A 36-year-old woman from California, who had been participating in a YouTube outdoor survival competition, was rescued after spending nearly 18 hours alone in a Michigan forest.
Authorities confirmed that the woman, whose name has not been disclosed, went away from the event’s designated base camp in the Pigeon River State Forest in Charlton Township and became lost in the wilderness.
According to the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began on Friday, September 5, at approximately 5 p.m. local time, when the woman left camp to search for water sources. After a point, when it became evident that she was missing, searches for her began, but to no result.
By early the next morning, when she had still not returned, law enforcement was contacted for assistance. Deputies received the official missing person report at around 5 a.m. on Saturday, September 6.
At that point, multiple agencies organized a coordinated search effort. Michigan State Police stated in a news release shared on X that “MSP canine units entered the dense forest, which was still damaged from the ice storm.”
On September 6, troopers from the Michigan State Police (MSP) Gaylord Post responded to the Pigeon River State Forest to assist the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office in locating a 36-year-old woman missing from California. The woman was a contestant in a YouTube survival challenge… pic.twitter.com/9eEdIteS5f
— MSP Seventh District (@mspnorthernmi) September 6, 2025
The breakthrough came several hours later. At about 10:40 a.m., a Michigan State Police helicopter spotted the missing woman. The Otsego County Sheriff’s Office explained in its release that she was discovered “deep within a swampy area.” Officials added that she had been exposed to “cold and rain for almost 18 hours.” Despite the ordeal, she appeared alert and able to walk on her own.
Video footage posted by Michigan State Police showed how vital the helicopter was in spotting her. The woman can be seen desperately waving her arms from the cover of trees below as the aircraft hovered above.
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“The female was able to walk out under her own power and was evaluated by EMS on scene,” the Sheriff’s Office reported. Authorities confirmed she was released at the site after the medical examination determined she had no serious injuries.
While the woman was successfully rescued, she did survive harsh conditions and it is no short of a miracle that she did not lose her life. Ironically enough, the survival show she was a part of made her go through such an intense battle for surviving in the wilderness, which she fortunately won. While questions about how she ended up where she was found remain, no more details apart from the news of the woman’s well being have been shared by authorities.
