Overview
- The attack happened Saturday around 5:30 p.m. on a narrow, overgrown user-made trail above Bear Valley and left the unidentified woman with non-life-threatening injuries who was carried down the hill to a local hospital.
- The hiker was with another person and three dogs when a brown bear emerged from dense alders and briefly made contact with one of the hikers before fleeing.
- Initial reports that a dog had been killed were later proven false when a separate hiking group found the dog unharmed and returned it to its owners.
- Anchorage police, fire crews and wildlife officers used drones to locate and monitor the bear during the rescue, a tactic agencies have expanded this year to keep rescuers safe.
- Officials say high winds, heavy vegetation and off‑leash dogs can increase surprise encounters, and they reiterated common safety steps such as carrying bear spray, keeping pets leashed, and making noise on trails as bear incidents in the region have risen recently.