EISPIRATEN

A 53-year-old man was hospitalized Monday after an encounter with two bears along a hiking trail in Sierra Madre.

The attack was reported shortly before 1:30 p.m. about two miles north of the entrance to the Bailey Canyon Wildnerness Park in the U.S. Forestry area, according to police.

The hiker was hiking along a trail when an adult bear stood on its hind legs, Fish and Game officials said. A second bear emerged and attacked the hiker, who eventually called 911.

He was transported to a local hospital with some puncture wounds and scratches, but there was no immediate word on his condition.

Bailey Canyon and the Mount Wilson trail were both temporarily closed.

A hiker has been hospitalized after a bear attack in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains near Sierra Madre, authorities said Monday.

The hiker was attacked about 10:45 a.m. about two miles north of Bailey Canyon Wilderness Park near George’s Cabin and rushed the hospital, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife said. The condition of the hiker, who was described as a 53-year-old man, and the whereabouts of the bear were not immediately known.

The hiker was alone when he said a bear appeared ahead of him in the middle of the trail and stood on its hind legs, said DFW spokesman Andrew Hughan. The hiker told authorities the bear was taller than him, meaning it was a full grown adult, Hughan said.

A few seconds after the bear stood up, the hiker said he was attacked by a second ursine that “came out of nowhere,” Hughan said.
“This typically will be a few seconds, but I’m sure it felt a lot longer,” he said.

After the attack, the bears ran off and the man got up and returned to the trail head where he called 911, Hughan said.

The hiker suffered “several cuts and scratches and possible puncture wounds,” Hughan said.

Two game wardens are now in the area searching for the bear. If they determine it is the bear responsible for the attack it will be euthanized per department policy, he said.

The park is part of a small nature-study area with trails and oak trees, and is surrounded by quiet residential streets. The park and the hiking trail leading up to the attack site have been closed until further notice, authorities said.

Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesman Andrew Hughan said in an email that a game warden believed the bears “may have been a mating pair that was interrupted.”

HikeUp wrote: ↑Strange story...bears don't mate this time of year do they?

About a 100 yards down the canyon there's a bear cave. A member of the canyoneering community spotted a bear in this cave about three months ago.

Anyone want to climb down there to confirm?

mrnizegy wrote: ↑A friend of mine had a bear siting early September. He was on a Boy Scout outing with his son. I don't remember where they camped but they left out of Chantry Flats. The one they saw was not very big according to his fuzzy nighttime picture and behaved pretty harmlessly.