Missing Hiker from Georgia Found After Disappearing in Sierra Nevada Mountains
A 27-year-old woman from Jeffersonville, Georgia, has been found alive after being missing for nearly three weeks while on a bucket list adventure in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. Tiffany Slaton was on a cross-country trip visiting all 50 states via electric bike when her family lost contact with her on April 29. She was headed to Mono Hot Springs, an area typically snow-covered this time of year.
According to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Slaton was found by the owner of Vermilion Valley Resort on May 14 in one of his cabins that he typically leaves unlocked in case of emergency. Slaton’s discovery followed a multi-day search and rescue operation that covered 600 square miles of the surrounding area, which had limited access due to snow-blocked roads.
Chattanooga Named America’s First National Park City
Last month, Chattanooga became the first National Park City in North America. The designation comes—not from the National Park Service—but from the UK-based National Park City Foundation, a nonprofit that recognizes cities that make great strides towards environmental sustainability and offering access to outdoor recreation. Chattanooga is just the third to be named, after London in 2019 and Adelaide, Australia, in 2021.
According to the Chattanooga-Hamilton Air Pollution Control Bureau, the city was deemed the most polluted in the U.S. in 1969. That same year, the city developed its Air Pollution Control Ordinance to aggressively restrict emissions. After years of environmental improvement and trail building—among many other outdoor initiatives—the city has become an extremely popular recreation destination committed to continued growth and improvement.
Two Iconic A.T. Shelters Slated for Demolition in Pennsylvania
Two shelters along the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) near Pennsylvania’s Hawk Mountain are slated for demolition by the National Park Service (NPS). Shelters Eckville and 501 are set to be gone by the end of 2026, according to The Trek. The news is especially upsetting to the trail community since the well-maintained shelters are enclosed and offer rare amenities for thru-hikers, like showers and a flushing toilet. The Eckville Shelter also has a unique history as a 100-year-old former horse barn, which became a shelter when two former thru-hikers began caring for it in the 80s.
Even though the shelters are primarily maintained by a local volunteer group, Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club (BMECC), the NPS administers the trailside shelters (courtesy of the 1968 National Scenic Trails Act). Dave Bailey, BMECC’s president, told The Trek he thinks the government has bigger, still unknown, plans for the property.
Cover photo: Aerial view of a bend in the Tennessee River flowing around Chattanooga. Courtesy of Getty Images.
