View pictures and Support us at Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=73787379
Related Videos:
   • The Brown Bear Attack of Seth Michael...  

Connect with Addicus:
Find us on Twitter at ScaryBearAttax
Connect on TikTok with us at scarybearattacks
Connect on Instagram with us at ScaryBearAttack

Check out our Merch Store
https://scarybearattacks.myshopify.com/
Welcome back to Scary Bear Attacks! Today’s episode takes us to the trail system north of Elmendorf Richardson Joint Air Force Base, in northern Anchorage, Alaska. The elevation along the base is low, seldomly rising above 200 feet above sea level. With gentle rises and drops in the terrain, the trails in this area are prime exercise alternatives for soldiers at the base. The soldiers preferred modes of exercise here include riding mountain bikes and jogging along the trails. The base spreads over 74,000 acres and hosts moose, wolves, black bears, and brown bears on its territory. Biologists recommend that people in known bear country avoid rapid movements toward or away from bears, given either action may solicit a predatory or defensive action by the bears. With this information as our background, we begin our episode today.
On Sunday, May 18th, 2014, A husband and wife, Jacob and Jessica Gamboa, were stationed on Elmendorf and decided to go to the trail system on the north part of the base for a run together. Jacob was assigned to Elmendorf to the 4th Infantry Brigade Airborne Combat Team, in the 25th Infantry Division. Jessica was originally from Sacramento, California, and was a fit and sassy blonde fitness fanatic. She was training to run a halfmarathon soon. The young family had added a son to their family just four years prior.
Together, the couple drove to a parking lot near the trail system and disembarked from their vehicle for a refreshing jog in the fresh air. Spring in Alaska comes on very suddenly. It is easy to argue that this part of the state has only two seasons, a brief and bright summer with daylight for nearly 24 hours each day, and long winters with limited daylight hours. Spring and falls pass nearly undetected and last only days in some years. This type of climate requires bears to find food fast to prepare for winter hibernation.
In prior episodes, we have discussed sow bears raising their cubs near human population centers. They do this because boars avoid areas populated by people, and food sources are found easily in trash cans, and other human waste. Sows who raise their cubs nearer human population centers are larger than others and tend to have more cubs live to early adulthood, so this practice is an undeniable benefit to them.
As Jacob and Jessica bounced along the trails, Jacob’s pace began to lead him further ahead of Jessica. He was a soldier and was in great condition, so a more brisk pace was what he was accustomed to, while his wife had a more leisurely pace.
Now base authorities have informed trail visitors that bears and moose are known to travel through the area, and may be dangerous. They have issued recommendations to trail users to pack bear spray whenever venturing out for exercise. I could find no source indicating that Jacob and Jessica had brought bear spray, a firearm, or a bear horn along with them on their run on this day.
As Jacob pulled away from Jessica, I can only imagine that he wasn’t worried about his wife as they agreed on traveling a specific route. He likely believed that he would complete the course and wait at the vehicle for his wife to complete it as well. But, leaving his wife behind would prove to be a tragic and costly wager on his part.
As Jessica watched her husband bound off in the distance, she set in on a jogging pace comfortable to her. Soon Jacob was out of view and Jessica was enjoying the tranquility of nature by herself.
Jessica rounded a brushy and blind corner in the trail and glanced up to see a brown bear cub just off the trail she was traveling. The first thing to race through her mind was where was the momma bear. A sudden overwhelming feeling of dread filled Jessica’s mind, and she slowed her pace to a walk as she scanned the brush.
A noise in the brush behind her and to her left drew her full attention. Jessica could see a huge sow brown bear galloping toward her. Jessica would have had time to dispense bear spray, had she brought it.
As the sow approached her Jessica put her hands out in front of her as a sign of submission to the sow. She then turned her back slightly toward the bear just before being shoved by both of the sow’s paws onto her face. The difference between reality and the surreal arrived in the form of searing pain in Jessica’s body with each bite from the bear's jaws.
Jessica knew she couldn’t possibly fight off this bear and had hoped that playing dead would end this confrontation before too much damage was done to her. The sow straddled her as she lay on the ground bit into her buttocks and lifted Jessica completely off the ground.