TWO COLLEGE STUDENTS, 19 AND 20, FOUND DEAD AFTER DISAPPEARING DURING COLORADO MOUNTAIN HIKING TRIP

Kaden Matsuda and Jackson Donlon had set out for a weekend adventure in the Rocky Mountains. After a massive search involving around 60 rescuers, their bodies were discovered in a snow-covered mountain basin.

Two college students who shared a passion for the outdoors have been found dead after disappearing during a hiking trip in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.

Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20, were students at Colorado Mountain College’s Leadville campus. The friends left campus on Friday, October 23, planning a weekend hiking and camping trip in Chaffee County.

They were initially expected to climb Ice Mountain, a challenging peak in Colorado’s Collegiate Peaks region. Their families and friends expected them to return by Saturday or Sunday, depending on weather and trail conditions.

But when the young men failed to return, concern quickly grew.

College staff contacted authorities on Monday morning, October 26, prompting a large-scale search involving local rescue teams, helicopters, drones, search dogs and volunteers.

THEIR COLLAPSED TENT WAS FOUND BURIED IN SNOW

Investigators located Matsuda’s vehicle near the Mount Huron trailhead.

Search teams later discovered the students’ tent near Lake Ann. It had collapsed beneath the weight of heavy snowfall.

Inside were sleeping bags, a camping stove and clothing. However, neither student was there.

The discovery raised further questions about where the friends had gone after leaving their campsite.

Authorities believed the pair may have changed their original plans and headed toward West Apostle Mountain instead of Ice Mountain.

The weather had deteriorated significantly during their trip. Rainfall was followed by heavy snowfall, with some mountain areas receiving between one and two feet of fresh snow.

The conditions made the search increasingly difficult, particularly across steep terrain, snow-covered boulder fields and areas considered dangerous for rescuers to access.

A MASSIVE SEARCH ENDS IN HEARTBREAK

Around 60 searchers from multiple agencies took part in the operation.

Teams used helicopters, drones, search dogs and other specialised equipment while working against worsening weather conditions.

On Wednesday afternoon, October 28, the search came to a devastating conclusion.

At approximately 3:30 p.m., the two students were located near each other in a snow-filled basin on West Apostle Mountain.

Additional reporting revealed that a search team spotted what appeared to be an object protruding from the snow. A closer examination from a safer position suggested it was a boot.

Because the terrain was extremely dangerous, rescuers could not immediately reach the location.

The recovery operation was delayed until conditions allowed the bodies to be safely removed by helicopter on Thursday, October 29.

The discovery brought an end to days of uncertainty for the families and friends who had been waiting for news.

WHO WERE KADEN MATSuda AND JACKSON DONLON?

Beyond the circumstances of their disappearance, the two young men are being remembered for their enthusiasm for the outdoors and the futures they were working toward.

Matsuda, 19, was from Ridgway, Colorado, and was studying to become a wildland firefighter.

His college community described him as kind, intelligent and welcoming.

Donlon, 20, was from Queensbury, New York. He was an avid climber and skier who had come to Colorado to pursue his passion for the mountains.

He was studying outdoor recreation leadership at Colorado Mountain College.

The two had become friends through their shared interests and love of outdoor adventure.

“They came here to learn, to explore and to build their futures,” campus dean Ben Cairns said in a statement.

“Their lives were full of promise, and their loss is felt deeply by the students, faculty and staff who knew them.”

INVESTIGATION INTO THEIR DEATHS CONTINUES

The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office said investigators did not suspect foul play.

Authorities have not publicly established the exact circumstances or cause of the students’ deaths. Autopsies and further investigation were planned to help determine what happened.

Officials also asked members of the public to respect the privacy of the families and friends as they grieve.

Colorado Mountain College said it was devastated by the loss and was making emotional support and counselling services available to students, faculty and staff.

A WEEKEND ADVENTURE THAT ENDED IN TRAGEDY

For Kaden Matsuda and Jackson Donlon, the mountains represented the future they hoped to build — one filled with exploration, adventure and meaningful work outdoors.

Instead, their families and friends are now facing an unimaginable loss.

The search brought them home, but it also marked the end of two young lives that their college community says were full of promise.

Their loved ones are left remembering two friends whose shared passion for the outdoors brought them together.