A lady was hospitalized following a bear encounter in the wilderness close to Whistler on Friday. The B.C. Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) reported that a trio of hikers encountered two bears near Conflict Lake in the Callaghan Conservancy at approximately 5 p.m. PT last Friday. One of the bears attacked the woman before ceasing the aggression.
Whistler Search and Rescue president, Brad Sills, mentioned that they assisted in transporting conservation officers to the location and in airlifting the injured woman. The woman sustained a serious leg injury. The BCCOS confirmed that she was taken to the hospital and is anticipated to recover. As a safety measure, the BCCOS eliminated an adult male black bear at the site of the attack after conducting a sweep of the area.
Nonetheless, the BCCOS indicated that it has not yet determined whether a black bear or grizzly bear was behind the incident. Sills highlighted that the region is recognized as grizzly bear habitat, emphasizing that hikers should take precautions such as making continuous noise to avoid surprises. He stated, “It’s not enough to call out intermittently when you’re hiking, when you’re in known grizzly bear terrain, you need to be calling out all the time.”
The BCCOS informed that officers would revisit the site on Saturday. B.C. Parks has shut down trail access in the vicinity and is advising the public to steer clear of the area.
