Black bear
Black bear
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is hoping to catch and euthanize a dangerous bear that attacked a 19-year-old staffer at Glacier View Ranch, a Christian retreat and conference center, early Sunday.

The teen was sleeping outside with other staffers when he awoke to a crunching sound.

He quickly realized "there was a bear biting his head," said Jennifer Churchill, a spokeswoman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

The animal attacked him at about 4 a.m., trying to drag him away from the group, Churchill said.


He reached up and began to hit the bear, and other staff members also attacked it. The bear left.


"This is definitely a dangerous bear," Churchill said.

Searchers used hounds to track the bear Sunday morning, letting them smell the teen's sleeping bag to get the animal's scent.

The hounds were called off after the temperature became too hot. They will be brought back into the search when it cools Sunday afternoon.

Bear traps have been set.

Black bears are not usually aggressive, Churchill said. "This is a bear we are very concerned about."

The bear bit the man's head twice, said state Trooper Jonathan Higgs.

The victim was taken to a hospital, was treated, and has been released.