Anchorage runner hospitalized after repelling brown bear with spray

While running alone on the Wolverine Bowl trail in Anchorage's Prospect Heights area, a woman encountered a brown bear and defended herself with bear spray, preventing a closer encounter. She was later hospitalized for injuries sustained during the incident. Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists visited the location, collected samples, and reported no bears in the vicinity.

The agency has posted new warning signs at the trailhead and urged hikers to avoid closed routes, choose visible paths, and keep away from attractants such as salmon streams. Recommendations include traveling in groups, making noise, keeping pets leashed, and never fleeing if a bear appears. The episode follows a bear mauling in Bear Valley less than a month earlier, highlighting ongoing safety concerns in Anchorage's bear country.