Woman dead after ‘apparent bear encounter’ near West Yellowstone – area remains closed

WEST YELLOWSTONE, Montana — A woman’s body was found in the Buttermilk Area near West Yellowstone. On Saturday, officials issued an emergency closure of the area, “for human safety.” Sunday morning, the service confirmed there had been “an apparent bear encounter.”

“Investigators confirmed grizzly bear tracks at the scene, and the investigation is ongoing,” a Facebook post stated.

The area remains closed to humans.

The closure begins about 8 miles west of West Yellowstone. It follows the Continental Divide Trail from the trailhead near Targhee Pass on Highway 20, northeast of Howard Spring. From there, the closure boundary goes south to Cream Creek Road. The area closure follows these roads to the east and north, back to the Forest Service boundary just south of Highway 20, and to the west to connect with the Continental Divide Trail.

A map of the closedure can be viewed here.

The U.S. Forest Service is reminding people venturing into the wilderness that bears can be found throughout Montana and parts of Idaho. The grizzly bear population as been expanding recently, it noted.

RELATED | How to survive a bear attack – or better yet, avoid one altogether

Always “Be Bear Aware” when recreating in the outdoors. Follow these precautionary steps:

• Carry and know how to use bear spray.
• Travel in groups whenever possible and plan to be out in the daylight hours.
• Avoid carcass sites and concentrations of ravens and other scavengers.
• Watch for signs of bears such as bear scat, diggings, torn-up logs and turned over rocks and partly consumed animal carcasses.
• Make noise, especially near streams or in thick forest where hearing and visibility are limited, to alert bears to your presence.
• Never approach a bear.