. Some 14% of those surveyed said they had fallen victim to a fraud which had cost them money in the last 12 months. Half of respondents said they had received a fraud attempt within the last three months. The prevalence of online fraud has increased support for tightening online security, with more people saying they are willing to go through additional checks to stay safe. Just under half (49%) of those surveyed by financial insights company TransUnion said they didn't mind being asked to reauthenticate after an initial login, for example, when changing a password or making a payment. An overwhelming 78% of the 1,000 over-18s asked said they did not want to be able to access their accounts without their identity being verified first. Chad Reimers, general manager of fraud and identity at TransUnion in the UK said: 'Quick and seamless journeys have become the norm. 'However, consumers are increasingly demanding trust as part of their interactions with digital channels. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'There are increasing demands from consumers to ensure security and authentication – and this spans across sectors, from financial services, to gaming, to online dating.' As well as reporting incidents to the police, people who believe they have fallen victim to fraud should tell their bank or payments provider as soon as they can. This can help the provider to claw back the money and could also help to prevent further fraud attempts on the account. Many banks have signed up to the 159 service – a memorable number that people can call if they have received contact that they suspect to be fraudulent. More Trending People can also check their credit reports for any activity which may indicate fraud. The UK lost around £23.9 billion to fraud and scams last year, according to the Nasdaq financial crime report – the equivalent to around 1% of Britain's GDP. This was the biggest loss in any country in the European region, followed France and Germany. View More » UK fraud reportedly accounts for more than 40% of crime but it receives 'less than 1% of police resources,' Janine Hirt, the CEO of Innovate Finance told Compliance Corylated. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Family pays tribute to mum killed before house was blown up MORE: Full list of Santander bank branches closing this week MORE: Man, 22, fighting for life after stabbing outside prayer centre
Metro
11 hours ago
- Metro
Kanye West's wife Bianca Censori defiant in candy bikini after 50 Cent attack
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Bianca Censori has stepped out in yet another ultra-revealing ensemble, wearing just a tiny candy bikini on an outing with husband Kanye West. Since the Australian model, 30, married the rapper, 48, in 2022, the public has become accustomed to seeing rather a lot of her, whether it be her totally sheer Grammys dress or a barely-there underwear set. Consequently, concerns have been raised for her welfare, with the internet convinced that Ye is dictating what his spouse wears, especially given that he will always be fully clothed next to her. But as speculation about the nature of her marriage to Ye rages on, Bianca turned heads once more on Saturday with plenty of skin on show. She and the Yeezy fashion designer were seen exiting a chrome Mercedes-Maybach before arriving at the Mercer Hotel in New York, later making their way to a Brooklyn studio. In just her bra and a thong, Bianca's skimpy attire was made entirely out of sweets, not holding much in. Whether or not it was real, edible candy is anyone's guess, but we can't imagine it's the kind of look you'd see an Oompa Loompa rocking in the Chocolate Factory. The brunette wore her long locks in a sleek, straight style, was clutching her phone, and added a pair of metallic silver heels. In stark contrast, walking beside her, Ye was entirely covered, wearing black trousers, a grey hoodie, and tan boots. Maintaining his usual stoic expression, he covered his eyes with shades. The appearance marks Ye and Bianca's first public outing since rap star 50 Cent made a dig at the Gold Digger hitmaker's wife. Last week, Ye unexpectedly arrived at court as Sean 'Diddy' Combs' trial continues. He faces serious federal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, which he has denied and pleaded not guilty to. Ye's appearance is said to have been short-lived, as, according to CNN, since he was not listed as an official attendee, he was directed to an overflow courtroom. After watching the proceedings via closed-circuit video for less than an hour, he exited the building and was seen driving off. Afterwards, 50 – real name Curtis James Jackson III – made it known how he felt, with Ye's arrival being widely interpreted as a display of support for Combs. Taking to Instagram, the Candy Shop hitmaker posted an AI-generated image of himself wearing a white ensemble similar to Ye's court look. In a savage caption, he dragged both Ye and his wife, making a reference to her nearly naked Grammys frock from earlier in the year. 'We are wearing white in honor of the freak offs,' he wrote. 'Damn Ye, you should have brought your dirty little wife with that Grammys outfit! @50centaction.' The 'freak offs' comment was seemingly a jibe at the unsettling sexual assault allegations surrounding Combs, who allegedly held days-long sex parties, which also involved ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. While famously loose-lipped on social media, Ye did not retort. He has, however, not made a secret of his friendship with Combs, having ignited rumours that the two had worked on a song together, on which he wanted daughter North West, 11, to feature, much to the fury of her mother, his ex-wife Kim Kardashian. In March, the exes' latest row went public when Ye released a track titled Lonely Roads Still Go To Sunshine, which he said was a collaboration between Diddy, North, King Combs, and Jasmine Williams. Ye posted text messages online between himself and Kim, in which the Stronger rapper accused his former partner and her family of limiting his access to the children. More Trending It's been said that Kim, who was married to Ye from 2014 to 2022 and shared four kids with him, has displayed solidarity with Bianca during the time she has been with her ex. While reports recently claimed that Bianca was hoping to end their marriage due to living in an 'aggressive situation', the couple seemed to patch things up. However, Skims founder Kim reportedly wants Bianca to know she is there for her, with a source telling Page Six that she has shown 'support' for Bianca and has let her know she's there to 'talk if she needs'. An insider claimed to the outlet that Kim 'feels like she's the only other person on this planet who truly knows what Bianca has been through'. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Johnny Depp claims he was a 'crash test dummy' for #MeToo movement MORE: What's happening with Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni lawsuit ahead of 'explosive' series? MORE: TV chef Anne Burrell's death being investigated as 'possible overdose'
