Overview

• The 36-year-old California woman left a base camp around 5 p.m. on Sept. 5 to look for water in Pigeon River State Forest and did not return.
• Contest hosts searched overnight before calling 911 at about 5 a.m. on Sept. 6, prompting a coordinated response from Michigan State Police, local fire departments, DNR and EMS.
• MSP helicopter Trooper 6 located her at approximately 10:40 a.m. in a swampy area using onboard camera and thermal imaging, then directed ground teams to her position.
• She walked out under her own power and was evaluated on scene by EMS, which reported no serious injuries after a cold, rainy night.
• Authorities have not released her identity or named the organizers, and MSP’s aerial video shared on X has intensified discussion about the risks and public costs of online survival challenges.