Overview
- On May 28, Daniel Crago encountered a grizzly on a snowfield on the Grinnell Glacier Trail, and the bear bit his right arm and dragged him about 20 to 30 feet before running off.
- Nearby hikers, including a pediatric emergency doctor, stopped the bleeding, applied a tourniquet and called for help while Crago was airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in Kalispell.
- Crago has had multiple surgeries to repair crushed forearm bones, faces at least one more operation, reports that major arteries and nerves were not severed, and is recovering in San Diego.
- The National Park Service has labeled the episode a “surprise encounter,” closed parts of the Grinnell Glacier, Josephine Lake and Lincoln Lake areas for safety, and is investigating while an earlier park fatality remains under review.
- Officials and experts point to seasonal risks—bears recently out of hibernation, lingering snowfields and loud meltwater that can mask human presence—which has prompted renewed emphasis on trail management, visitor safety guidance and possible further closures.