Hiker Survives Grizzly Bear Attack in Montana

A hiker in Montana had a close call with a grizzly bear, which bit him on the arm and dragged him away before fleeing the scene.

Daniel Crago, 32, shared his unsettling experience from his trip to Glacier National Park on May 28. While hiking on the popular Grinnell Glacier Trail with friends, he followed two other hikers to snap some photos when they spotted a small grizzly bear.

“I glanced around and there it was, a large grizzly about 15 feet up the mountainside,” Crago recounted. He mentioned he had been advised to make noise to alert the bear, but it seemed he got a bit too close for comfort.

“Once it noticed me, it lunged at me,” he explained. “It bit my arm, dragged me roughly 20 to 30 feet, and then just took off.”

His fundraising page includes striking photos: stunning views of the area, a snapshot of him in a hospital bed with a large cast on his arm, and the X-rays showing injuries from the bear.

A press release indicated that Crago suffered non-life-threatening injuries during the “sudden encounter” with the bear. It stated, “During the encounter, the bear lunged and broke the man’s arm.”

Fortunately, nearby hikers jumped to help, driving the bear away. They provided medical assistance and contacted emergency services. Crago was airlifted to a local hospital for treatment.

Officials mentioned that neither Crago nor the bear may have noticed each other until it was too late, likely due to the “sound of heavy water running in the area.”

When reflecting on the incident, Crago recalled that a pediatric emergency doctor who happened to be hiking helped stabilize his arm and stemmed the bleeding, while another hiker kept making noise to prevent the bear from coming back.

“I’ve had three surgeries already and might need at least one more,” Crago reported.

This incident follows a tragic event earlier in the month when 33-year-old Anthony Pollio was killed in a series of bear attacks in the same park on May 3. Search and rescue teams found his body with injuries indicative of a bear attack, and investigations suggested it was also a surprise encounter.

The Grinnell Glacier Trail, which spans 17.6 miles, is currently closed until it can be deemed safe for hikers again.