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Body of missing hiker found in Glacier National Park, bear suspected

CHRIS PETERSON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 6 hours, 52 minutes AGO
by CHRIS PETERSON
Chris Peterson is the editor of the Hungry Horse News. He covers Columbia Falls, the Canyon, Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness. All told, about 4 million acres of the best parts of the planet. He can be reached at [email protected] or 406-892-2151. | May 7, 2026 6:10 PM

The body of a missing hiker was discovered by search and rescue crews at approximately 12 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6, in Glacier National Park. His injuries are consistent with those sustained by a bear encounter, the Park Service said in a release.

 The victim was located about 2.5 miles up the Mount Brown Trail approximately 50 feet off the trail in a densely wooded area with downed timber. 

 Wildlife and law enforcement personnel are currently assessing the area for bear activity and any ongoing public safety concerns. The investigation is ongoing. 

A broad area from the Lincoln Lake Trail east to Mount Brown has been closed. The Sperry Trail, Sperry Campground, Snyder Campground and Lincoln Lake Campground have all been closed.

 The National Park Service said it was withholding the identity of the victim until 72 hours after next-of-kin notification, though they previously said they were looking for Anthony Pollio, a 33-year-old man from Fort Lauderdale, Florida who has been missing since Sunday evening in the same area.

Pollio had also been listed in the state’s missing person’s registry.

The Mount Brown Lookout Trail is one of the steepest in the park with numerous switchbacks across the face of Mount Brown.

The last known bear attack in Glacier that resulted in a fatality was Craig Dahl in 1998. Since then several people have been injured by bear attacks, some severely, but none have died.


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