It’s hard not to panic if you encounter a bear while running on a trail by yourself, but one woman was able to stay calm enough to fend off the animal even after it bit her. On August 13, an adult female was running on a popular trail in Anchorage when she was attacked by a bear, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G). Fortunately, she had the right item in her possession to thwart the beast long enough so she could rescue herself.
Solo runner fends off bear and rescues herself
The unnamed woman was sprinting alone through the Wolverine Bowl trail near Prospect Heights in Anchorage when she encountered a brown bear, as noted in a press release by the ADF&G on August 14.
A separate report by KTUU says the woman was bitten during the attack. Fortunately, she was carrying bear spray, a deterrent that is similar to pepper spray but generally has higher concentrations of capsaicin and comes in larger canisters to allow for a wider fog-like pattern. The bear spray worked and the injured victim was able to rescue herself by heading back to the trailhead as quickly as possible.
The solo runner was later transported to a local hospital for treatment. It is unclear what the extent of her injuries are…