ANCHORAGE, Alaska — An Alaska woman had the scare of a lifetime earlier this month when a bear attacked her from below when she went to use an outhouse during a weekend trip to the backcountry.
Shannon Stevens told the Associated Press Thursday that she, her brother and his girlfriend went to stay at her brother's yurt, located about 20 miles northwest of Haines in the Alaska wilderness.
During the trip, Stevens said she went to use the outhouse. She said that as soon as she sat down on the toilet, she immediately felt something bite her.
“I got out there and sat down on the toilet and immediately something bit my butt right as I sat down,” Stevens told The Associated Press. “I jumped up and I screamed when it happened.”
Stevens' brother ran out to help her and brought along a headlamp. He opened the lid to see what it was and saw a bear's face staring right back at him.
The group hightailed back to the yurt, where they determined that Stevens' wound wasn't serious. The next morning, the group found that the bear had left the area, but had left behind tracks all over the property.
Officials suspect it was a black bear, and that it had entered the outhouse through its back door.
“I expect it’s probably not that bad of a little den in the winter,” Stevens said.
