Woman attacked by brown bear on popular trail in Alaska mountains
A woman was mauled by a brown bear while hiking a popular trail in Alaska's Chugach Mountains.
The woman, who has not been identified, was hiking the Basher Trail in the Chugach Mountains, near Anchorage, on July 22 when the bear attacked her, the Anchorage Fire Department said in a post on Facebook.
The fire department said the victim called 911 to report the attack around 2:30 p.m. local time and told officials she "needed help as soon as possible," as she "could not get out on their own due to injuries sustained in the mauling."
Multiple agencies, including crews with the Anchorage Police Department, Alaska Department of Fish and Game and Alaska State Troopers, responded to assist the victim, the fire department said.
Victim was conscious after attack, officials said
Anchorage Police spokesperson Christopher Barraza told Paste BN over email on July 23 that the woman called 911 around 3 p.m. and said, "She had been mauled by a brown bear off Dome Trail in Stuckagain Heights."
Barraza said the woman "was conscious" and remained on the phone with rescue crews the "entire time, providing directions to her location on the trail," which she believed to be "about 2 miles up the Dome Trail." The officer added that agencies also "deployed our drones to help locate her."
The police department requested assistance from the Alaska State Troopers, Barraza said, who brought in their helicopter to evacuate the woman and transport her to a local hospital. Barraza said her injuries were considered to be non-life-threatening and that she is in stable condition.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game spokesperson Cyndi Wardlow told Paste BN on July 24 that the attack took place on the Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson property in Jber, "approximately 2 miles up the trail at approx. 1500 feet elevation."
"The trail has heavy vegetative cover in this area and low visibility," Wardlow said, explaining, "hiking in areas with heavy vegetation increases the risk of surprising wildlife, either bear or moose, and may trigger a defensive attack."
Bear ran off
While the woman was transported to safety, the bear ran off and could not be located.
Anchorage Fire Department, in a post on Facebook, advised hikers to "avoid all the trails around the Stuckagain Heights area for the time being."
Officers visited attack site to collect samples
Wardlow said officers with the agency visited the attack site on July 23 to collect additional evidence and other information from the scene.
"No bears were seen during this time or reported by first responders on the day of the attack," Wardlow said in her email. "The victim reported that the bear fled the area after the attack."
While the victim reported the bear that attacked her was brown, a cinnamon black bear is also a possibility, Wardlow said, and that hair and scat samples collected from the scene will be tested to determine species and gender. The cause of the attack is also not yet known, she added.
No bears have been killed by ADFG, Wardlow said, adding that no obvious attractants such as food caches or animal carcasses were discovered near the site of the attack.
"ADFG will continue monitoring reports for any increased bear activity or unusual behaviors," the officer said.
Wardlow added that the agency has not been able to speak with the victim yet and does not have an update on her current medical status.
Staying safe in bear country
Alaska is home to three types of bears − black, brown and polar − according to Alaska Fish and Game. Here's what the department recommends if you encounter a bear:
- Never approach or crowd bears; respect their “personal space.”
- Make yourself appear as large as possible.
- Don't surprise a bear: Make noise, sing or talk loudly. Always let bears know you are there.
- Don’t feed bears.
- Never run: You can’t outrun a bear, and the animals will see you as fleeing prey.
- In case of an attack, play dead or fight back.
- If you see cubs, be extra cautious. Mother bears are very protective of their young. Do not approach, touch or interact with cubs.
- Always carry bear deterrents, such as firearms and bear spray. However, these two should only be used as a last resort and not as an alternative to common-sense approaches to bear encounters.
- If a wild animal poses an immediate threat to personal safety, call 911. Else report all non-emergency wildlife encounters to Alaska Fish and Game here.
The fire department also encouraged hikers in the area to "file trip plans with friends or family before trekking off into the great outdoors."
"Information regarding your planned route can be invaluable as we try to locate you in case of an emergency," the department said. "To be extra prepared, leave a copy of your trip plan underneath your windshield wiper!"
This story was updated to add more information.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for Paste BN. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.