Search crews found Kaden Matsuda and Jackson Donlon dead in a basin of West Apostle Mountain in Chaffee County around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, ending the multi-day search for the two Colorado Mountain College students. Sheriff Andy Rohrich said investigators do not suspect foul play.
The recovery came after Colorado Mountain College contacted authorities Monday morning, when the students failed to return from a weekend trip they had planned near Ice Mountain. Deputies later found their vehicle at a nearby trailhead, and a helicopter spotted their tent in a basin below the peaks.
That tent had collapsed under heavy snow, and the discovery pushed investigators to widen the search around nearby West Apostle Peak. About 60 searchers worked the area with helicopters, drones, search dogs and beacon technology, while Flight for Life tried to locate an avalanche beacon that Jackson typically carries.
Several feet of snow, icy conditions and hazardous terrain made parts of the search too dangerous to reach on foot, and Rohrich said more winter weather later in the week could have grounded aircraft, limited drone flights and buried clues under new snow. He said, “Our heart aches for Kaden and Jackson’s family and friends,” and added, “We’re going to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.”
Colorado Mountain College said it was devastated by the loss of Matsuda and Donlon and was supporting classmates, faculty and staff. The exact cause and manner of their deaths will be determined by autopsy, leaving the final answer to what happened on the mountain still ahead even after the search itself has ended.
