Jenne Danzl, 54, appears on track to a full recovery after the attack on the south side of Skilak Lake near Cooper Landing at about 11 a.m. Friday, said her boyfriend, Roger Long, who saw the attack.
"We just got too close," Long said. "We were in the bears' home, so to speak. We were too quiet and we walked right into them."
The couple headed out Friday to pick morel mushrooms at the lake, troopers said. They walked about 20 minutes amid some new growth in a burned section of forest about 50 yards from the lake shore, said Long, 67. They were about 20 yards apart when Danzl saw some fresh bear scat.
Moments later, Long heard her scream. He looked up and saw the bear, with two 2-year-old cubs nearby, pounce down on Danzl. Long grabbed a stick and started yelling at the bears.
The bears ran off and Long ran to Danzl.
"All of a sudden, she said, 'I'm OK, I'm OK,' and I was just stunned," he said. "I couldn't see any blood."
They hugged, then left. At camp, they realized Danzl had been bitten on the left side of her rib cage, had a gash on her rear and other small punctures.
She was treated at Central Peninsula Hospital and released about five hours later, Long said. By Monday, the injuries looked to be healing well, he said.
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