A section of the Pacific Crest Trail that was shut down earlier this month after a woman was reportedly attacked by a bear has since been reopened to the public.
As well, a joint investigation headed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in cooperation with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has wrapped up with investigators reporting they found no evidence of a bear or an attack.
“Our officers concluded the investigation after finding no evidence of an attack—or even a one-on-one encounter,” said Kirsten MacIntyre, spokeswoman for Fish and Wildlife, the lead agency investigating the claim.
“No bear was seen. There was no evidence of a scuffle, and no weapon was recovered,” MacIntyre said.
County parks officials shut down a section of the Pacific Crest Trail on June 14, the day of the reported incident.
“We reopened the trail on the morning of the following day,” Terry Kanakri, spokesman for the county Parks and Recreation Department, said Wednesday.
Asked who the woman was who made the claim, Kanakri, citing privacy concerns, said: “The person involved did not consent for us to release her name at the time of the incident and, as such, we are unable to provide her name.”
On June 14, a woman, whose identity was not shared with Fish and Wildlife investigators, told park officials she was attacked by a bear on the trail and suffered a scratch during the confrontation.
LASD deputies were notified of the incident, as were officials with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Deputies scoured the trail from a helicopter and reported no sign of a bear.
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