Lone Hiker Hits the Woods Despite Bear Attack Warnings

Kare 11 has received information regarding a St. Paul man after he was attacked by a grizzly bear while hiking in Glacier National Park. According to officials at Glacier National Park, the 50-year-old had turned a corner while hiking and had subsequently surprised the bear along with its cub.The bear bit him on the arm and thigh and also shook him. He was, however, able to walk away where he received help and medical treatment.

Every year there are tens of thousands of people who hike the same trail where the attack occurred. Many do so by hiking alone, which poses great risks to the hiker. However, for one lone hiker he has managed to log up 160 hiking miles in the park to take pictures. Despite the warnings over bear attacks he remains cautious and carries bear spray with him for extra protection.

Furthermore, in order to prevent a confrontation from happening the lone hiker takes the time to make enough noise especially if he can’t see what’s around the corner to scare any bears off.

The man who was attacked did have a canister of self defense spray on him, but was unable to reach it in time. In this instance it is important to make sure that your bear spray is close to you and not at the bottom of your bag. You won’t know when you require it for your safety, so to prevent yourself from getting into a difficult situation make sure that you can always reach it should you need it.

Another factor to bear in mind is the wind. Bears have an incredible sense of smell, so if the wind is at your back and bears smell you coming they are likely to move from the area to a safer spot.

While it may be tempting to simply forget bringing protection with you while hiking it is important to realize that you are hiking in bear territory. No one wants to be confronted by a grizzly bear, but if you have taken the measures to protect yourself you are more likely to escape unharmed compared to someone who didn’t have any protection on them.

By being one step ahead, you can enjoy your hike instead of worrying about what may be around the corner.