Hiker thought he was 'going to die' after grizzly bear dragged him 20ft in terrifying attack
A hiker is recovering in hospital after being mauled by a huge grizzly bear that dragged him 20ft and left him feeling like he was ‘going to die’.
Daniel Crago, from San Diego, was out on a hike Grinnell Glacier Trail in Montana’s Glacier National on 28 May when he had a ‘terrifying’ run in with two grizzlies that resulted in serious injuries.
The 32-year-old said he first spotted a bear cub before noticing a much larger adult bear about 15 feet away from him.
"I did as you're told. I alert the bear so you don't catch them by surprise," he told ABC7.
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"I said, 'Hey bear! Hey bear!' As soon as it looked right up at me, it charged me and leaped. You could hear the roar. I just stuck my arm up, and I kind of thought ... this is it."
Crago said the larger bear bit down on his arm and dragged him around 20 feet before it ran off, leaving the hiker to assess his injuries.
“[I] looked down and saw my arm just dangling. Blood pouring out. Thought I was gonna die,” he said.
Fortunately, there was another hiker nearby who happened to be an off-duty doctor and was able to stabilise Crago’s arm, while they waited for help to arrive.
Crago was then airlifted to a hospital in Kalispell, where he was told the extent of his injuries.
"Thankfully, the bear didn't injure the wrist, didn't injure the elbow. It was just a complete crush of the bones, the forearm bones," he added.
Crago has already undergone three surgeries and medics have warned him that he’ll need ‘at least one more’.
The incident wasn’t only painful for Crago, but also expensive, with the hiker revealing the helicopter to hospital cost $20,000 after insurance.
As a result, he’s set up a GoFundMe page to help cover some of the cost of his treatment.
Last month, the National Park Service issued a statement advising visitors of what to do - and not to do - if they happen to come across a bear in the wild.
The advice warns:
- Never approach a bear.
- Stay alert and avoid headphones on trails.
- Hike in groups when possible.
- Make noise near streams, dense vegetation and blind corners.
- Store food, trash and scented items properly.
- Carry bear spray where recommended and allowed.
- Never run from a bear.
“If you encounter a bear, stay calm, speak in a steady voice, back away slowly and do not make sudden movements,” a press release explained.
“Visitors should report bear encounters to park staff as soon as it is safe to do so.”
Topics: US News
Claire Reid