A veteran cyclist making an ascent along a rigorous trail on the northeastern tip of the North Shore collapsed and died, authorities said Tuesday.
Robert Hemsworth, 61, of the nearby Ontario city of Thunder Bay, was stricken Monday near Grand Portage while going up Mount Josephine, which rewards visitors who make the steep climb with a picturesque view of Lake Superior and its surroundings.
Hemsworth was riding from Thunder Bay to Grand Marais as a relative followed in a vehicle, according to the Cook County office of emergency management.
The relative, with the assistance of a county dispatch operator, tried to resuscitate Hemsworth before paramedics took over, a statement from the emergency management office said.
Hemsworth was taken to Cook County North Shore Hospital and pronounced dead. Authorities have yet to determine what led to his collapse.
"This is an unfortunate, tragic event and our hearts go out to the family of Mr. Hemsworth and our neighboring community over the border," said Chief Sheriff's Deputy Will Sandstrom. "We understand he was an avid cyclist and went for a bike ride, intending on cycling to Grand Marais, where his wife would then pick him up."
Valerie Marasco, director of the emergency management office, said, "Mount Josephine is an absolutely gorgeous ride, but it is a challenge."
Mount Josephine has an elevation of nearly 1,350 feet, overlooks Grand Portage Bay and is part of the Sawtooth Mountains.
