Teen Bear Attack
Black Bear Attacks Teen Hikers in King County, Rescue Teams Respond
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A black bear attacked a 14-year-old boy on a popular Washington state trail on June 16, clawing him across his back and lower body before briefly separating him from his group, according to WECT. A second teen, age 13, hurt his ankle while running away. Both were rescued and recovered.
The attack happened about 2.7 miles up the Mount Si trail near North Bend, Washington — one of the busiest hiking spots in the Pacific Northwest, located roughly 35 miles southeast of Seattle. King County Search and Rescue (KCSAR), the King County Sheriff's Office, and Eastside Fire and Rescue all responded, KCRG reported.
Bear Charges Teens on Their First Hike
The three teenagers were students from Thomas Jefferson High School in Auburn, Washington. They encountered a mother black bear and her cub on the trail around 12:45 PM. The bear charged the group. One 14-year-old was swiped and scratched. He was briefly separated from his companions before making his way back to the group on his own, WBTV reported.
A 13-year-old in the group tripped while fleeing and hurt his ankle. King County Search and Rescue reached the teens just 12 minutes after the first 911 call — fast, in part, because a KCSAR team was already on the mountain for a training exercise. Both teens were fully evacuated from the trailhead by 4:15 PM. The 14-year-old was discharged from a local hospital by 9:00 PM with non-life-threatening injuries, WNDU reported.
Rescuers Praise Teens Despite Scary Encounter
Sara Autio, an information officer with King County Search and Rescue, said the teens actually did many things right. They carried communication devices and stayed together as a group. "This isn't the experience we want anyone to have," Autio said, "certainly not someone on their first hike," according to KPLC TV.
King County Sheriff's Deputy Peter Linde said the bear "tossed him around a little bit, but nothing serious." The victim's father described his son as "physically okay but very shaken up." KCSAR noted that first-time hikers should always carry bear spray, WBBJ TV reported.
Wildlife Officials Search for the Bear, May Euthanize It
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) officers stayed at the scene after the rescue to search for the bear. Under WDFW policy, any bear that physically attacks a human must be put down to prevent future attacks. Relocation is only an option for "nuisance" bears — not ones that have made direct contact, KWCH reported.
By the evening of June 17, WDFW called off its active search. The bear and her cub were not found. Catherine Imbolden of Eastside Fire and Rescue confirmed that other hikers had reported aggressive bear behavior on the same day as the attack. Mount Si trails reopened June 18 with new "Bear Awareness" signs posted at trailheads, WCAX reported.
Black Bear Attacks Are Rare But Risks Are Growing
Washington has an estimated 22,000 black bears. Since 1974, only about 20 bear encounters in the state have resulted in human injury. There has been just one recorded fatal black bear attack in Washington history, back in 1974, KKTV reported. This incident is an exception — not the norm.
Still, experts say Mount Si's heavy foot traffic creates "habituation" — a process where bears gradually lose their natural fear of people. Alycia Scheidel of Conservation Northwest stressed that most black bears will not attack unless provoked or protecting young. She urged better hiker education over calls to cull bears in high-traffic recreation zones, WSAW reported.
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