A nighttime hike into Glacier National Park turned deadly when a hiker encountered a grizzly bear. Federal wildlife officials say that the bear had never caused trouble before, but the death of 33-year-old Anthony Pollio suggests otherwise.
Solo Hike in Glacier National Park
On Sunday, May 3, 2026, Pollio set out in the evening for a solo hike to Mount Brown Lookout to watch the sun set, according to park biologist John Walker, who spoke with the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee. He was supposedly on a multi-day trip across the country and drove to the Lake McDonald Lodge and hiked the 5.1 miles up to the lookout.
An incident report from the IGBC detailed the events from beginning to end, starting with Pollio starting on the trail around 6:30 p.m. local time. His last known communication with family and friends was around 8:20 p.m. while he was still ascending the mountain. When he did not return down the mountain, someone reported him to the park as an overdue hiker on the afternoon of May 4.
Search for Hiker
A search for Pollio began, including ground and aerial searches. Around 12:10 p.m. on May 6, Pollio’s remains were found approximately 69 feet below the trail and 2.5 miles from the trailhead. Investigators believe that Pollio was coming back down from the lookout after nightfall without a flashlight when he ran into the grizzly.
Investigators suspect Pollio and the bear surprised one another, and evidence shows that the bear lunged at him. Claw marks, disturbed rocks, and an emptied can of bear spray were all found at the scene. Walker believes the attack was “very short” and “quickly fatal,” and showed no signs that Pollio had a chance to fight back.
At the request of Pollio’s family, an autopsy was not performed, but the cursory examination revealed the victim had multiple bites and lacerations to his legs and torso. He also had head and facial injuries, which are assumed to be what finally killed him. But there were no defensive wounds on his hands to suggest he fought back.
Grizzly Bear Attack
Investigators collected bear hair and bear scat samples from the scene and submitted them to a laboratory for analysis. Based on the test’s findings, the bear is assumed to be a male grizzly, approximately 15 years old, and a lifelong resident of the park with no history of aggression towards visitors.
A fellow hiker who happened to be in the park at the time of the deadly grizzly attack said the situation was a “nightmare scenario,” suggesting that Pollio, as an experienced outdoorsman, misjudged the time and had no intention of staying out past dark.
Arthur Pollio Speaks on Son
Pollio’s father, Arthur Pollio, said his son was from Davie, Florida, and called him a “warrior” and said he was “fearless.” He confirmed that his son was on a two-week trip with a friend, and decided to set out on a solo hike that afternoon.
“It was a road trip through central U.S., Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Wyoming to get to Montana, and I believe he pulled right into Glacier National Park,” Arthur said.
“And he texted me that evening, he says, ‘Dad, I’m hiking up a mountain. It’s wild out here,’” he recalled. “He says, ‘I love you, Dad,’ and that was the last message I received from him.”
After the park and authorities’ findings, Arthur agreed with the events of the incident. “Based from the coroner’s report on his injuries, we believe he came across a grizzly bear, and he used all of his bear spray,” Arthur said. “Because they went back there even several days later when they found him in that area was very odorous from the bear spray.”
