TWO COLORADO COLLEGE STUDENTS VANISH AS RESCUERS FIND TENT BURIED UNDER HEAVY SNOW
Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20, disappeared during a planned hiking trip in Colorado. Their vehicle and camping equipment have been found, but the two young men remain missing.
An urgent search is underway in Colorado for two college students who disappeared during a mountain hiking trip, after rescuers discovered their tent collapsed beneath heavy snow with their camping gear still inside.
Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20, both attend Colorado Mountain College. The pair set out on Friday, October 23, 2026, reportedly planning to hike Ice Mountain in Chaffee County. They were expected to return by Sunday, but they never made it home.
After the students were reported missing, the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office launched a search and located their vehicle near the Mount Huron trailhead.
A DISTURBING DISCOVERY NEAR LAKE ANN
On Tuesday, October 27, search crews discovered what appeared to be the students’ tent near Lake Ann. The shelter had collapsed under the weight of accumulated snow.
Inside, rescuers found sleeping bags, clothing and a camping stove. But neither student was there.
Searchers also reported no visible footprints in the surrounding snow. Investigators have not established why the young men were away from the campsite or where they may have gone.
The discovery has raised urgent questions about what happened after the students reached the area, although authorities have not confirmed a sequence of events.
DEEP SNOW MAKES THE SEARCH MORE DANGEROUS
Severe weather has complicated the rescue effort. Approximately eight inches of snow fell near the trailhead, while higher elevations received much heavier snowfall. Some areas reportedly accumulated between three and four feet of snow.
Deep snow, icy ground and steep mountain terrain have made it difficult for teams to reach certain locations. Helicopter access has also been limited by the conditions.
Authorities have deployed approximately 50 searchers, alongside helicopters, drones and search dogs, in an effort to locate the missing students.
Investigators have also reviewed information from the students’ cellphones. Reports indicate neither phone had been used in the 48 hours before the examination. However, limited cellular service in the mountains and the possibility that the devices were switched off mean the information does not establish where the students went.
TWO EXPERIENCED HIKERS — AND A COMMUNITY WAITING
Both students are described as experienced hikers. Matsuda is studying to become a wildland firefighter, while Donlon is pursuing studies related to becoming a mountain guide.
Chaffee County Sheriff Andy Rohrich has expressed hope that the students may have found shelter somewhere in the mountains. However, further poor weather could make the search increasingly difficult and delay access to some areas.
For their loved ones, every passing hour brings more uncertainty. Search teams continue working in hazardous conditions, hoping to find the two young men.
Kaden Matsuda and Jackson Donlon remain missing. Their whereabouts are unknown, and the search continues.
