A 32-year-old hiker was injured by a grizzly bear on the Grinnell Glacier Trail in Glacier National Park on May 28, according to the National Park Service.
Park officials said the encounter happened at about 12:45 p.m. on a snowfield roughly 3.5 miles up the trail in the Many Glacier area of the park. The agency described it as a surprise encounter.
The bear charged the hiker and broke his arm, according to park officials. The bear left the area shortly after the encounter.
Nearby hikers helped the injured man, provided first aid, and notified authorities. Emergency personnel later transported him by helicopter to Logan Health Medical Center in Kalispell, Montana.
The area where the incident occurred had conditions that may have made it harder for the hiker and bear to detect each other. Park officials said the sound of rushing water nearby may have reduced the ability of either one to hear the other before the encounter.
The Grinnell Glacier Trail is an 11-mile route in the Many Glacier area and is one of the park’s well-known hikes. The trail had reopened one day before the May 28 incident after a previous closure related to bear activity in the area.
The incident came weeks after another bear-related death in Glacier National Park.
On May 6, search and rescue crews found the body of Anthony Pollio, a 33-year-old man from Davie, Florida, about 2.5 miles up the Mt. Brown Trail and about 50 feet off the trail. The National Park Service said his injuries were consistent with a bear encounter.
Glacier National Park is home to both black bears and grizzly bears. Bear encounters that lead to injuries are uncommon, but park officials continue to advise visitors to take precautions when hiking in bear country.
The National Park Service recommends that hikers make noise on the trail, travel in groups, carry bear spray, and stay alert, especially near loud streams, blind corners, thick vegetation, and other areas where a bear may be surprised at close range.
If a visitor encounters a bear, NPS guidance says to stay calm, speak in a steady voice, avoid sudden movements, and slowly back away. Visitors should not run.
The park also advises hikers to report bear encounters to park staff as soon as possible so officials can evaluate the area and warn other visitors when needed.
Source:
Outside on MSN, “Grizzly breaks hiker’s arm in Glacier National Park’s second bear attack in a month“
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