NorCal man speaks out after surviving grizzly bear attack in Montana: 'I thought ... this is it'

SAN DIEGO (KABC) -- A California man is recovering after surviving a grizzly bear attack at Glacier National Park in Montana.

Daniel Crago of San Carlos said the attack happened shortly after he took a selfie during a hike. Minutes later, he noticed a bear cub passing nearby, followed by a larger grizzly positioned about 15 feet above him on a slope.

"I did as your told. I alert the bear so you don't catch them by surprise," he recalled. "I said, 'Hey bear! Hey bear!' As soon as it looked right up at me, it charged me and leaped. You could hear the roar. I just stuck my arm up, and I kind of thought ... this is it."

The bear latched onto Crago's arm, crushing it, and dragged him more than 20 feet before releasing him. He suffered severe bleeding at the scene.

A friend and other hikers, including a doctor, quickly came to his aid. Crago was airlifted to a hospital, where he has undergone three surgeries.

The attack comes about three weeks after a Florida hiker was killed in a suspected bear attack near the park. It is unclear whether the two incidents are connected.