Missing Woman Found Alive at Utah Campground Months after Relying on Grass and Moss to Survive

A woman who was missing for more than five months was found this weekend at a Utah campground after surviving on moss and grass, authorities said.

The 47-year-old woman disappeared in December. Search and rescue efforts found her car in a parking lot in the Diamond Fork area of Spanish Fork Canyon.

The Utah County Sheriff’s Office said a sergeant returned to the area along with representatives from a nonprofit aerial search organization determined to find evidence the woman was still out there somewhere.

“During one of the first passes, the drone crashed, and the Sergeant and drone pilot set out to find the drone,” the USCO press release said. “As they walked into the hills, they found a tent that they believed was abandoned. About then, the zipper of the tent opened, and there was the woman SAR officials searched for in December 2020.”

Authorities said the woman “had lost a significant amount of weight and was weak.” Officials called her “resourceful,” seeing as she survived on grass, moss, and a water supply from a nearby river.

Authorities believe she “knowingly chose” to stay in the area. “They did, however, find information that suggested this woman might struggle with mental health challenges,” the press release indicated.