Campers kayak to safety after Skilak bear attack

Published 9:30 pm Tuesday, June 15, 2021

Two campers kayaked for help after they were attacked by a bear in the Skilak area of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday morning, according to a press release from the refuge.

They were at the mouth of Hidden Creek along the shoreline of Skilak Lake when the bear wounded them. After paddling to Upper Skilak Lake Campground, they were assisted by other campers until medical personnel arrived on the scene by helicopter and ambulance. The pair was then transported to area hospitals.

Biologists and wildlife officers with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game returned to the campsite to retrieve the pair’s equipment and complete an investigation.

According to the release, officials didn’t find any bears in the area, but they do plan to conduct a DNA analysis of the gear to identify the species of bear involved in the attack.

Hidden Creek Trail was temporarily closed soon after the incident, and signs remain with warnings to inform visitors of the incident, the release stated.

Reach reporter Camille Botello at camille.botello@peninsulaclarion.com.