Officials search for bear that attacked a woman hiking on a popular Alaska trail

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A brown bear attacked a woman Tuesday afternoon as she hiked on a popular trail in Alaska’s Chugach Mountains, and officials are still looking for the animal, state police said.

Alaska State Troopers used a helicopter to evacuate the woman off the Basher Trail to a hospital, Anchorage Police spokesperson Christopher Barraza said. Her injuries are considered non-life-threatening, he said.

The woman, who has not been identified, called 911 around 3 p.m. and told the dispatcher that she had been mauled by a bear about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) into the trail, Barraza said. She told officials she couldn’t walk.

For about an hour, the woman talked with officials over the phone, telling them the area she was in as they used drones to try to find her, Barraza said.

“After the bear had mauled her, she said it ran off and she was unable to see which direction it went,” he said.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game blocked off the area and is searching for the bear, he said.

“We’re advising everybody to make sure they go prepared when they go to do hikes and trails,” Barraza said. “Make sure you know what to do when you see a bear, carry your bear spray, stuff like that.”

The Anchorage Fire Department wrote in a post on Facebook that hikers should temporarily avoid the trails around the Stuckagain Heights area.