A desperate search for two college students who vanished during a hiking trip in the Colorado mountains has ended in tragedy after rescuers discovered their bodies just days after a powerful snowstorm swept through the rugged wilderness.
Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20, were found dead Wednesday afternoon, October 28, in a remote basin near West Apostle Mountain in Chaffee County, bringing a heartbreaking conclusion to a search that had grown increasingly urgent as dangerous weather threatened to make the area inaccessible.
The discovery came after search crews located the students’ campsite, where their tent had collapsed beneath heavy snow. Inside were sleeping bags, a camping stove and clothing, but neither young man was anywhere to be found.
Even more concerning, rescuers initially discovered no visible footprints surrounding the campsite, leaving investigators struggling to determine when the students had ventured into the mountains and where they might have gone.
The two friends, both students at Colorado Mountain College’s Leadville campus, had set out Friday, October 23, for what was supposed to be an adventurous weekend climbing Ice Mountain, a challenging peak rising nearly 14,000 feet above sea level.
According to authorities, the students were experienced outdoor enthusiasts who understood the risks of climbing in Colorado’s high country. Matsuda, from Ridgway, Colorado, was studying to become a wildland firefighter, while Donlon, originally from New York, was preparing for a career as a mountain guide.
Before leaving campus, they shared their plans with friends, explaining that they would return Saturday if the conditions appeared unsafe. If everything went as planned, they expected to complete their climb and return Sunday.
But the weekend brought a dramatic change in weather.
Rain that had been falling Friday gave way to heavy snow Saturday, blanketing the mountains with as much as two feet of fresh accumulation. Strong winds and drifting snow created even deeper deposits in some areas, turning an already demanding mountain climb into a potentially dangerous undertaking.
When the students failed to return by Sunday, their friends and classmates grew increasingly worried.
By Monday morning, October 26, Colorado Mountain College staff contacted the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office, triggering a large-scale search involving deputies, mountain rescue specialists and volunteers.
Investigators quickly located Matsuda’s vehicle near the Mount Huron trailhead along County Road 390, close to the abandoned mining settlement of Winfield.
The discovery offered an important clue about where the pair had begun their journey, but the conditions surrounding the vehicle suggested they had entered the mountains before the storm intensified.
Approximately eight inches of snow covered the surrounding ground, yet there was no snow beneath the parked vehicle.
Search crews began combing the rugged terrain, deploying helicopters, drones, search dogs and aircraft equipped with infrared technology in an effort to locate the missing students.
Then, on Tuesday, October 27, a helicopter crew spotted something unusual near Lake Ann.
Rescuers reached the location on foot and discovered the students’ tent, crushed under the weight of the snowstorm.
Their sleeping bags, stove and other belongings were still inside, but the hikers were gone. Investigators also noticed that the ground beneath the tent was free of snow, suggesting the campsite had been established before the storm arrived.
The absence of visible footprints made the mystery even more troubling, although the heavy snowfall could have covered tracks left earlier.
Authorities believed the students had taken their technical climbing equipment with them, raising the possibility that they had continued toward one of the nearby peaks before the weather deteriorated.
Meanwhile, investigators determined that neither student’s cellphone had shown activity for at least 48 hours. Officials cautioned that the lack of activity did not necessarily mean something had happened to them, since cellphone reception in the remote area was extremely limited and the hikers may have switched off their devices to conserve battery power.
As the search expanded, rescuers faced increasingly hazardous conditions.
The mountains were covered with snow and ice, while unstable footing and snow-covered boulder fields made it dangerous for ground teams to reach higher elevations. Helicopters could survey the terrain from above, but there were few safe places to land.
With another winter storm approaching, rescuers knew their opportunity to reach the missing students was narrowing.
Sheriff Andy Rohrich remained hopeful that the young men had found shelter and were waiting to be rescued, describing them as strong, experienced hikers who appeared well-prepared for their trip.
But on Wednesday afternoon, search crews made the discovery everyone had feared.
At approximately 3:30 p.m., rescuers located Matsuda and Donlon near each other in a basin on West Apostle Mountain, not far from the area where their abandoned campsite had been discovered.
Both were dead.
The sheriff’s office confirmed that foul play was not suspected, although officials emphasized that the exact circumstances surrounding the students’ deaths remained unknown. Autopsies and further investigation will be needed to determine what happened during their final hours in the mountains. Colorado Public Radio+1
The discovery devastated the college community, where both young men had been pursuing careers centered on their passion for the outdoors.
Colorado Mountain College released an emotional statement expressing its grief and thanking the dozens of search-and-rescue personnel who worked tirelessly to bring the students home.
The school also announced that it was providing emotional support to students, faculty and staff struggling with the loss.
For Sheriff Rohrich, the outcome was particularly painful after days of holding out hope that the experienced hikers might have survived the brutal conditions.
“Our heart aches for Kaden and Jackson’s family and friends,” he said, describing the discovery as a devastating blow to everyone involved.
He also praised the rescue teams for locating the young men before another approaching storm could make the search even more dangerous.
Although the investigation continues, the tragedy has underscored how rapidly conditions can deteriorate in Colorado’s high mountains, where even experienced climbers can encounter life-threatening weather with little warning.
What began as a weekend adventure for two friends preparing for careers in the outdoors has ended in an unimaginable loss for their families, classmates and the mountain community that searched so desperately for them.
The families have asked for privacy as they mourn.
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