A woman who was taking part in a YouTube ‘survival challenge’ in Michigan‘s Pigeon River State Forest was missing for nearly 18 hours before a Michigan State Police helicopter spotted her deep in a swampy section of the woods.
The dramatic moment was captured on thermal camera and posted to social media by the Michigan State Police’s 7th District.
The rescue drew widespread attention and has raised questions about the growing dangers of unsupervised internet ‘challenge’ culture.
According to the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office, the woman, a 36-year-old from California whose name has not been publicly released, was one of several contestants participating in a YouTube-filmed survival challenge in the rugged terrain of Pigeon River State Forest.
The contest required participants to live off the land in the isolated woods.
But things seemed to go dangerously off script on Friday when the woman left her designated base camp around 5pm to look for water but never returned.
As night fell and rain moved in, the woman was still unaccounted for.
Despite search efforts by the contest organizers, it took 12 hours before authorities were finally notified.
A woman who was taking part in a YouTube ‘survival challenge’ was missing for nearly 18 hours before a Michigan State Police helicopter found her deep in a section of the woods
The lost woman could be seen frantically waving as a police helicopter flew overhead
A 911 call was made at 5am on Saturday morning leading to a multi-agency search effort involving canine units, firefighters, and troopers from the Michigan State Police’s Gaylord Post.
Much of the forest is still littered with debris from a severe ice storm earlier in the year making the area tough to search.
Fallen trees and tangled branches made the search a nightmare for ground crews and canine teams, who pushed forward in the cold and wet.
It wasn’t until a Michigan State Police helicopter, known as Trooper 6, was deployed that the woman was finally found.
At 10:40am, nearly 18 hours after she disappeared, the helicopter crew spotted her standing in a clearing, waving her hands toward the chopper.
The moment was caught on video and shared by the MSP on X showing the woman surrounded by thick forest as the thermal camera locked on.
‘Command Six, we definitely got her,’ the pilot can be heard saying in the video.
Using the helicopter’s position, officers on the ground and MSP canine handlers were directed to her exact location.
A thermal imaging camera was able to direct rescuers to the woman’s location in the forest
Things seemed to go dangerously off script on Friday when the woman left her designated base camp around 5pm to look for water but never returned
The woman was able to walk out under her own power, officials said.
She was evaluated by EMS on site and released with no serious injuries, despite spending a cold and rainy night alone in a forest known for bears, wolves, and punishing terrain.
‘Great work by all first responders on scene!’ the MSP’s 7th District posted in celebration of the successful rescue.
Officials have not released the identity of the woman or any further details about the nature of the YouTube challenge itself, including whether permits were secured or if safety protocols were in place.
The hosts of the contest have also not been named publicly.
The incident has triggered a renewed wave of concern from law enforcement and rescue professionals across the country, who warn that internet-based endurance stunts are increasingly pushing participants into dangerous and unregulated territory.
The woman, who was wearing green, was able to see by the chopper thanks to its heat-seeking camera
‘Wild that a YouTube survival challenge led to a multi-agency search. Hope she’s okay. Makes you think about the real-world risks of these online stunts,’ wrote one user online.
‘It’s not a survival challenge if search and rescue are called. It’s just a “don’t get lost” challenge.’, added another.
‘Are you going to bill the organizers of this YouTube survival challenge because you should on behalf of taxpayers,’ suggested a third.
The woman is expected to make a full recovery, but authorities say the incident could have ended in tragedy had Trooper 6 not located her when it did.
