On August 26th, 24-year-old Esmeralda Marie Pineda went missing near a mining camp in Nevada City, California, about an hour north of her home in Sacramento. She was last seen near the Yuba River west of Sweetland and authorities launched an extensive search after she never reached the trailhead while attempting to return to Sacramento.
Nearly two weeks later, Pineda was found alive but severely dehydrated and emaciated. Search crews located her lying under a structure in a small clearing near the canyon's rim. Sergeant Dustin Moe from the Nevada County Sheriff's Office said they spotted her after she sat up and looked in their direction. Due to her weakened condition, they didn’t press her to speak.
After being found, Pineda was quickly airlifted by the California Highway Patrol to a hospital for treatment. Officials didn’t have any details on the extent of her injuries, but Moe speculates that she may have survived through a combination of good survival instincts and luck.
Source: CBS NEWS