Incredible update in hunt for female hiker who vanished in remote Sierra Nevada mountains three weeks ago

A female hiker who vanished in the remote Sierra Nevada on a solo trip was miraculously found weeks after her disappearance. 

Tiffany Slaton, 27, of Jeffersonville, Georgia, was found on Wednesday afternoon after taking refuge inside a cabin at the Vermilion Valley Resort near Lake Edison in California, Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said. 

Slaton was reported missing on April 29 by her family after they hadn’t heard from her in nine days. 

The hiker was on a solo trip through the Sierra Nevada and had last been seen near Shaver Lake on April 24. 

A video showed the young woman biking along the roadside and stopping to talk to fellow travelers around April 24. It was the last spotting of her. 

‘I can’t wait to see and hug her,’ her mother, Fredrina Slaton, told ABC 30.  

‘A ton of weight has been lifted,’ her father, Bobby, said. 

Slaton was found by resort owner, Christopher Gutierrez, who told police he was checking his property ahead of the summer season. 

Slaton told Gutierrez she had been caught up in a blizzard and had to push her way through it. She stumbled upon his cabin and holed up there for the night. 

‘She pops out, didn’t say a word, just ran up, and all she wanted was a hug,’ he recalled to ABC 30. ‘It’s unbelievable. She survived solely, I want to say from what I remember her saying, solely off of leeks.’ 

Gutierrez said he leaves his cabin doors open for situations just like this in case a stray hiker needs to find shelter for the night. 

He immediately called police and deputies and paramedics arrived shortly after to check out Slaton. 

The hiker was found dehydrated, but ‘otherwise in good condition,’ the Sheriff’s Office said. 

She was transported to the hospital for further treatment. 

Investigators are still trying to piece together Slaton’s timeline of events. 

A search-and-rescue team had been looking for Slaton but was unable to get to where she was due to Kaiser Pass being ‘impassable’ from a snowpack. 

‘Snowplows cleared the road on Wednesday, which allowed the resort owner to access his property so he could begin preparations to open it up to the public for the summer season,’ the Sheriff’s Office said. 

Rescue crews searched ‘600 square miles, stretching from Mono Hot Springs to Wishon Reservoir, Pine Flat Lake to Auberry and all areas in between,’ authorities said. 

After meeting with deputies, Slaton was able to call her dad to tell them she’s alive. 

‘She said: “Dad, I’m alive, and I’m sorry, but I’m alive and I wanted to call you and let you know I’m alive,”‘ Bobby recalled to ABC 30. 

And her family has more than just her survival to celebrate, but her 28th birthday this week. 

‘This is one of the best birthday presents that Tiffany could receive because tomorrow is her birthday,’ Bobby said.