Latest news with #TiffanySlaton
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
A missing woman was found against the odds in the California mountains. Now, people are doubting her story
Wearing a pair of dark sunglasses, Tiffany Slaton stood in front of a room of reporters and recounted the grueling details of her against-the-odds survival in the California mountains. After setting out on a three-day hiking trip in the Huntington Lake region, the 28-year-old hiker from Georgia claims she fell off a cliff and was unconscious for two hours, and needed to put her leg in a splint. She began trekking in search of help after her GPS was unable to provide a route back to the main road, but which could locate a Starbucks which was 18 miles away, she said. Slaton disappeared on April 20, but reportedly survived for some three weeks in the wilderness, eating wild leeks, boiling snow melt for water and even surviving 13 snowstorms despite losing both her tent and her sleeping bag in her fall. She was found by authorities in a cabin on May 14. 'I ended up on this very long, arduous journey that I journaled to try and keep sane, and eventually managed to get to civilization,' Slaton told reporters at the conference two days later. 'I haven't really gone through all of the details. I ran out of a lot of food after five days, but I will do my best to answer any questions that you may have.' But while authorities and Slaton's family were overjoyed at her safe return, many others have raised their eyebrows at the veracity of her tale. 'Something's very off about the story. I don't believe her at all,' wrote one user in reply to the press conference, posted on the Fresno County Sheriff's Facebook page. 'I think she's just looking for fame or money.' Added another: 'I'm sorry, not sorry. This lady put a lot of lives at risk by being reckless with her own … She is not a hero and people should not glorify her or her story as one.' 'I'm glad to see that other people don't believe this story,' added a third. 'So many things don't add up, I hope this office investigates fully since resources were used. It's embarrassing to think people believe someone fell off a cliff, survived two hours unconscious (guess she was timing it), popped her knee back into place, and traveled 20 miles after splinting her leg.' A GoFundMe page for Slaton, organized by her family, was shut down on Monday, after raising more than $23,500. Her parents said there had been 'negative feedback that has arose from these events.' 'It has taken a lot to endure the attacks and attention asking for help has brought us,' Slaton's mother, Fredrina Slaton, wrote on GoFundMe. According to the Fresno County Sheriff, Slaton's family reported her missing on April 29 after not hearing from her for nine days. The fundraiser was started a week later and continued to accept donations for a while after she was found. Tony Botti, a spokesperson for the Fresno County Sheriff's Office, said that the department is still investigating various elements of Slaton's story, including her exact route and how her phone was able to access GPS while she could not call 911. 'We can only work with the information she told us because there are no other independent witnesses,' Botti said in a statement to The Los Angeles Times. 'If there are inaccuracies or embellishments, we really can't do anything about it.' Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni called Slaton's journey 'an incredible story of perseverance, determination and survival,' saying it is 'something that you may see on TV that they would make movies about.'
The Independent
23-05-2025
- The Independent
A missing woman was found against the odds in the California mountains. Now, people are doubting her story
Wearing a pair of dark sunglasses, Tiffany Slaton stood in front of a room of reporters and recounted the grueling details of her against-the-odds survival in the California mountains. After setting out on a three-day hiking trip in the Huntington Lake region, the 28-year-old hiker from Georgia claims she fell off a cliff and was unconscious for two hours, and needed to put her leg in a splint. She began trekking in search of help after her GPS was unable to provide a route back to the main road, but which could locate a Starbucks which was 18 miles away, she said. Slaton disappeared on April 20, but reportedly survived for some three weeks in the wilderness, eating wild leeks, boiling snow melt for water and even surviving 13 snowstorms despite losing both her tent and her sleeping bag in her fall. She was found by authorities in a cabin on May 14. 'I ended up on this very long, arduous journey that I journaled to try and keep sane, and eventually managed to get to civilization,' Slaton told reporters at the conference two days later. 'I haven't really gone through all of the details. I ran out of a lot of food after five days, but I will do my best to answer any questions that you may have.' But while authorities and Slaton's family were overjoyed at her safe return, many others have raised their eyebrows at the veracity of her tale. 'Something's very off about the story. I don't believe her at all,' wrote one user in reply to the press conference, posted on the Fresno County Sheriff's Facebook page. 'I think she's just looking for fame or money.' Added another: 'I'm sorry, not sorry. This lady put a lot of lives at risk by being reckless with her own … She is not a hero and people should not glorify her or her story as one.' 'I'm glad to see that other people don't believe this story,' added a third. 'So many things don't add up, I hope this office investigates fully since resources were used. It's embarrassing to think people believe someone fell off a cliff, survived two hours unconscious (guess she was timing it), popped her knee back into place, and traveled 20 miles after splinting her leg.' GoFundMe page for Slaton, organized by her family, was shut down on Monday, after raising more than $23,500. Her parents said there had been 'negative feedback that has arose from these events.' 'It has taken a lot to endure the attacks and attention asking for help has brought us,' Slaton's mother, Fredrina Slaton, wrote on GoFundMe. According to the Fresno County Sheriff, Slaton's family reported her missing on April 29 after not hearing from her for nine days. The fundraiser was started a week later and continued to accept donations for a while after she was found. Tony Botti, a spokesperson for the Fresno County Sheriff's Office, said that the department is still investigating various elements of Slaton's story, including her exact route and how her phone was able to access GPS while she could not call 911. 'We can only work with the information she told us because there are no other independent witnesses,' Botti said in a statement to The Los Angeles Times. 'If there are inaccuracies or embellishments, we really can't do anything about it.' Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni called Slaton's journey 'an incredible story of perseverance, determination and survival,' saying it is 'something that you may see on TV that they would make movies about.'
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
California hiker who fell off cliff and survived three weeks in wilderness hit by shocking claim
A hiker who was found after falling off a cliff and surviving for three weeks in the California wilderness has been called out by skeptics who are questioning if she's telling the truth about her journey. Tiffany Slaton, 28, was reported missing by her family on April 29 after not hearing from her for nine days, the Fresno County Sheriff's Office said. The department then sent out several alerts about her disappearance and called on the public to look out for her, as one tip confirmed she was last seen at Huntington Lake on April 20. Slaton, of Jeffersonville, Georgia was on a solo trip through the Sierra Nevada when she said she suddenly became lost after falling off a cliff. After her fall, Slaton said she endured a treacherous three weeks before she was finally found on May 14. She was located inside a cabin at the Vermilion Valley Resort near Lake Edison, the sheriff's office said. Despite making it out of the situation alive, many are now wondering if Slaton's shocking survival journey is truthful and if her family's fundraising motives were created with the right intentions. 'I'm glad to see that other people don't believe this story. So many things don't add up, I hope this office investigates fully since resources were used,' one commenter said. 'Something's very off about the story. I don't believe her at all. I think she's just looking for fame or money,' wrote another. 'It's embarrassing to think people believe someone fell off a cliff, survived 2 hours unconscious (guess she was timing it), popped her knee back into place, and traveled 20 miles after splinting her leg,' another wrote. While many are unsure if the story is factual or fictional, a lot of people stood up for Slaton after she returned home. 'The kid went on an adventure with no reception. It's not her fault search and rescue crews didn't listen to the family and found her weeks later,' someone said. Another stated: 'Tiffany is a true survivor and fighter to the end. Sounds like a movie in the making.' After falling from a cliff, Slaton said she was unable to return to the main road because she was then hit by an avalanche, causing her to fall unconscious for two hours. When she finally woke up, she realized she injured herself and went on to splint one of her legs and pop her knee back into place, she recalled. She then proceeded on her journey, where she made it through 13 snowstorms, two landslides, had to eat wild leeks, boil snow melt for drinking water, and also got her tent, electric bike, phone and two sleeping bags stolen, according to the hiker. She also recalled being unable to contact 911 but was somehow able to get GPS information from a Starbucks location, leaving skeptics even more confused. 'I eventually got mad at my GPS and decided to ask, "Well, where is the nearest Starbucks?",' she said at the news conference. 'It was like, "Oh, well, we can answer that question. It's 18 miles from here".' A GoFundMe page set up by her parents was officially shut down on Monday after an influx of speculation crowded the family. 'The donations feature is closed but kind words are welcomed,' the page read. Her parents still noted that the family is 'in need of financial help for any and all expenses while we are in California.' Slaton's father, Bobby Slaton, previously called out the skeptics on the donation page, writing: 'Believe it or not, we even thank those who have questioned the merit of the events — That is what makes miracles so unbelievable.' Online users aren't the only ones who don't quite understand Slaton's story, as Howie Schwartz, an experienced Sierra mountain guide, shared the same concerns. Schwartz told the Los Angeles Times he understands her getting lost in the wilderness, but the rest isn't quite adding up. 'It doesn't seem like a story you can really wrap your head around,' he said. 'Falling off a cliff, having to splint her leg. You don't splint your leg unless your leg is broken and if your leg is broken, you're not walking miles on it.' Schwartz was actually in the area guiding a five-day ski trip in the Mono Recesses in the Sierra while Slaton was missing. He told the outlet he recalled seeing helicopters searching for her at the time. The expert said the area still experienced late-season snow storms around this time of year, but the elevation near Huntington and Edison lakes is low enough that only rain would come down. Tony Botti, a spokesperson for the sheriff's department, told the outlet they still don't have a full understanding of what exactly happened to Slaton out in the wilderness. 'We can only work with the information she told us because there are no other independent witnesses,' Botti said. 'If there are inaccuracies or embellishments, we really can't do anything about it.' Meanwhile, Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni praised Slaton for her 'incredible story of perseverance, determination and survival,' adding that it resembles 'something that you may see on TV that they would make movies about.' Christopher Gutierrez, the resort owner who found her taking refuge in the cabin, echoes Zanoni's response. 'She has stories, she could write a book. It's just unbelievable,' he said.
Metro
18-05-2025
- Metro
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@ 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
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
Hiker missing for 3 weeks details her survival journey in California mountains
The day before Tiffany Slaton's 28th birthday, she was looking forward to eating a pack of Dunkaroos — cookies with frosting dip — that she'd saved as a makeshift birthday cake. It was the only real food she had left after surviving 24 days lost in the Sierra Nevada mountains, subsisting on wild leeks and boiled snow. What had originally started as a three-day solo camping vacation around Shaver and Huntington lakes in Fresno County, California, turned into a weekslong journey of survival. It ended at a cabin more than 40 miles away, at Vermillion Valley Resort, where Slaton was found by the resort's owner on Wednesday. By the time she was rescued, Slaton had endured 13 snowstorms and climbed to altitudes of 11,000 feet, officials said Friday. In addition to dropping 10 pounds from the ordeal, she also lost her tent and sleeping bags, and was forced to abandon her bike at a trailhead sign. At a press conference Friday alongside her parents and Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni, Slaton spoke publicly about her journey for the first time. Zanoni called her story one 'they would make movies about.' 'It is truly an incredible story of perseverance, determination and survival,' the sheriff added. Slaton, an experienced outdoors person from Jeffersonville, Georgia, was reported missing by her parents on April 29 after they had not heard from her in nine days, authorities said. A full-scale operation to locate Slaton was conducted from May 6 to May 10, spanning 600 square miles and deploying a helicopter. Local authorities and volunteers covered 4,300 miles by foot and vehicle in search of Slaton, officials said Friday. Slaton began her trek on April 20, equipped with basic camping supplies, including an electric bike, two sleeping bags and a tent, anticipating she would be gone for only a few days. Early in her journey, Slaton fell off a cliff, she said, and was unable to return to the main road due to a recent avalanche. She was unconscious for about two hours, and upon regaining consciousness she had to splint one of her legs and 'pop the other knee back into place.' She attempted five calls to 911 — without success — and couldn't get her phone's navigation system to work, she said Friday. Frustrated, she asked her phone for the location of the nearest Starbucks — it gave her a location 18 miles away, which was closer than retracing her path back to the park's entrance. Slaton pressed on, relying on her resourcefulness and what she could find in the wilderness. Her skills as a high-level archer, her medical knowledge as a traveling dialysis technician and her horticultural training proved crucial to her survival. She journaled every day in an effort to 'keep sane.' 'The worst thing you can do in an emergency situation is panic,' Slaton said. After five days, Slaton ran out of most of her food and relied on her foraging skills to gather leeks she knew to be native in the Sierra Nevada range. She said she made tea each day with manzanita and pine needles. Slaton navigated the Kaiser Pass, a 9,000-foot peak buried under 10 to 12 feet of snow before it was plowed earlier this week. She eventually made her way to the Vermilion Valley and Lake Edison, where she was finally rescued. When Slaton first saw the Vermilion Valley Resort cabin, she thought she was hallucinating and 'had somehow managed to make it to the North Pole.' She opened the door, which was unlocked, and inside she found what she described as 'the best sleeping bag I had ever seen.' Slaton was found on Wednesday — the day before her 28th birthday — by resort owner Christopher Gutierrez. Snowplows had cleared the roads, allowing him access to his property to prepare it for the summer. Gutierrez told authorities he left the cabin unlocked in case a stranded hiker would need shelter. 'That was the 13th heavy snowstorm I had been in, and it was going to be the last one,' Slaton said. 'If he hadn't come that day, they would've found my body there.' Zanoni called it a 'miracle' that the road happened to be plowed on Tuesday, enabling Gutierrez to arrive the next day. When Slaton was found, the resort owner said he recognized her from her missing person report. '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 said at a press conference Wednesday. 'And that's when I knew. That's when I realized who this was.' This article was originally published on
