Andy Rohrich said Kaden Matsuda Colorado and Jackson Donlon were found dead in a basin of West Apostle Mountain around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, ending a multi-day search for the two Colorado Mountain College students. Their bodies were located after authorities had spent days working through snow, steep ground and worsening weather in Chaffee County.
The sheriff said investigators do not suspect foul play. The exact cause and manner of death will be determined by autopsy, leaving the last unanswered step in a case that began Monday morning when Colorado Mountain College contacted authorities after the students failed to return.
West Apostle Mountain search
Matsuda and Donlon had planned to camp near Ice Mountain and attempt a climb over the weekend. Deputies later found their vehicle at a nearby trailhead, and a helicopter spotted their tent in a basin below the peaks. The tent had collapsed under heavy snow, which led investigators to widen the search around nearby West Apostle Peak.
About 60 searchers worked the area using helicopters, drones, search dogs and beacon technology. Flight for Life had been trying to locate an avalanche beacon that Jackson typically carries, while search dogs used scent articles from the tent to help determine which direction the students may have traveled.
Chaffee County weather window
Rohrich said more winter weather later in the week could have grounded aircraft, limited drone operations and covered potential clues with additional snow. Several feet of snow, icy conditions and hazardous terrain had already made it too dangerous for teams to reach some areas on foot, which narrowed the field search to the places crews could safely access.
"Our heart aches for Kaden and Jackson’s family and friends," Rohrich said after the hikers were found dead. "We are very proud of our team’s efforts to find them before this weekend’s coming storm."
Colorado Mountain College said it was devastated by the loss of Matsuda and Donlon and said its focus was on supporting students, faculty, staff and their families. The remaining question is how the two hikers died in the basin of West Apostle Mountain, a detail the autopsy is expected to address.
