What was supposed to be a peaceful day on Glacier National Park’s Grinnell Glacier Trail turned into a full-on fight for survival for San Carlos hiker Daniel Crago, who walked away from a grizzly attack with a shattered arm and a new lease on life.
Crago was trekking along a snowy stretch of trail when a grizzly clamped onto his arm and dragged him across a slope, tearing up his forearm and leaving it badly injured. Fellow hikers, including a doctor who happened to be on scene, jumped in to help, stabilizing him on the mountain before he was airlifted to a hospital in Kalispell, where surgeons have been working to repair multiple fractures. Crago has said he is simply grateful to be alive and to the strangers who refused to leave him behind.
Speaking with ABC 10News, Crago recounted spotting a grizzly cub about 40 feet away on the slope. A moment later, he noticed a larger bear roughly 15 feet above him on the slanted terrain. When he called out to alert the animals, the larger grizzly charged. He told the outlet the bear locked its jaws around his arm and dragged him more than 20 feet before letting go and running off. Other hikers rushed in, applied a tourniquet, kept watch in case the bears returned, and coordinated a call for help.
The National Park Service said in Tuesday's news release that the surprise encounter happened around 12:45 PM last Thursday in a snowfield about 3.5 miles up the Grinnell Glacier Trail, where the roar of rushing water likely made it harder for the human and the bear to hear one another. Park dispatch logged an SOS about six minutes later, and an ALERT air ambulance flew Crago to Logan Health Medical Center. The park temporarily closed the Grinnell Glacier Trail while staff checked the area, according to Glacier National Park.
On his fundraiser and personal account on GoFundMe, Crago writes that he suffered “an open wound, complete fracture of two bones” in his forearm, has already undergone three surgeries, and will need at least one more. The campaign reports $12,672 raised toward a $24,000 goal to help cover medical bills and related expenses, and it includes thanks to the hikers and hospital staff who helped save him.
A Harrowing Month In Glacier
Crago’s ordeal unfolded roughly three weeks after an apparent fatal bear encounter in Glacier that left a 33-year-old hiker from Florida dead, the park’s first suspected fatal bear attack in decades. Officials say there is no indication the two incidents involved the same animal, and the investigation into the earlier death is still underway, as reported in coverage of Hoodline.
Park Safety And Trail Closures
In the wake of the attack, Glacier staff repeated the usual bear-country basics: make noise near streams and around blind corners, hike in groups, store food and anything scented correctly, and carry bear spray. They also reminded visitors to check trail status pages before heading into the backcountry, according to a release from Glacier National Park. Park officials said trails would reopen only when staff decide it is appropriate and urged visitors to report bear encounters as soon as it is safely possible.
“Just peace, loved being in nature,” Crago said of the trip, adding that the experience has given him a new perspective and deep gratitude for his Good Samaritans, according to ABC 10News. For now, he is focused on healing and on overseeing the fundraiser, which states that any money raised above his medical and related costs will be donated to the National Park Service, per his GoFundMe page.
As Glacier moves into its busy summer season, park officials say incidents like these highlight how critical it is to be prepared in grizzly country, especially on late-season snowfields and near fast-running water where sightlines and hearing are limited. Hikers heading to Glacier or any other place with grizzlies are urged to travel in groups, carry bear spray, and stay sharp to what is happening around them.
