The victim was part of a group that was climbing a mountain during a ski tour in a field near Haines, Alaska, on Saturday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The man suffered head and hand injuries when he was attacked.
The Alaska Department of Hunting and Fishing said the victim inadvertently woke up the brown bear in a den, a mother who was probably protecting her young.
“The skier who was attacked at some point realized that he should pretend to be dead, which is probably a good idea in this type of circumstance,” state biologist Carl Koch told CNN.
An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from the Coast Guard Sitka air station located the man and two other skiers about 10 miles northwest of Haines at an altitude of 1,600 feet, according to the Coast Guard.
A Coast Guard rescue swimmer was lowered to assess the man’s condition and then used a stretcher to lift him to the helicopter. He was flown to Juneau for treatment.
The man was alert at the time of the rescue, but the Coast Guard had no further information on his condition. The other two skiers gave him first aid and contacted the Coast Guard.
“Your satellite communication device provided the precise GPS coordinates and the elevation of your location,” said co-pilot, Lieutenant Commander. Will Sirokman. “Just as important, they had brightly colored fabric to signal the helicopter when we approached. That was absolutely crucial to finding them in a timely manner.”
The other two skiers needed no help and continued down the mountain on their own, according to the Coast Guard.