Bears Chased Her Off Trail, But Alaska Hiker Made It Back Home After 2 Days

Steve, Fina's husband, was ecstatic that she was back by his side

Fina Kiefer, a resident of Palmer, Alaska, and an avid hiker, is finally back home after being lost for nearly two days. The 55-year-old was hiking the 13.6-mile Pioneer Peak Trail alone last Monday, June 14, when she had a run-in with some bears. It took her a day and a half to re-establish contact with the outside world again. Fina somehow got in touch with her husband and reported the situation she was in. On Tuesday, at 1 AM, Steve Kiefer, Fina's husband, received a message from her saying that she had been chased by two bears. “It really makes you aware of what you have,” Palmer hiker Fina Kiefer said. “I was fighting to see my family again. I was fighting to see my husband and my daughter and my son.”She described her journey after becoming lost and being charged by bears. https://t.co/oIrbnAwvzJ She also added that she was left with only half a can of bear spray.  When Steve couldn't get in touch with her again, he called 911, Alaska News Source reported. Steve said it was frightening not able to know what she was going through. Later, Fina told her husband that she'd hiked back to the mountain to avoid bears, but her cell phone had stopped working. Soon after Steve communicated the matter to the authorities, members from the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group and MAT+SAR Search & Rescue swung into action. Senior Master Sgt. Evan Budd, superintendent of the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center and full-time member of the Alaska Air National Guard said that Fina was chased off the trail by bears and she failed to find it again. “She had waterproof matches and was able to start a fire,” he said.