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The two missing students were found dead.
The search for two students from Colorado College in the Colorado mountains ended in tragedy. The bodies of 19-year-old Kaiden Matsuda and 20-year-old Jackson Donlon were found close to each other in a mountainous basin near the summit of West Apostle.
The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office said that the cause of death is not known at this time. Authorities clarified that they would not speculate on the matter until the autopsies are completed.
Matsuda, a resident of Ridgway, Colorado, and Donlon, a resident of New York, were last seen on Friday after leaving the college campus in Leadville. The two said they intended to climb Mount Ice. They did not return when expected, and they were reported missing on Monday.
During the investigation, it was discovered that the two had set up a tent near Lake Anne. The search initially focused on Mount Ice, but the tent’s location, along with information from their friends, led search teams to consider the possibility that the destination had changed to West Apostle.
19-year-old Kaiden Matsuda and 20-year-old Jackson Donlon. Photo: Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office
Investigators found that the two men’s advanced climbing equipment was missing from their dorm rooms. The equipment was not found in their car, which was located near the trailhead, nor in the tent. Their climbing shoes were also missing, reinforcing the assessment that they had left the camp for a more technical route.
Between 30 and 60 centimeters of fresh snow fell in the area, while around 20 centimeters were measured near the trailhead. The snow partially covered the tent and even caused it to collapse. The terrain included steep, rocky slopes and unstable snow, turning sections that could be traversed relatively easily in dry conditions into dangerous and complex terrain.
About 60 rescue personnel took part in the search operation, alongside search dogs, drones, and helicopters. The teams also deployed drones equipped with heat-detection capabilities and attempted to locate a signal from an avalanche transceiver believed to have been in Donlon’s possession. Digital data that could help reconstruct the two men’s route was also examined.
The two men’s phones had not been used for at least 48 hours before the update provided during the search. Authorities warned that no conclusions should be drawn from this, as there is almost no reception in the area, and the phones may have been turned off to conserve battery power or their batteries may have run out.
The search operation ended when the bodies were found. The sheriff’s office expressed its condolences to the families, friends, and everyone who knew the two young men.
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