LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. A woman died after a suspected mountain lion attack south of Glen Haven in unincorporated Larimer County, authorities say.Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) posted at 5 p.m. Thursday that it was responding to the area for a "suspected mountain lion attack" and Denver7 confirmed around 7 p.m. that it was fatal. Woman dies in suspected mountain lion attack south of Glen Haven in Larimer CountyThe last fatal mountain lion attack in the state happened in 1999.During a press conference in Glen Haven Thursday evening, CPW spokesperson Kara Van Hoose said a group of hikers on Crosier Mountain Trail came across a mountain lion near a person on the ground around 12:15 p.m. The group threw rocks at the animal to scare it off and then went to try to help the woman. One of the people in the hiking group was a physician, who did not find a pulse on the woman, Van Hoose said.CPW officers, Larimer County Sheriff's Office deputies, Estes Park police and Glen Haven Area Volunteer firefighters all responded to this incident.First responders closed down all three Crosier Mountain trailheads, which include Glen Haven, Rainbow and Garden Gate, as well as the Houston Heights Trailhead during the investigation. They launched a large and extensive search for mountain lions in the area. A CPW biologist in the middle of a project involving aerial surveys for deer herds was nearby and able to help search for mountain lions from the air and transport personnel, Van Hoose said.Tracking dogs were also brought in to help with the search.CPW biologists ended up euthanizing two mountain lions they found close by, Van Hoose said. Their bodies will be tested during a necropsy to see if they were involved in the attack or if they had any diseases."In accordance with CPW policies, any wildlife involved in a human attack must be euthanized to ensure public safety," she said. Van Hoose said it appears that the woman had been hiking alone. The Larimer County Coroner's Office will release her identity at a later time.While mountain lions are typically solo hunters, it is not clear if the attack involved one animal or more.Colorado is home to an estimated 3,800 to 4,400 mountain lions, CPW says."This is an area where mountain lions are very common, along with a lot of other wildlife bears and moose," Van Hoose said, stressing the importance of always being aware of your surroundings.According to CPW, the agency has documented 28 mountain lion attacks that resulted in injury in the state since 1990. Of those, 11 happened in the northeast quadrant of the state, which includes Larimer County. During that same time frame, the state has seen two confirmed fatalities and one suspected fatality a 3-year-old boy due to a mountain lion attack. One of the confirmed human fatalities and the unconfirmed one both happened in this northeast quadrant, according to CPW. Mountain lions typically avoid people, but they do overlap and that can sometimes result in a conflict."Human-lion incidents vary and run a continuum from mere sightings, depredation on pets or hobby livestock to rare human attacks resulting in human injury or death," CPW reports.Across North America, fewer than 20 people have died of a mountain lion attack in more than 100 years, CPW reported in 2019.Back in February 2019, Denver7 reported on a mountain lion attack at Horsetooth Mountain in Larimer County where a 31-year-old runner was attacked by one of the animals. He was able to escape.CPW provided the following tips on what to do if you encounter a mountain lion: Do not approach a lion, especially one that is feeding or with kittens. Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation. Give them a way to escape. Stay calm when you come upon a lion. Talk calmly and firmly to it. Move slowly and never turn your back on it. Stop or back away slowly, if you can do it safely. Running may stimulate a lion's instinct to chase and attack. Face the lion and stand upright. Do all you can to appear larger. Raise your arms. Open your jacket if you're wearing one. If you have small children with you, protect them by picking them up so they won't panic and run. If the lion behaves aggressively, throw stones, branches or whatever you can get your hands on without crouching down or turning your back. Wave your arms slowly and speak firmly. Try to convince the lion you are not prey and that you may in fact be a danger to the lion. Fight back if a lion attacks you. Lions have been driven away by prey that fights back. People have fought back with rocks, sticks, caps or jackets, garden tools and their bare hands successfully. If you have trekking poles or keys, use those too. CPW recommends targeting the eye and nose as these are sensitive areas. Remain standing or try to get back up.This is a breaking story and will be updated. ...read more read less