An overdue hiker led to an hourslong search on September 30. Fortunately 75-year-old Charles Santmire of Raymond, Minnesota, was found within a few hours, but the rescue—on the rugged Cascade River trail known as “the 96 steps”—took several more hours.
Cook County Law Enforcement received a call from Santmire’s wife at 6:56 p.m. The woman said she was to meet her husband at the wayside rest on Highway 61 near Cascade River. She told authorities that he entered the trail on the west side of the river, and she had expected him back in an hour or so. She said Santmire was in good health, but he was not dressed for the colder evening weather. Cook County Ambulance was paged to stand by at Cascade River.
Deuputies arrived on scene at about 7 p.m. and conducted a quick search up the trail on the west side of the river. The Cascade River State Park manager joined the search at 7:30 p.m. Members of Cook County and West End Search and Rescue, Lutsen Fire Department and First Responders were paged to assist in the search at that time and emergency responders began walking the river trails from Highway 61 and from the upper Cascade River area on Pike Lake.
Santmire was found at 9:02 p.m. at a campsite along the trail. Santmire told rescuers that he realized he was lost so he stopped at the campsite to wait for help. Rescuers said he was “okay” and was able to hike out. However at about 10 p.m., rescuers requested assistance and Michael O’Phelan of Cascade Lodge was asked if he could assist by bringing an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) to the top of the 96-step trail.
O’Phelan was able to maneuver the ATV up the hiking trail and located the rescue party at 11:28 p.m. Other rescuers were released from the scene at 12 a.m. and the group with Santmire made it back to the waiting ambulance at 1:09 a.m. The ambulance was released with no transport.
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