TWO COLLEGE STUDENTS VANISH DURING COLORADO MOUNTAIN HIKE — DAYS LATER, THEIR BODIES ARE FOUND IN A SNOW-COVERED BASIN

Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20, were experienced outdoor enthusiasts whose weekend hiking trip turned into a desperate search involving around 60 rescuers, helicopters, drones and search dogs.

CHAFFEE COUNTY, COLORADO — A heartbreaking search for two college students who disappeared during a hiking trip in Colorado has ended in tᩚraɢedy after their bodies were discovered in a remote mountain basin.

Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20, were students at Colorado Mountain College’s Leadville campus.

The two friends left campus on October 23, 2026, planning a weekend hiking and climbing trip in the Rocky Mountains. They were expected to return by October 25, but when they failed to come back, college staff reported them missing on October 26.

Their bodies were eventually discovered on October 28, at approximately 3:30 p.m., in a basin on West Apostle Mountain in Chaffee County.

The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the two young men were found near one another.

Authorities said foul play was not suspected and that the circumstances surrounding their deaths remained under investigation.

A SEARCH THAT GREW MORE URGENT WITH EVERY PASSING DAY

When investigators began looking for the students, they learned that the pair had initially planned to climb Ice Mountain, a highly technical peak that requires significant experience.

Friends and family told authorities that both young men were experienced hikers and climbers.

The students had also shared a map showing their intended destination and the trailhead they planned to use.

Search teams located Kaden’s vehicle near the Mt. Huron trailhead, but there was no sign of either student.

The search quickly expanded.

Around 60 search-and-rescue volunteers and specialists joined the operation, using helicopters, drones, search dogs and other equipment to cover the difficult terrain.

The effort became increasingly challenging as fresh snowfall covered the mountains and made parts of the landscape extremely dangerous to access.

THE COLLAPSED TENT THAT RAISED MORE QUESTIONS

On October 27, a helicopter spotted an object near Lake Ann.

When searchers reached the location, they discovered the students’ tent, which had collapsed under the weight of accumulated snow.

Inside were sleeping bags, a stove and some clothing.

But Kaden and Jackson were nowhere to be found.

Investigators noted that the tent appeared to have been set up before the snowfall, with no snow underneath it and no visible footprints immediately surrounding it.

Their advanced climbing equipment was also missing from the tent, their vehicle and their dormitory rooms.

That discovery suggested the two students may have left the campsite intending to undertake a more technical climb.

Based on the location where their bodies were eventually found, authorities believed the pair may have changed their original plans and headed toward West Apostle Mountain.

The bodies were located approximately a mile from the collapsed tent.

A SUDDEN CHANGE IN MOUNTAIN CONDITIONS

The weather had become a major concern during the search.

Rain fell in the area before snow began accumulating on October 24. Authorities reported that some mountain areas received between one and two feet of fresh snow, with deeper accumulations in certain locations.

The conditions made it difficult for rescuers to reach the higher terrain safely.

Sheriff Andy Rohrich said the search teams were working against an approaching storm and wanted to locate the students before conditions deteriorated further.

The sheriff later expressed his condolences to both families and thanked the volunteers who had devoted themselves to the search.

TWO YOUNG MEN WITH BIG FUTURES

Beyond the circumstances of their disappearance, both students were remembered for their love of the outdoors and the futures they were working toward.

Kaden Matsuda, 19, was from Ridgway, Colorado, and was studying to become a wildland firefighter.

His college community described him as kind, intelligent and welcoming.

Jackson Donlon, 20, was from Queensbury, New York. He was an enthusiastic climber and skier who had come to Colorado to pursue his passion for the mountains.

He was studying outdoor recreation leadership and hoped to build a future in the outdoor industry.

The two had become close friends while studying at Colorado Mountain College.

In a statement, campus dean Ben Cairns said:

“They came here to learn, to explore and to build their futures. Along the way, they built friendships and became part of our community.”

He added that their lives had been full of promise and that their loss was deeply felt by students, faculty and staff.

AUTHORITIES ARE STILL INVESTIGATING

The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that foul play was not suspected.

However, officials have not announced a definitive cause of dєatᩚh and said they would not speculate before autopsies and further investigation were completed.

For their families, friends and classmates, the loss of two young men who had set out to explore the mountains has left an entire community grieving.

What began as a weekend adventure ended with a search that brought dozens of people together — and a heartbreaking discovery on a snow-covered mountain.

Kaden and Jackson will be remembered not simply for the way their lives ended, but for their friendship, their love of adventure and the futures they had hoped to build.