The bodies of two Colorado Mountain College students were found Wednesday afternoon, five days after the pair left Leadville for a weekend hiking trip near Huron Peak in Chaffee County and were caught in a snowstorm, the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Department said Wednesday night.
After three days of searching, officials found the bodies of Kaden Matsuda, 19, of Ridgway, and Jackson Donlon, 20, from New York, in a basin of West Apostle Mountain in Chaffee County.
Foul play is not suspected, and the Sheriff’s Office said on social media that “we will not offer theories as to what may have happened until an autopsy can be completed. A detailed investigation will be completed in partnership with the Chaffee County Coroner’s Office. The two were found near each other.”
Dozens of search and rescue crews from multiple agencies were involved in the search in Chaffee and Gunnison counties for Jackson Donlon, 20, of New York, and Kaden Matsuda, 19, from Ridgway. The Colorado Mountain College students left Leadville on Oct. 23, and did not return as planned two days later. Their bodies were found Wednesday afternoon. (Courtesy Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office)
Based on where the men’s tent was found, officials said Wednesday afternoon they expanded the search to the area around the 13,597-foot West Apostle Mountain, which is near Ice Mountain.
“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,” Chaffee County Sheriff Andy Rohrich said Wednesday night. “Although this is a gut punch, our prayers were answered that we would find Kaden and Jackson, allowing some closure for the family. We ask that everyone give time and distance to family members and friends as they mourn their loss.”
The men left for their trip Friday, telling family members they planned to hike to Ice Mountain, which tops out at 13,960 feet, over the weekend. However, a storm hit the area Saturday and dropped 1 to 2 feet of snow.
Matsuda was studying to be a wildland firefighter, and Donlon was studying to be a mountain guide. Officials said Tuesday they had hoped the men’s experience would help them survive the conditions.
“Our hearts are with their families, friends, classmates, faculty and everyone who knew and cared about them. Our focus tonight is on supporting those closest to Kaden and Jackson and making sure our Leadville students, faculty and staff have the emotional support they need in the difficult days ahead,” Colorado Mountain College officials said Wednesday night. “We are extraordinarily grateful to the search and rescue professionals and volunteers who devoted themselves to finding Kaden and Jackson.”
The pair left maps and detailed information about their trip, and family members called law enforcement Monday morning when the two didn’t return as they planned. Officials found their vehicle covered in about 8 inches of snow at a trailhead near Winfield, and later searchers found the tent and belongings covered in snow.
Chaffee County Search and Rescue teams started a larger-scale search mission Monday and it continued Tuesday. Rohrich said Wednesday morning roughly 50 searchers were back out in the field and found the men around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Dozens of searchers did extensive sweeps of the area using drones, helicopters and multimission aircraft with infrared technology. Search dogs were also used at the trailhead.
Officials hoped the fresh blanket of snow would make it easy to find tracks, but none were found, the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday night in a social media post. They said around Ice Mountain there were snowdrifts up to 4 feet.
Officials said Tuesday the men’s phones had not been used for two days and there was likely no cellular service in that area.
Type of Story: News
Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.