Bear Attack in Glacier National Park Injures 35-year-old Hiker

A hiker was injured during a black bear attack in Montana's Glacier National Park.

Glacier National Park - 0029 Glacier National Park, established on May 11, 1910, is located in the Rocky Mountains in Northwestern Montana just south of the US/Canadian Border. Going-to-the-Sun Road traverses the park connecting the east and west gates at West Glacier and St Mary respectively. / Michael Kirsh/Unsplash

A normal hike turned into a nightmare when a visitor of Montana's Glacier National Park was attacked by a bear.

The hiker and his party came up against the bear while near the trailhead of Grinnell Glacier Overlook per a release from the National Park Service.

A 35-year-old man in the party sustained non-life threatening injuries during the attack. Rangers and other hikers assisted him in getting to the Granite Park Chalet where he was then transported to a Whitefish, MT hospital.

No further updates on the hikers status have been made available yet.

Glacier closed the portion of the Highline Trail that the assault occurred in and it has remained closed as of the time of writing.

Park officials shared that they do not yet know what the species of the bear that attacked the hiker was, but an investigation is underway. Glacier is home to both grizzly and black bears.

Grizzly bears are massive, with the largest males able to get up to 1,000 pounds. While standing, they can reach seven feet tall. They have longer claws than the smaller black bear species.

Black bears are smaller and much more timid than grizzlies.

While grizzly bears are indeed more dangerous and visually scarier than black bears, neither are as prone to engage with humans than one might expect.

Despite the reputation behind bears in the woods, attacks are very rare and even more rarely fatal.

"Let’s get deadly bear encounters out of the way first. When a bear kills someone it makes for sensational news stories and lots of social clicks! That’s probably why it so often surprises people to hear that there have only been 180 fatal human/bear conflicts in North America since 1784," said Jessica Cockroft of BearVault.

Each species of bear kills less than one person per year and attack less than a dozen per year. It is very common to suffer serious injuries during an incursion, though.

If an encounter with a bear does happen, though, it's important to employ a few safety measures.

Bear Safety Tips

Make A Lot of Noise: Talking loudly while walking can help avoid startling bears. Clapping and singing while in areas with limited visibility or near streams can also be a good idea.

Back Away Slowly If You See It First: Not approaching the bear may seem like a no-brainer, but it's important to stay calm and not make any sudden movements. Back away from it with as much care as possible.

If encountering a black bear: This is where the famous strategy of making yourself look bigger while shouting at it comes into play.

If encountering a grizzly bear: It's pretty much the exact opposite approach. Back away from it and talk softly. If you must, play dead flat on your stomach.