Montana Hiker Survives Grizzly Bear Attack in Glacier National Park

Daniel Crago, a 32-year-old San Diego resident, was attacked by a grizzly bear on May 28 during the final day of a week-long hiking trip in Glacier National Park, Montana. While separated from his friend to photograph a snow field on the Grinnell Glacier Trail, Crago spotted what he believed was a grizzly cub before noticing a larger bear roughly 15 feet above him on the mountainside. He attempted to follow recommended bear-encounter protocol by calling out, but the National Park Service noted that loud rushing water in the area made it difficult for either party to detect the other in advance. The bear charged, and Crago raised his arm in self-defense; the animal bit down on his right forearm, breaking both the radius and ulna — visible in X-ray images — and dragged him about 20 feet before fleeing. A doctor among nearby hikers fashioned a tourniquet to limit blood loss, and Crago was airlifted to a hospital. He has since undergone three surgeries, is expected to need a skin graft, and has launched a GoFundMe campaign nearing its $60,000 goal to cover medical costs. His father indicated the injuries may end Crago's career working in professional baseball, having previously worked with the Detroit Tigers and San Diego Padres.