The backpacker in Wyoming who shocked a grizzly bear although descending Francs Peak west of Meeteetse at the close of final month reported he was “luckier than hell, to be trustworthy.”
Barry Olson of Buffalo, N.Y., has been returning to Wyoming just about every summer in his quest to access the summit of just about every 13,000-foot peak in the condition, exactly where his mom nevertheless lives, as reported by the Cody Organization.
The 68-calendar year-outdated was on a multi-working day backpacking trip when he encountered the grizzly, had no time to deploy bear spray and was seriously mauled, in accordance to the Park County Sheriff’s Place of work.
“I was heading down, in excess of the ridge, and could not see that far forward,” Olson explained to the Cody Company. “We just transpired to cross paths. I was heading down, he was coming up.”
They had been 15 yards aside when their paths crossed. Olson took a person small stage away from the bear, but it commenced toward him.
“I attempted to get to my bear spray—it experienced been clipped on my shoulder—but they shift so damn rapidly,” he told the Cody Company. “He was on me just before I could even get to it…
“They say the bear attacked me 5 occasions, but I’d nearly contact it like just one attack. Following it obtained me the to start with time, little bit me and shook me all around, I tried to go for my bear spray again since he paused. But it was only a pause of a pair seconds. Then it was on top of me again. Immediately after that, I just performed dead.”
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The fifth and final time, “the bear experienced me 3 or 4 toes off the ground, flipped me in excess of and dumped me on the ground. Then…he just still left.”
Terribly hurt and alone but mindful, Olson activated his Individual Locator Beacon.
The Park County Sheriff’s Place of work Communications Division acquired a report of a attainable downed aircraft, but it ultimately was established to be a PLB at a higher altitude.
“Due to the location of the signal, PSAR Air – 1 and a Guardian Clinical helicopter have been launched,” the Park County Sheriff’s Business documented on Facebook. “A UH-1H Huey from Sublette County SAR was also summoned to guide in transporting a PCSAR ground crew to the distant place.”
A handful of hrs later on, aid at last arrived for Olson.
“The individual was swiftly loaded in the Huey and flown to a landing zone in the Wood River spot, wherever he was transferred to the Guardian Clinical Helicopter and transported to Billings for therapy,” the Park County Sheriff’s Workplace stated.
Olson experienced important muscular wounds to each thighs and the triceps of his left arm. He has considering that been introduced, but he expects to undertake a pores and skin graft on a single of his legs before long.
Olson explained to the Cody Organization that he promised his daughter he wouldn’t climb a mountain for at least a year, “but…this may possibly be it for me.”
Generic photos of grizzly bears courtesy of the Countrywide Park Services pictures of the rescue helicopter and the grizzly paw print in the snow courtesy of Park County Sheriff’s Office environment.
