May 16 (UPI) — A 27-year-old Georgia woman missing nearly three weeks in the California mountains has been found alive, according to authorities.
Tiffany Slaton of Jeffersonville was reported missing by her family on April 29 after they had not heard from her for nine days. She had gone on a solo camping trip in the Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake area on April 20.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that the woman was found Wednesday near Lake Edison in a cabin belonging to Vermilion Valley Resort.
According to authorities, the owner of the wilderness resort found her while inspecting the property in preparation for opening it to the public for the summer season.
Snowplows had only cleared nearby roads that day, which permitted the owner to access the property, the sheriff’s office said.
“The owner said he had left a cabin unlocked as a precaution for this exact situation, where someone who is lost could seek shelter and increase their chances of surviving the outdoor elements and harsh weather,” the sheriff’s office said.
After finding Slaton, the unnamed owner contact the sheriff’s office, and deputies drove to meet them.
Slaton was reportedly in good condition, though she was dehydrated. She was transported to a hospital for further treatment, and her family in Georgia has been notified.
“Detectives are now arranging to meet with Tiffany to learn more about her timeline of events and overall experience,” the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said.
Vermilion Valley Resort celebrated Slaton’s discovery on social media.
“We are so happy Tiffany is safe! It is amazing what she went through. It is incredible what she has accomplished,” the resort said in a statement. “We went in to open the resort, found her using our cabin and brought her down the mountain to safety.”
The sheriff’s office had launched a search for the woman, during which it was discovered that she had last been seen April 24 at a general store.
From May 6 to Saturday, the sheriff’s search-and-rescue team conducted a full-scale search of the mountains for Slaton that spanned nearly 600 square miles, it said, adding that efforts were hampered by snow.