December 23, 2009: Ani Haas skiis through the moguls during the women's Olympic Trials Freestyle competition in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Haas says she feels fortunate to have suffered just scratches to her left arm and chest when she encountered a black bear while running in western Montana, near her hometown of Missoula, Montana on July 29. (AP)
NEW YORK – Former U.S. Ski Team member Ani Haas says she feels fortunate to have suffered just scratches to her left arm and chest when she encountered a black bear while running in western Montana.
The 24-year-old freestyle skier told NBC's "Today" (http://on.today.com/oUeL5Z) Monday that she was on a trail near her home town of Missoula, Mont., Friday morning when she saw some cubs scramble up a tree. The mother bear ran at her. Haas tried to run away, but was not fast enough. She turned around to face the bear and it lunged at her.
Haas hit the bear in the head and threw a rock at it before the bear attacked her again.
Haas says she backed away and the bear eventually lost interest.
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