Forty-eight-year-old ultramarathon runner Amie Adamson died of a bear attack in Yellowstone National Park on Saturday. Officials believe she was walking or running on the Buttermilk Trail at the Montana-Idaho border at the time of the fatal attack.
A hiker found Adamson’s body at 8 a.m. on Saturday, and coroners quickly determined that she died of severe blood loss due to a mauling. Wildlife workers found the tracks of a grizzly bear and at least one cub near the body.
Officials are now searching for the bear. Although they’ve put out bear traps every night since Adamson’s body was recovered, they’ve yet to capture the animal. Authorities noted that the more time that elapses between the mauling and the capture, the less likely they will trap the bear responsible for Adamson’s death.
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Yellowstone isn’t a stranger to bear encounters that end fatally. Grizzlies in and around Yellowstone have killed at least nine people since 2010.
According to Adamson’s family, Amie loved the outdoors. “She lived for experiences,” said Janet Adamson, Amie’s mother.
The English teacher turned cross-country backpacker and author wore running shoes at the time of the attack. “This person was likely out for a morning jog along the trail, and that’s when this happened,” said Morgan Jacobsen with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
According to UltraRunning Magazine, Adamson had finished three 50K running races since 2016, mostly recently the Dead Horse Ultra in Utah last year.
Park officials recommend that all park visitors carry bear spray. They also reiterated the importance of storing food outside your tent and correctly disposing of all garbage.
Kells McPhillips is a health and wellness journalist living in Los Angeles. Her work has appeared in Runner's World, The New York Times, Well+Good, Fortune, Shape, and others.
