The investigation found no signs of skidding or evasive steering, indicating Treat did not immediately see the bear and hit him at full speed. When responders arrived, Treat was confirmed dead and his helmet was found bitten to pieces by the bear. Treat’s wife described him as competitive and said he often tried to beat his previous times as he traveled the route. Following the investigation, the Board of Review members also released a set of recommendations related to mountain biker safety in bear country. The recommendations include suggestions to stay vigilant, slow down, carry bear spray, make noise, don’t ride alone, never ride at dusk, dawn or night, don’t think “it won’t happen to me” and remember bears live there and you are just a visitor.

Source: National Post March 08, 2017 17:26 UTC