Two college students tragically lost their lives after going missing during a hiking trip in Colorado. Deputies located the bodies of Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20, in a mountain basin on West Apostle Mountain, confirmed the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office.
Matsuda from Ridgway, Colorado, and Donlon from Queensbury, New York, were both attending the Colorado Mountain College Leadville campus. Authorities reported that they departed for a hike near Ice Mountain on Friday, October 23.
Their bodies were discovered on Wednesday following a missing persons report initiated by Colorado Mountain College on Monday. The sheriff’s office indicated no suspicion of foul play in their deaths. Their remains were found near each other.
The search operation involved 60 volunteers from six counties, who faced challenging trails and worsening weather conditions.
Timeline of Events:
– Friday, Oct. 23: Matsuda and Donlon left campus amid rainy weather.
– Saturday, Oct. 24: Intended return date if they encountered poor conditions. A snowstorm occurred, causing hazardous local roads.
– Sunday, Oct. 25: Planned return date if they continued to the summit.
– Monday, Oct. 26: Colorado Mountain College staff reported them missing. Deputies found Matsuda’s vehicle near Winfield, Colorado.
– Tuesday, Oct. 27: Aerial teams spotted their collapsed tent by Lake Ann.
– Wednesday, Oct. 28: Kaden Matsuda and Jackson Donlon were found deceased.
Sheriff Andy Rohrich expressed condolences to the families and acknowledged the challenging but timely efforts of search teams amidst impending storms. The students’ bodies were sent to the Chaffee County Coroner’s Office for autopsies. Investigations into the cause of their deaths are ongoing.
Fox News Digital has contacted Colorado Mountain College for comments regarding the incident.