A lost hiker missing for three weeks in the California mountains miraculously survived when she stumbled upon an unlocked cabin that had been left open by its owner for this exact situation — and was rescued just in time to celebrate her 28th birthday.
Georgia woman Tiffany Slaton found shelter at a closed resort in the eastern Sierra Nevada range after she was initially reported missing on April 29, authorities said.
A massive search for Slaton involved scouring more than 600 square miles at the Sierra National Forest, but it was Vermilion Valley resort owner Christopher Gutierrez who found her first this week.
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Tiffany Slaton was found on Wednesday after going missing for three weeks. Fresno County Sheriff’s Office
He arrived at the venue Wednesday to prepare to reopen when he saw a front door slightly open and a pair of shoes.
“She pops out, didn’t say a word, just ran up and all she wanted was a hug,” Gutierrez said during a Wednesday evening news conference.
“It was a pretty surreal moment, and that’s when I realized who this was.”
He typically leaves the cabin doors open while the resort is closed during the off-season in case a wayward hiker needs a place to crash amid harsh weather conditions like blizzards.
“It’s mainly for people, just as this scenario played out, if they need to hole up in there one of shelter then it’s available,” Gutierrez said.
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Slaton, who hails from Jeffersonville in the Peach State, told Gutierrez she survived for weeks solely munching on leeks before the resort owner fed her a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
“It was a blizzard, and she pushed through that blizzard, and the first thing she saw was a cabin,” said Gutierrez. “And she held up in the cabin overnight … this girl was saved for the reason.”
She was reported missing last month. Fresno County Sheriff’s Office
The survivor was brought to a hospital and is in good condition besides dehydration, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said.
Her parents reported her missing late last month, and witnesses told the sheriff’s office she was last seen on April 24.
Two days before she was found, the sheriff’s office announced it was scaling back the search.
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Bobby and Fredrina Slaton, her mom and dad, were losing hope when they received a phone call from none other than Tiffany as she was being taken down the mountain.
“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,’” an emotional Bobby Slaton said at the press conference.
As Bobby cried inside a store, Fredrina needed someone to hug.
Her parents were over the moon about the survival. ABC
“I grabbed somebody and said, ‘Can I hug you?’” she said. “And I did. I was crying and hugging.”
More information about Slaton’s incredible story of survival was not immediately known, including when or where her adventure began and how she ended up at Vermilion Valley Resort.
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The sheriff’s office plans to eventually interview her for more details.
“Three weeks, it’s unheard of,” sheriff’s office spokesperson Tony Botti said. “It speaks to the tenacity that Tiffany has, that she’s a fighter.”
Slaton was rescued the day before her 28th birthday, People reported.
RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – Country music artist Caleb Montgomery will be performing at the State Fair of Nevada.
Montogomery will be headlining the Opening Night Concert on June 11 at the Nevada State Fairgrounds in Reno.
“We are excited to welcome families and communities from across Nevada back to the official State Fair of Nevada,” said Nevada Department of Agriculture Director J.J. Goicoechea. “After 16 years, a Nevada tradition is finally returning, something many families have waited years to experience again.”
The fair will run from June 11 to June 13, and opening day tickets will be $15 for adults and $12 for kids aged 12 and younger.
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Other featured programming includes:
Nevada Junior Livestock Show and Sale
University of Nevada, Reno Extension’s 4-H State Expo
NEVADA CITY, Calif. June 2, 2026 – Polls closed at 8:00 pm today. We will post local election results here as soon as they are released.
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June 2, 2026 at 11:54 PM Third and final update, the next results update will be on Friday.
June 2, 2026 at 10:10 PM Second update being published now. The voter counts on the Cumulative Reports are based on the 15 Day Report of Registration and may differ from the Ballot Statistics count.
June 2, 2026 at 8:15 PM First updates
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Federal contests – Nevada County results
CA Secretary of State · June 2, 2026 Primary · Unofficial
U.S. House, District 3
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CA Secretary of State · June 2, 2026 Primary · Unofficial
Insurance Commissioner
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CA Secretary of State · June 2, 2026 Primary · Unofficial
Attorney General
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A Carson City judge has granted the Nevada Gaming Control Board’s motion for a preliminary injunction blocking the operation of a third prediction market in the state.
First Judicial District Court Judge Jason Woodbury on Friday granted the Control Board’s motion and state officials believe a formal written order is forthcoming.
“We are very pleased with Judge Woodbury’s ruling and will continue to vigorously enforce Nevada law to safeguard gaming in our state,” Gaming Control Board Chairman Mike Dreitzer said in a release issued by the board Monday.
The injunction blocks QCX LLC, doing business as New York cryptocurrency-based Polymarket US, from providing its services in Nevada.
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The Control Board has had similar successes with preliminary injunctions against New York-based KalshiEx LLC, doing business as Kalshi, and internet-centered Coinbase.
The board has taken decisive action in recent months to halt the operations of prediction markets in the state and has successfully restricted the operation of all unlicensed prediction markets that had been known to be operating in the state.
The board started its efforts in March 2025 against prediction markets, which are not licensed by the state but have written event contracts on sports and election outcomes and entertainment propositions.
Regulators consider the offering of sports-event contracts, along with certain other event contracts, to constitute wagering activity under Nevada law. They’ve said that they could operate in the state if were licensed, a process that often takes at least a year to complete.
Prediction markets believe they are authorized to conduct business in Nevada and every other U.S. state because they are regulated by the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission, currently chaired by Michael Selig.
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Because of its assertion that it has exclusive jurisdiction, it also has claimed that its oversight outweighs state gaming laws, which has resulted in pushback and lawsuits from a number of states that regulate casino gambling and sports betting.
Several states have pending litigation in place against prediction markets, but Nevada has seemingly found the silver bullet by taking their cases to state courts instead of federal courts.
Nevada’s public policy, as expressed by the Legislature, is that the gaming industry is vitally important to the economy of the state and the general welfare of the inhabitants and therefore “must be licensed, controlled, and assisted to protect the public health, safety, morals, good order, and general welfare of the inhabitants of the state.”
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.