The incident occurred on Signal Mountain, where the grizzly bit into the hiker's can of bear repellent, causing the spray to discharge and prompting the startled animal to flee.

The 35-year-old hiker from Massachusetts, who had cleverly pretended to be dead while being bitten, managed to escape and seek safety. He spent Sunday night in the hospital, receiving treatment for his injuries. As a result of the attack, Signal Mountain and the road and trail to its 7,700-foot summit have been temporarily closed, a precautionary measure often taken after grizzly bear encounters in the Yellowstone region.

The decision not to pursue the bears involved in the attack was based on the fact that their behavior was deemed natural and consistent with encounters that do not involve raiding campsites or consuming human food. In this case, rangers were not familiar with the bears responsible for the incident, despite actively tracking and studying the region's population of approximately 1,000 bears.

According to the hiker's account given to the rangers, he initially came across a small bear that quickly ran away from him. As he reached for his bear spray, he noticed a larger bear charging towards him from his peripheral vision. Unfortunately, he had no time to use the spray before falling to the ground and placing his fingers behind his neck, with one finger still holding onto the canister. The bear attacked him multiple times, inadvertently biting into the canister, causing it to burst and release the pepper spray. This sudden blast of pepper spray successfully deterred the bears and allowed the hiker to escape.

Investigators suspect that the smaller bear the hiker encountered was, in fact, an older cub belonging to the female grizzly that initiated the attack. Mother bears are known to fiercely defend their offspring and maintain close proximity to them for up to three years after birth.

The park officials have chosen not to release the victim's name, but it has been reported that he is expected to make a full recovery from his injuries. The incident serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of encounters with wildlife and the importance of taking precautionary measures such as carrying bear repellent spray and making noise to alert bears of human presence in the forest.

As of now, there is no information available on when Signal Mountain and its associated trail will reopen for public use. However, closure of the area is a standard practice following grizzly bear encounters in the Yellowstone region to ensure public safety.