Grizzly Attacks NOLS Participants in Alaska

A group of seven teenagers participating in a National Outdoor Leadership Training in Alaska were attacked Saturday night by a mother grizzly with cubs. The Anchorage Daily News reports that two of the teens were seriously injured.

The NOLS school is located in Lander, Wyoming, but none of those participating were from the state.

The group were taking part in a month long survival skills training in the Talkeetna Mountains just outside Denali State Park when the attack occurred on the 24th day of the outing.  The report says it was the first day that the teens had been left on their own. The bear attack came as they were crossing a creek.

According to Alaskan State Troopers two of the teens, Joshua Berg of New City, N.Y. and Samuel Gottsegen of Denver, suffered life threatening bites and puncture wounds.

A NOLS spokesman says the group was carrying bear spray, but there was no sign it had been used.

The report states that Alaska Wildlife Troopers and state Department of Fish and Game biologists are discussing what to do about the bear, which troopers were still looking for Sunday afternoon.

Heres a link to the full story http://www.adn.com/2011/07/24/1983379/grizzly-sow-attacks-group-of-seven.html