Colorado man rescued after kayak capsizes on Devil Track Lake

A Colorado man was rescued yesterday (Oct. 18) from the frigid waters of Devil Track Lake after his kayak capsized on the popular lake near Grand Marais.

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a watercraft that capsized on Devil Track Lake. The report said a person was in the water. The man, later identified as Troy Batchelor from Parker, Colorado, was transported to North Shore Health in Grand Marais after being pulled from the lake.

According to the Cook County Sheriff’s Department, deputies Jon Baumann, Ben Hallberg and members of the Cook County Search and Rescue team responded to the scene moments after the distress call was reported to authorities. The responding agencies launched a watercraft when they arrived on the scene. Soon after they discovered Batchelor in the water, alive but cold. He was not wearing a life jacket, the sheriff’s department reports.

Batchelor was then transported to the area on Devil Track Lake known as Sand Point where members of Cook County First Responders, North Shore Health Ambulance and US Border Patrol were waiting.

Batchelor stated that a boat escaped him and he instinctively boarded a kayak to retrieve the watercraft. He then capsized in the strong wind and large waves. 

Cook County Sheriff Pat Eliasen praised the team effort that went into the rescue.

“The quick and precise actions of Deputy Baumann, Deputy Hallberg, and Cook County Search and Rescue member Tyson Smith were the key to turning this event from a tragedy into a successful rescue,” Eliasen said. “We are all fortunate to have selfless people like this in our community dedicated to delivering the highest quality public safety service to everyone.”