WILLIAMS LAKE — A woman who surprised a grizzly while hiking up remote mountains in British Columbia’s Interior had no time to protect herself or prevent the bear attack, a conservation officer said.
The bear lunged at the woman and bit her, breaking her arm in a “chance encounter” on Friday, said Len Butler of B.C.’s Conservation Officer Service.
The bear was just trying to protect itself as it happened upon the woman and her boyfriend, he added.
“They hiked along a trail, they were in some of the open meadows and there was a small little pass to go up through,” said Butler.
“It was so quick. They did nothing wrong.”
The incident occurred about mid-afternoon while the pair from Williams Lake, B.C., was ascending in the Big Slide Mountain Area near the community of Horsefly, in the province’s Cariboo region.
The pair hiked about an hour back down the mountain before driving two more hours to Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, B.C., where the woman was treated.
B.C. Interior Health released a statement on behalf of the couple.
“As you can imagine, the experience was startling, terrifying and one that caused physical injury,” said the statement issued by the woman named River and her boyfriend Evan, who declined to publicize their last names.
“Being outdoor enthusiasts, we both accept the risks of exploring beautiful British Columbia and we don’t want this very rare experience to deter anyone from enjoying the great outdoors.
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