Two Colorado college students found dead after missing on Rocky Mountains hike
Two Colorado college students who disappeared during a weekend hike in the Rocky Mountains were discovered dead, authorities said, with investigations ongoing and no foul play suspected.
Colorado authorities reported that the bodies of Kaden Matsuda, 19, of Ridgway, and Jackson Donlon, 20, of New York, were recovered on Wednesday in a basin on West Apostle Mountain, about 100 miles southeast of Aspen. The pair had left Colorado Mountain College’s Leadville campus on Friday to climb Ice Mountain, a nearly 14,000-foot peak that requires technical climbing, and were expected back by Sunday. They were reported missing on Monday after failing to return.
The Chaffee County sheriff’s office said a search involving roughly 60 volunteers, helicopters, drones and dogs located a collapsed tent under snow on Tuesday, but the students were not found at that time. Subsequent recovery efforts led to the discovery of their bodies in the West Apostle Mountain basin.
Sheriff Andy Rohrich expressed sympathy for the families, stating, "Our heart aches for Kaden and Jackson’s family and friends," and noted that the investigation had not identified any foul play. Autopsies are pending to determine the cause of death.
Officials indicated that the students’ climbing gear was not found in their dormitory, tent or vehicle, suggesting they had left the tent prepared for a technical ascent. Trash inside the tent showed they had eaten before beginning the hike. Matsuda was studying to become a wildland firefighter, while Donlon was training to become a mountain guide.
Search operations were expected to face additional challenges from deteriorating weather conditions forecast to begin later in the week.