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Trail Jogger at Glacier National Park Walks Away from Encounter With Two Grizzlies
A trail runner in Glacier National Park has survived an encounter with two young grizzly bears, although he's got some bite marks to show for it.
The 60-year-old jogger, Thomas Nerison, of Kalispell, Montana, was running along the Lake McDonald Valley Trail on the west side of the park Sunday morning when he heard what sounded like barking dogs and horses coming down the trail.
The jogger told rangers that he was about one to one-and-a-half miles from the Avalanche Lake trailhead about 9:45 Sunday morning when he turned around to hear what was making the noise. Mr. Neirson, who was not making any noise as he ran and who did not have any bear spray with him, told rangers he thought the bears were running from something that had startled them.
One of the bears stopped in close proximity to him and while Mr. Neirson tried to kick the bear, he fell down while doing so. He said the bear the bit him twice as he continued to kick. When the jogger managed to grab some sticks to poke at the bear, the bear lost interest in him, moved back toward the way it had come and then went uphill and away from the trail.
Mr. Neirson then walked downhill and cross country to the Going-to-the-Sun Road where he got a ride from a visitor back to his own car at the Avalanche trailhead. He then drove himself to the Kalispell Regional Medical Center’s Emergency Room for unspecified medical treatment.
Later Sunday rangers closed the trail between the junction with the Avalanche Trail and the Johns Lake Trail, per the park’s bear management policies. Park rangers are investigating the incident and based on their findings, in accordance with Glacier’s Bear Management Guidelines, park managers will determine what, if any, further actions will be taken.
The park is seeking information from anyone who may have been on the Lake McDonald Valley Trail on Sunday between 9 and 10 a.m. Please contact park headquarters at 406-888-7801, if you were on the trail or might have seen bears or dogs in the area between Johns Lake Trailhead and Avalanche Trailhead.
http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com...-two-grizzlies
The 60-year-old jogger, Thomas Nerison, of Kalispell, Montana, was running along the Lake McDonald Valley Trail on the west side of the park Sunday morning when he heard what sounded like barking dogs and horses coming down the trail.
The jogger told rangers that he was about one to one-and-a-half miles from the Avalanche Lake trailhead about 9:45 Sunday morning when he turned around to hear what was making the noise. Mr. Neirson, who was not making any noise as he ran and who did not have any bear spray with him, told rangers he thought the bears were running from something that had startled them.
One of the bears stopped in close proximity to him and while Mr. Neirson tried to kick the bear, he fell down while doing so. He said the bear the bit him twice as he continued to kick. When the jogger managed to grab some sticks to poke at the bear, the bear lost interest in him, moved back toward the way it had come and then went uphill and away from the trail.
Mr. Neirson then walked downhill and cross country to the Going-to-the-Sun Road where he got a ride from a visitor back to his own car at the Avalanche trailhead. He then drove himself to the Kalispell Regional Medical Center’s Emergency Room for unspecified medical treatment.
Later Sunday rangers closed the trail between the junction with the Avalanche Trail and the Johns Lake Trail, per the park’s bear management policies. Park rangers are investigating the incident and based on their findings, in accordance with Glacier’s Bear Management Guidelines, park managers will determine what, if any, further actions will be taken.
The park is seeking information from anyone who may have been on the Lake McDonald Valley Trail on Sunday between 9 and 10 a.m. Please contact park headquarters at 406-888-7801, if you were on the trail or might have seen bears or dogs in the area between Johns Lake Trailhead and Avalanche Trailhead.
http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com...-two-grizzlies