Two teenagers were injured during a frightening bear encounter on a Mount Si trail in Washington state on Tuesday, authorities said.
The King County Sheriff’s Office said a group of young people was hiking on Mount Si, east of Seattle, when they came across a bear that charged at them.
During the chaos, one teen became separated from the group. His friends later told authorities they heard a “lot of screaming.”
Officials said the teen was attacked and injured by the bear, but managed to make his way back to the group.
A second teen was injured while trying to flee the area after falling and twisting an ankle, authorities said.
Deputies worked with King County Search & Rescue to get the bear attack victim down the mountain on an ATV. The sheriff’s office described the teen as “semi-ambulatory.”
Mount Si trails were closed Tuesday afternoon as emergency crews responded and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife searched the area for the bear.
Eastside Fire & Rescue said on X that Mount Si trails were closed because of bear activity and confirmed that two people had been injured in the encounter.
“At this time we have two people injured from the encounter with the bear,” the agency said. “Crews are working to bring both patients off the trail while @WDFW works to locate the bear.”
The sheriff’s office said bears are commonly seen in the area, but attacks are rare, especially involving a large group of hikers.
Video from local ABC affiliate KOMO-TV showed one of the injured hikers being escorted off the mountain as emergency crews worked at the scene.
Later Tuesday, Eastside Fire & Rescue said crews had cleared the scene while Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officers remained in the area.
The agency said two teenage patients were treated for injuries. One was taken to a hospital with noncritical injuries related to the bear encounter.
Authorities have not released more details about the bear or the full extent of the teens’ injuries.
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