The attack unfolded at the end of the last hike on the last day of a long-awaited trip to the popular Montana park, which sees more than 3 million visitors annually. <\/p>\n
Crago, a lifelong outdoor enthusiast who spent his childhood camping in Yosemite and Sequoia, had just taken a few snapshots from the end of the Grinnell Glacier trail and was headed back to meet his travel companion about 100 yards away when he spotted a grizzly cub just off to his left. <\/p>\n
Like most Golden State hikers, Crago had long ago learned what to do when confronted with a bear. He stayed calm and still, quickly scanning his surroundings for other grizzlies. <\/p>\n
![\"Daniel](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1780876279_953_.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Daniel Crago took this selfie at the Grinnell Glacier trail head in Glacier National Park minutes before he was attacked by a grizzly bear, breaking his arm.<\/p>\n
(Daniel Crago)<\/p>\n
What he saw next filled him with terror. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a larger grizzly maybe 10 feet above me,\u201d Crago said. \u201cThey tell you to alert the bear to make sure you don\u2019t frighten it. I called, \u2018Hey bear! Hey bear!\u2019 And as it looked up, it charged at me.\u201d <\/p>\n
With no time to grab his bear spray, Crago said he threw up his right arm to try to shield himself instead. The bear bit through flesh and bone, dragging him for about 20 feet before dropping him and running away. <\/p>\n
\u201cI looked down at my arm, and my hand was just kind of dangling,\u201d Crago said. \u201cIt was a full break of both forearm bones, an open wound, blood kind of pouring out.\u201d <\/p>\n
He got up and began running but dropped to the snow after nearby hikers screamed at him to stop, fearing the bear could charge again. <\/p>\n
Once he was down, bystanders quickly rushed to his aid. One, a pediatric ER doctor, wrapped his arm in a makeshift tourniquet and stuffed the wound to staunch the bleeding while others called for help. Crago\u2019s hiking companion helped keep him calm while they waited about an hour for a helicopter to arrive. <\/p>\n
\u201cI just kept putting snow on my face, staying awake,\u201d Crago said. \u201cI felt like if I passed out, I wouldn\u2019t make it.\u201d <\/p>\n
![\"Daniel](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1780876279_615_.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Daniel Crago at hospital recovering after taking a vacation to Glacier National Park where he was attacked by a grizzly bear, breaking his arm.<\/p>\n
(Daniel Crago)<\/p>\n
He spent the next seven days at Logan Hospital in Kalispell, where he endured multiple surgeries to save his arm. Crago said he expected to receive at least one more skin graft, and possibly further surgeries to come, but had no sense of how long it could take to regain use of his dominant hand or how much he might end up having to pay for lifesaving care. <\/p>\n
\u201cWriting is the hardest thing, just signing medical documents,\u201d the hiker said. \u201cThe helicopter itself was $20,000 after insurance coverage, and I haven\u2019t seen the bill of the surgery.\u201d <\/p>\n