Two Colorado Mountain College students found dead after missing hike on West Apostle Mountain

Colorado Mountain College students Kaden Matsuda, 19, of Ridgway, Colorado, and Jackson Donlon, 20, of Queensbury, New York, were found dead in a basin on West Apostle Mountain in Chaffee County, the sheriff’s office said. The pair left the college’s Leadville campus for a hike near Ice Mountain on Friday, Oct. 23, and were reported missing by the college on Monday, Oct. 26.

A search effort involving about 60 volunteers from six counties was launched, with aerial crews locating the students’ collapsed tent near Lake Ann on Tuesday, Oct. 27. Deputies recovered the bodies on Wednesday, Oct. 28, and the remains were sent to the Chaffee County Coroner’s Office for autopsy.

Sheriff Andy Rohrich said, "> Our heart aches for Kaden and Jackson’s family and friends. We are very proud of our team’s efforts to find them before this weekend’s coming storm. Although this is a gut punch, our prayers were answered that we would find Kaden and Jackson, allowing some closure for the family."

The sheriff’s office indicated that foul play is not suspected, and the investigation into the deaths remains ongoing.