Sheriff: 27-Year-Old Man Falls Ill, Dies While Hiking In BWCA
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Authorities are investigating after a 27-year-old Duluth man fell ill and died while hiking in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Monday.
According to the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office, an emergency call was received at 6:11 p.m. Monday involving a man in distress.
Prior to the incident, Luke Leonard Larson was backpacking and hiking with two friends in the Devils Cascade area/Sioux Hustler Hiking Trail, which is near Lower Pawness Lake, within the BWCA. Larson and his friends had been hiking the trail since Friday, April 17. Larson fell ill, however, and was unable to continue hiking on Monday. Another hiker then left to call for assistance.
Authorities responded, but by the time they arrived, Larson was dead.
The sheriff's office says Larson's cause of death will be released pending the results of an autopsy, but the death does not appear suspicious at this time.
The death remains under investigation.