TWO COLLEGE STUDENTS FOUND DEAD AFTER COLORADO MOUNTAIN HIKE: AUTHORITIES REVEAL ‘CATASTROPHIC FAILURE’ THAT LED TO THEIR FALL

Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20, were experienced outdoor enthusiasts who shared a passion for the mountains. After days of searching, investigators have revealed what happened during their final climb.

Two college students who disappeared during a hiking trip in Colorado have been found dead, and authorities have now revealed the circumstances surrounding the heartbreaking incident.

Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20, both students at Colorado Mountain College’s Leadville campus, were discovered in a basin on West Apostle Mountain in Chaffee County on October 28, after an extensive search involving rescue teams, helicopters, drones, and search dogs.

The two friends had left campus for a weekend mountain trip on October 23. They were initially planning to hike Ice Mountain, but investigators later believed they may have changed their destination and headed toward West Apostle Mountain.

Their disappearance prompted a major search operation, which was complicated by severe weather and heavy snowfall in the area.

AUTHORITIES REVEAL THE CAUSE OF THE tᩚraɢedy

On November 2, the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office and Coroner’s Office released findings from the investigation and autopsies.

According to the joint statement, both young men died instantly from multiple blunt-force injuries after falling a substantial distance while rappelling.

Investigators determined that the incident involved a “catastrophic failure of unknown cause” at one of the anchor points used during the descent.

Authorities explained that Donlon was beginning to rappel from a primary anchor point attached to a rock surface. That system appeared to have additional protection from a piton and a secondary rock anchor.

Matsuda was connected to the same anchor system through his personal anchor device.

For reasons that remain unknown, the anchor system failed, causing both students to fall.

Officials also addressed the severe snowstorm that affected the region during the search. Although investigators could not determine whether the weather had negatively affected the incident, they said the storm was not a direct contributing factor in the students’ deaths.

The exact cause of the anchor failure remains undetermined.

A SEARCH THAT LASTED FOR DAYS

The students were expected to return from their trip by Sunday, October 25. When they did not come back, Colorado Mountain College staff reported them missing the following Monday.

Search and rescue teams worked across difficult mountain terrain as changing weather conditions made the operation increasingly challenging.

Approximately 60 volunteers and rescue personnel participated in the search, using helicopters, drones, dogs, and ground teams.

On October 27, a helicopter crew spotted their tent near Lake Ann. The tent had collapsed beneath the weight of the snow. Sleeping bags, a stove, and clothing were found inside, but the students were nowhere nearby.

The following day, search teams located the two young men in a basin on West Apostle Mountain.

Their recovery was delayed by strong winds and difficult conditions, with their bodies eventually transported by helicopter on October 29.

TWO YOUNG MEN UNITED BY THEIR LOVE OF THE MOUNTAINS

Although Kaden Matsuda and Jackson Donlon came from different parts of the country, they had found a shared passion in the outdoors.

Matsuda, from Ridgway, Colorado, was studying wildland firefighting. After graduating from high school, he had already taken part in service work and was building a future around helping others.

His classmates and faculty members remembered him as kind, intelligent, and welcoming.

Donlon, from Queensbury, New York, was studying outdoor recreation leadership. He had traveled to Colorado to pursue his love of mountains, climbing, and skiing.

He was also recognized for his remarkable enthusiasm for skiing. Ski or Die NY, a group of skiers from upstate New York, described him as one of the most ambitious young skiers on the East Coast.

The two students had become close friends at Colorado Mountain College, where their shared love of the outdoors brought them together.

In a statement following their deaths, the college remembered them as valued members of its community and expressed its condolences to their families, friends, classmates, and instructors.

‘THEY LIVED LIFE AT THE HIGHEST PEAKS’

Chaffee County Sheriff Andy Rohrich paid tribute to the two young men, reflecting on their passion for the mountains and the lives they had built around exploring the outdoors.

He said the students spent their final moments together surrounded by the mountain landscape they loved.

The sheriff also expressed relief that neither young man suffered, according to the findings of the investigation.

Their deaths have left families, friends, and the Colorado Mountain College community grieving the loss of two young people whose futures held so much promise.

Kaden and Jackson had come to Colorado to learn, explore, and pursue their dreams. Their friendship and shared love of adventure brought them together, and their memories will remain with those whose lives they touched.

May Kaden Matsuda and Jackson Donlon rest in peace.