condition. trace gallagher has more on this for us from l.a. >> reporter: this is a month long wilderness survival camp. they were out there for 24 days. this is the first day they were on their own, no instructors with them. they were in single file line going across the creek. the boys in the back heard the boys in the front screaming that a bear was coming out of the woods. the bear came out and mauled all of the hikers. all seven of them. the two in the front got the worst of it. they had to use their survival skills immediately. >> after the bear attack occurred they were able to set a camp up, they were able to give each other first aid as best as they could, and they activated a personal locater beacon so somebody could come to them and help them. those were the right things to do. they were able to keep their heads about them, stay together and look after each other.