Woman flown to hospital after bear attack near Whistler, BC

A woman was taken to hospital after being attacked by a bear while hiking in the backcountry near Whistler, BC, on Friday evening.

A group of three hikers encountered two bears near Conflict Lake in the Callaghan Conservancy around 5 p.m., the BC Conservation Officer Service said in a social media post Saturday afternoon.

One of the bears attacked the woman before breaking free, officials said.

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The Conservation Service’s Predator Strike Team, Squamish RCMP and Squamish Search and Rescue responded to the area by helicopter.

The woman received first aid at the scene before she was flown to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Conservation officials said an adult male black bear found at the scene of the attack was killed for safety reasons.

However, officials said they have not yet determined whether a black bear or grizzly bear was responsible for the attack.

Officers returned to the scene on Saturday to continue their investigation.

Trail access in the area is now closed, and officials are asking the public to stay away while the investigation continues.

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