Full Breakdown
Tragic Colorado Hike Ends in Fatalities
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In this breakdown
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Core Event: Two College Hikers Found Deceased on West Apostle Mountain
Colorado Mountain College students Kaden Matsuda, 19, of Ridgway, and Jackson Donlon, 20, of Queensbury, New York, were discovered dead in a basin of West Apostle Mountain in Chaffee County at about 3:30 p.m. on October 28. The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office said the bodies were found near each other and that foul play is not suspected. An autopsy will determine the official cause and manner of death.
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Background & Context
The pair left the college’s Leadville campus on a Friday in late October for a weekend back-country trip, intending to climb Ice Mountain, a technical route near 14,000 ft. When they failed to return, college staff alerted authorities on Monday.
A rapid shift from rain to heavy snowfall over the weekend produced chest-high snowfields and icy boulder fields that made travel hazardous and prevented helicopter landings.
Visual evidence
Images from the story
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Data & Statistics
- About 60 search-and-rescue volunteers from seven counties participated, using helicopters, drones, infrared technology, and search dogs.
- Snow depth ranged from eight inches at the trailhead to four feet in the highest drifts.
- The hikers’ tent, located near Lake Ann on October 27, was found collapsed under snow, containing supplies but no occupants.
- Cell-phone records showed no activity for 48 hours, a period when service is sparse.
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Official Statements & Responses
Sheriff Andy Rohrich expressed deep sympathy, stating, “Our heart aches for Kaden and Jackson’s family and friends,” and noted that investigators do not suspect foul play.
Colorado Mountain College said the campus community is “devastated” and that counseling services are being made available.
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On-the-Ground Reports
Search teams first located Matsuda’s vehicle at the Mount Huron trailhead, noting the absence of snow beneath the car—a sign it arrived before the storm. A helicopter on October 27 spotted an object near Lake Ann; ground crews identified it as the hikers’ tent, collapsed under snow with supplies still inside. No human footprints were observed, suggesting the tent was in place before the snowfall.
Because the tent’s location indicated the hikers may have been attempting West Apostle Mountain instead of Ice Mountain, search efforts shifted toward the 13,600-ft peak. The steep, snow-covered terrain and lack of suitable landing zones limited aerial support, prompting reliance on ground teams and canine units.
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Verbatim Quotes
- “Our heart aches for Kaden and Jackson’s family and friends,” — Sheriff Andy Rohrich
- “They came here to learn, to explore and to build their futures. Along the way, they built friendships and became part of our community. Their lives were full of promise, and their loss is felt deeply by the students, faculty and staff who knew them,” — Ben Cairns, CMC Leadville vice president and campus dean