San Diego man survives encounter with grizzly bear at National Park

U.S. newsSan Diego man survives encounter with grizzly bear at National ParkDaniel Crago says he is lucky to be alive after coming face-to-face with a grizzly bear at Glacier National Park.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Daniel Crago.NBC San DiegoShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJune 7, 2026, 3:22 PM EDTBy NBC San DiegoA San Diego man is recovering after surviving a grizzly bear attack while hiking in Montana’s Glacier National Park, an encounter he says he was fortunate to escape with his life.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Daniel Crago, an avid outdoorsman, was hiking along the Grinnell Glacier Trail on May 28 during what was supposed to be the final day of a weeklong vacation filled with outdoor adventures.“My love for nature kind of started when I was young,” Crago said.After more than 20 miles of hiking throughout the week, Crago was nearing the end of his trip with his friend when he encountered a bear cub near the trail.“Something catches my attention off to the left. I look over and it was a smaller cub,” he recalled.Moments later, he spotted a larger grizzly bear nearby.“No more than 15 feet above on the hill and on the same snow patch was a larger grizzly bear,” Crago said.Recognizing the danger, he tried to follow the standard guidance for bear encounters.“Panic set in but I tried to stay calm and do as you’re told and taught to do when you see a bear, just alert the bear, let them know you’re there so you don’t frighten them,” he said.The situation escalated almost immediately.“As soon as we made eye contact, it charged at me,” Crago said. “It took kind of two steps and leaped at me, open arms and a roar. I threw my arm up in self-defense to protect my face, and thankfully that’s what it bit.”The attack unfolded in seconds, but the experience left a lasting impact.“As soon as it started running at me, the thought of ‘this is it’ went through my mind,” Crago said, becoming...