This Facebook post from Fresno Sheriff has numerous responses. It sounds like many resources have been deployed looking for Tiffany. One of the responses captured a statement from her brother. He indicated that she may have been trying to follow Kayser pass further north east after Mono Springs to connect with 395. I am not local, but looking at maps and elevations that does appear possible with an e bike. It may be possible hiking, but probably later into the year. Those mountains between Mono Springs and 395 top out well over 13,000 feet elevation. Other posts indicated she may have been coming back down and returning to Shaver Lake on the 24th. It is a confusing situation for searchers IMO.
Fresno County Sheriff's Office
Camper Remains Missing, Active Search Continues Name: Tiffany Slaton Age: 27 Height: 5’10” Weight: 125 lbs. Eyes: Brown Hair: Black Tiffany Slaton of Jeffersonville, Georgia went camping alone in...www.facebook.com
CA CA - Tiffany Slaton, 27, camping alone in Huntington Lake area, Fresno County, 20 Apr 2025
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haggis
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Very useful information. Thanks for sharing.
Replying to my mistake. I left out one important word, not. It does not appear possible to get an e-bike over the mountains to highway 395. It may be possible in the summer months for experienced hikers to get from Mono Springs to Highway 395. I doubt it would be possible to ever get a bike to traverse those trails.
I've been looking at hiking trails and such in the general area.
Basically, I agree with @no greed that it would not be possible to take a bike and a bike trailer from Mono Hot Springs across the Sierra to the Highway 395 area. There is a way to do this on foot only in summer, if you are truly fit enough and prepared enough as an experienced solo backcountry hiker with proper gear, probably including crampons and an ice ax depending on the route.
There are ways to traverse the Sierra from Mono Hot Springs on foot. The Kaiser Pass Road goes from Mono Hot Springs to Lake Thomas Edison. Vermillion Valley Resort is at the west end of the lake, where thru-hikers on the John Muir Trail (JMT), which is a segment of the famous Pacific Crest Trail, can pick up their next supply cache. This operates during the summer and there is a ferry that can take hikers from the eastern point of the lake to the resort and then back. Without the ferry operating, the trails around the lake to JMT are very difficult and have lots of elevation changes and steepness. Certainly not suitable for bicycle in April, without the ferry service.
Here is a description of Vermillion Valley Resort from their website:
"Deep in the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains, the Vermilion Valley Resort (VVR) sits on the shores of Thomas Edison Lake, one of the largest lakes in the region. Just a short hike off the historic Pacific Crest and John Muir trails, VVR is a major resupply and layover spot for hikers who travel here from around the world to hike these internationally known trails.
Vermilion Valley Resort is one of the most remote locations one can drive to in the High Sierra. The VVR is located in the Sierra National Forest in the John Muir Wilderness. The last 27 miles of winding, often single lane mountain road adds to the allure and excitement as it is an adventure just to travel into the region by vehicle. The difficulty in reaching the VVR by vehicle has kept impact to the region at a minimum."
vvr.place
This trail joins up with JMT at approximately 7800 ft elevatoion and you have several routes to the eastern side, one perhaps to the north to exit at Lake Mary near Mammoth Lakes, the other to go east and south to exit at Rock Creek Lake near Tom's Place on Highway 395. Portions of these exit routes will exceed 10,000 ft elevation and are very isolated, without the number of hikers you would see on the JMT , so you are truly doing this alone in April and at high elevation where you need to be prepared for high elevation storms, snow, and high winds for days and nights on end.
This last segment leaving the JMT is the most technical and difficult of all. If you are not prepared as a hiker carrying all your own gear and with solid boots and winter-protective clothing, you are not going to make it. No way a bicycle can make it.
This gives you an idea of the route. The green dot is where one can access the JMT from Lake Thomas Edison. The north-south segment in blue is the JMT. The exit routes would be the ones in black heading to the north and to the east. The altitude profile on the bottom shows the JMT elevations, only, but gives you an idea of how high and rugged this area is.
www.hikingproject.com
Basically, I agree with @no greed that it would not be possible to take a bike and a bike trailer from Mono Hot Springs across the Sierra to the Highway 395 area. There is a way to do this on foot only in summer, if you are truly fit enough and prepared enough as an experienced solo backcountry hiker with proper gear, probably including crampons and an ice ax depending on the route.
There are ways to traverse the Sierra from Mono Hot Springs on foot. The Kaiser Pass Road goes from Mono Hot Springs to Lake Thomas Edison. Vermillion Valley Resort is at the west end of the lake, where thru-hikers on the John Muir Trail (JMT), which is a segment of the famous Pacific Crest Trail, can pick up their next supply cache. This operates during the summer and there is a ferry that can take hikers from the eastern point of the lake to the resort and then back. Without the ferry operating, the trails around the lake to JMT are very difficult and have lots of elevation changes and steepness. Certainly not suitable for bicycle in April, without the ferry service.
Here is a description of Vermillion Valley Resort from their website:
"Deep in the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains, the Vermilion Valley Resort (VVR) sits on the shores of Thomas Edison Lake, one of the largest lakes in the region. Just a short hike off the historic Pacific Crest and John Muir trails, VVR is a major resupply and layover spot for hikers who travel here from around the world to hike these internationally known trails.
Vermilion Valley Resort is one of the most remote locations one can drive to in the High Sierra. The VVR is located in the Sierra National Forest in the John Muir Wilderness. The last 27 miles of winding, often single lane mountain road adds to the allure and excitement as it is an adventure just to travel into the region by vehicle. The difficulty in reaching the VVR by vehicle has kept impact to the region at a minimum."
For Hikers - VVR
VVR is a hiker friendly wilderness resort located in the High Sierra Nevada mountains of California.
vvr.place
This trail joins up with JMT at approximately 7800 ft elevatoion and you have several routes to the eastern side, one perhaps to the north to exit at Lake Mary near Mammoth Lakes, the other to go east and south to exit at Rock Creek Lake near Tom's Place on Highway 395. Portions of these exit routes will exceed 10,000 ft elevation and are very isolated, without the number of hikers you would see on the JMT , so you are truly doing this alone in April and at high elevation where you need to be prepared for high elevation storms, snow, and high winds for days and nights on end.
This last segment leaving the JMT is the most technical and difficult of all. If you are not prepared as a hiker carrying all your own gear and with solid boots and winter-protective clothing, you are not going to make it. No way a bicycle can make it.
This gives you an idea of the route. The green dot is where one can access the JMT from Lake Thomas Edison. The north-south segment in blue is the JMT. The exit routes would be the ones in black heading to the north and to the east. The altitude profile on the bottom shows the JMT elevations, only, but gives you an idea of how high and rugged this area is.
JMT: Segment 4 - Lake Edison to Muir Trail Ranch Hiking Trail, Mammoth Lakes, California
Great campsites on Roaring Bear Creek, gorgeous lakes, and trails that branch to some of the best areas in the Sierras. Near Mammoth Lakes, California.
www.hikingproject.com
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I'm very very concerned that she has suffered a major accident or has been attacked by someone or something and is no longer with us.
She is traveling with 3 sigificant items that are missing and have not yet been found:
1. e-bike
2. Bike trailer, possibly home-made as someone mentioned
3. Tent
We know she camped in a designated camping area at Tamarack Sno Park, so she was not trying to hide out from others. That place has a gate, so perhaps she felt gave her some security and visibility.
From the looks of it, she is very admirably doing everything on the cheap, and does not have a flashy bike trailer or premier biking clothing. She might have looked pretty scruffy, from the ensemble in the photo where she seems to be wearing multiple unrelated clothing items, and possibly had the appearance of a homeless person, looking to hide out.
As her tent has not been found, I'd presume it was packed in her bike trailer. That could suggest she is on the move to another location, not camping at another site to move forward. As neither the bike nor the trailer nor the tent have been found, I'd think they were all with her when something happened. I would think she would have been noticed at Mono Hot Springs if she had made it that far. And nothing of hers has been found there. If she had gone exploring from a remote campsite, I feel she would have stuck to roads and her campsite would have been found by now.
There are some very steep and narrow areas on Kaiser Pass Road. I'd pay extra attention to searching that road, especially cliff-side or drop offs. Some parts of the road do follow the waterway, but as of yet no sign of the bike or trailer if she had just stopped by
It's also possible that someone with bad intention came across her and made a bad judgement about her or her intent, or thought to rob her of the bike. She seems like she would be able to fight someone off unless they had a firearm. Anyone taking her stuff would likely have a pickup type vehicle to be able to stow away the bike, if they did not just dump the trailer elsewhere.
So sadly, I'm not expecting to hear the best news. I pray for her family that this will come to a swift conclusion.
She is traveling with 3 sigificant items that are missing and have not yet been found:
1. e-bike
2. Bike trailer, possibly home-made as someone mentioned
3. Tent
We know she camped in a designated camping area at Tamarack Sno Park, so she was not trying to hide out from others. That place has a gate, so perhaps she felt gave her some security and visibility.
From the looks of it, she is very admirably doing everything on the cheap, and does not have a flashy bike trailer or premier biking clothing. She might have looked pretty scruffy, from the ensemble in the photo where she seems to be wearing multiple unrelated clothing items, and possibly had the appearance of a homeless person, looking to hide out.
As her tent has not been found, I'd presume it was packed in her bike trailer. That could suggest she is on the move to another location, not camping at another site to move forward. As neither the bike nor the trailer nor the tent have been found, I'd think they were all with her when something happened. I would think she would have been noticed at Mono Hot Springs if she had made it that far. And nothing of hers has been found there. If she had gone exploring from a remote campsite, I feel she would have stuck to roads and her campsite would have been found by now.
There are some very steep and narrow areas on Kaiser Pass Road. I'd pay extra attention to searching that road, especially cliff-side or drop offs. Some parts of the road do follow the waterway, but as of yet no sign of the bike or trailer if she had just stopped by
It's also possible that someone with bad intention came across her and made a bad judgement about her or her intent, or thought to rob her of the bike. She seems like she would be able to fight someone off unless they had a firearm. Anyone taking her stuff would likely have a pickup type vehicle to be able to stow away the bike, if they did not just dump the trailer elsewhere.
So sadly, I'm not expecting to hear the best news. I pray for her family that this will come to a swift conclusion.
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CrimeDawg123
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Makes me very sad to read that Tiffany is missing. She sounds wonderful, enjoying a big spirited adventure. Hoping for the best 
Makes me very sad to read that Tiffany is missing. She sounds wonderful, enjoying a big spirited adventure. Hoping for the best
Yes, she radiates positivity and self-confidence.
SophieRose
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The search for the solo camper who went missing in the Sierras last April has been scaled back, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office announced.
Deputies say their Search and Rescue team spent five straight days and nights combing nearly 600 square miles of wilderness for Tiffany Slaton and her belongings. They say they searched from Mono Hot Springs to Wishon Reservoir, Pine Flat Lake to Auberry, and all areas in between.
Knox
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I thought this might be coming, it’s unfortunately inevitable. But I’m heartbroken for her family.
SophieRose
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Detailed pictures of Tiffany and equipment.
The last confirmed sighting of Slaton came from citizens, who say they saw her in the area of the old Cressman’s General Store on April 24th.
Detectives are now asking the public to notify them of any video they may have captured on or around April 24th. This includes surveillance cameras, dash cameras, etc. There is a possibility Slaton travelled along Auberry Road and past Pine Ridge School in order to access Highway 168.
Video of Tiffany.
The last confirmed sighting of Slaton came from citizens, who say they saw her in the area of the old Cressman’s General Store on April 24th.
Detectives are now asking the public to notify them of any video they may have captured on or around April 24th. This includes surveillance cameras, dash cameras, etc. There is a possibility Slaton travelled along Auberry Road and past Pine Ridge School in order to access Highway 168.
Video of Tiffany.
Wow, that’s a lot of gear to tow. If you have to pedal.
Wow, this is, indeed, a different view of what I had envisioned. She has done a great job of compartmentalizing her gear, but this is a lot of stuff to just disappear without any trace.
I wish there had been audio, she seems like a fun person to talk to.
Isn't there a question of if the alleged sighting of her at Tamarack Sno Park was valid? It appears to me that she certainly didn't make it to Mono Hot Springs. Now I wonder if she actually made it to Shaver Lake. You would think she would be very distinctive on the road with the trailer and gear, and would not look like a day cyclist.
I wonder if there was some comonly App she used to find camping spaces? Anyone familiar with bikepacking circles or resources? You would think she would have met similar travelers on earlier parts of her west coast trip and they might have an idea what kinds of Apps and resources she would have used.
This doesn't alleviate my concerns that she might have met with foul play.
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It was an electric bike, so she would not be doing all that much peddling, but I think it would be slow on hills and that area tends to have elevation gains.
Actually she was not doing BikePacking. She was doing Bike Touring, which is done primarily on paved surfaces, rather than trails.
And long-term E-bike touring is a complete different level than the average weekender Bike Tourer, who may or may not be just going from hotel to hotel.
And long-term E-bike touring is a complete different level than the average weekender Bike Tourer, who may or may not be just going from hotel to hotel.
In reading about long-distance e-bike touring, most people carry a spare battery. With that they can reasonably go 50-70 miles in a day on the flat, but that distance would decrease if there is a heavier load to pull and especially if there is an elevation gain.
Also, they need to charge the battery somewhere there is a friendly electrical outlet (ie a place where they can plug in and hang out for a bit). So they have to stop almost daily to charge the spare battery. She will have needed to stop and charge a couple of times on the proposed route. LE and other searchers should have talked to any coffee shops, small stores, gas stations, etc along the way to see the progress of her route.
In that sense I would expect she would be looking for a place in the Shaver Lake area to charge up, and if she had gotten that far, certainly in the Huntington Lake area, too.
Also, they need to charge the battery somewhere there is a friendly electrical outlet (ie a place where they can plug in and hang out for a bit). So they have to stop almost daily to charge the spare battery. She will have needed to stop and charge a couple of times on the proposed route. LE and other searchers should have talked to any coffee shops, small stores, gas stations, etc along the way to see the progress of her route.
In that sense I would expect she would be looking for a place in the Shaver Lake area to charge up, and if she had gotten that far, certainly in the Huntington Lake area, too.
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SophieRose
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There's that yearly century ride sponsored by the Fresno Cycling Club, Ride to Kaiser. Here's the elevation gains for that ride, to be held in mid June this year. I remember a few years ago when a rider was hit and killed by a vehicle.
What a great graph, @SophieRose.
Mono Hot Springs is at 6562 ft elevation for reference.
The tour map for the Climb to Kaiser shows the general route she might have been on. The last verified sighting of her near Cressman's is about halfway in terms of length of this tour, although not anywhere near the elevation gains. The Climb makes a loop using Big Creek Grade on the acent, and Highway 168 on the descent. The questionable sighting of her camping at Tamarack Sno Park would have been on Highway 168. After using streetview on Google maps, I don't think she would have taken the Big Creek Grade to get to a possible next battery charge at Huntington Lake. It has too many remote and steep parts and the roadbed is not very wide at all, no shoulder.
There have to have been multiple other people who passed her on the highways. Even though it was early, April is a nicely warming month in the lower elevations and people would have been out for early season fishing or just day trips.
Mono Hot Springs is at 6562 ft elevation for reference.
The tour map for the Climb to Kaiser shows the general route she might have been on. The last verified sighting of her near Cressman's is about halfway in terms of length of this tour, although not anywhere near the elevation gains. The Climb makes a loop using Big Creek Grade on the acent, and Highway 168 on the descent. The questionable sighting of her camping at Tamarack Sno Park would have been on Highway 168. After using streetview on Google maps, I don't think she would have taken the Big Creek Grade to get to a possible next battery charge at Huntington Lake. It has too many remote and steep parts and the roadbed is not very wide at all, no shoulder.
There have to have been multiple other people who passed her on the highways. Even though it was early, April is a nicely warming month in the lower elevations and people would have been out for early season fishing or just day trips.
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borndem
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Thanks, folks, for having & sharing all of the above info and pics. What amazing research and knowledge of those who have been helping in this way.
We will always need people helping and searching for people.
So sorry to hear that the searches for her are being scaled back, but I guess it was inevitable considering all of the work, etc., they have already been doing.
Prayers for her, for her family, and for those who have looked in so many areas.
Hoping she is okay and that she will be found or on her way back soon, soon, soon.
We will always need people helping and searching for people.
So sorry to hear that the searches for her are being scaled back, but I guess it was inevitable considering all of the work, etc., they have already been doing.
Prayers for her, for her family, and for those who have looked in so many areas.
Hoping she is okay and that she will be found or on her way back soon, soon, soon.
I understand why Fresno SD has cut back the search, but there seem to be so many unanswered questions. In the absense of any findings of her, or her gear, or any emergency communications, few apparent local sightings and even fewer verifiable leads, there is little to go on.
However, there must be people out there who have met her on her travels since finishing her job in Oregon that could give some insight about what kind of a place she would be likely to be camping in, how conspicuous or inconspicuous she was in her location choices, etc. In this age she must have had some social media contacts or forums she followed that might have helpful information. When was she last documented to have charged the spare bike battery - did she say anything about her route, ask for directions, ask about camping areas or road conditions, buy anything in a store, even just have a chatty conversation?
I think this is a story that a magazine like Outdoor or Backpacker might have an interest in researching. I don't think there has been much national coverage. I've not seen anything in mainstream media about her at all.
However, there must be people out there who have met her on her travels since finishing her job in Oregon that could give some insight about what kind of a place she would be likely to be camping in, how conspicuous or inconspicuous she was in her location choices, etc. In this age she must have had some social media contacts or forums she followed that might have helpful information. When was she last documented to have charged the spare bike battery - did she say anything about her route, ask for directions, ask about camping areas or road conditions, buy anything in a store, even just have a chatty conversation?
I think this is a story that a magazine like Outdoor or Backpacker might have an interest in researching. I don't think there has been much national coverage. I've not seen anything in mainstream media about her at all.
I keep wondering why she would have chosen to head for Mono Hot Springs Resort when it wasn't open, and in the typr of terrain I don't thing she was familar with.
I looked at the streetview on Google maps from Kaiser Peak Road to Mono Hot Springs Resort.
Kaiser Peak Road starts off as a well-maintained paved two lane road that is gaining elevation as it climbs along the side of a steep ridge. At about 14 miles, it turns into a one-laned road that travels through a rocky areas of a large burn scar and standing dead burned trees. About 5 miles farther is the High Sierra Ranger station, with an office building and several other buildings, including some residences. At this point, if I were by myself on an ebike I would be seriously considering making sure my batteries were all charged to the max because it evident it is becoming isolated, and probably colder. If it were late afternoon, I would even thing of turning around and getting back to a more populated area than taking the risk of having to camp out in this region by myself. The road continues down a rocky hill to the level when it becomes Edison Road and then at the bottom of the hill is a bridge across the South San Joaquin River and a beautiful meadowy spot just before the turnoff to Mono Hot Springs and the resort. I had made it all the way there by myself, I'd consider camping there for the night and hope I could find a way to charge batteries before having to return back up those hills on the way back.
It's very reminiscent of some of the Tuolumne Meadows areas in Yosemite NP.
I looked at the streetview on Google maps from Kaiser Peak Road to Mono Hot Springs Resort.
Kaiser Peak Road starts off as a well-maintained paved two lane road that is gaining elevation as it climbs along the side of a steep ridge. At about 14 miles, it turns into a one-laned road that travels through a rocky areas of a large burn scar and standing dead burned trees. About 5 miles farther is the High Sierra Ranger station, with an office building and several other buildings, including some residences. At this point, if I were by myself on an ebike I would be seriously considering making sure my batteries were all charged to the max because it evident it is becoming isolated, and probably colder. If it were late afternoon, I would even thing of turning around and getting back to a more populated area than taking the risk of having to camp out in this region by myself. The road continues down a rocky hill to the level when it becomes Edison Road and then at the bottom of the hill is a bridge across the South San Joaquin River and a beautiful meadowy spot just before the turnoff to Mono Hot Springs and the resort. I had made it all the way there by myself, I'd consider camping there for the night and hope I could find a way to charge batteries before having to return back up those hills on the way back.
It's very reminiscent of some of the Tuolumne Meadows areas in Yosemite NP.
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