Hikers found dead in Colorado after snowstorm
Two college students were discovered in a mountain basin in Chaffee County after a search involving 60 volunteers.
By Maya Morris ·
A heavy snowstorm hit the Rocky Mountains last weekend, trapping two college students on a hiking trip. Their bodies were found Wednesday afternoon.
Kaden Matsuda, 19, of Ridgway, and Jackson Donlon, 20, of Queensbury, New York, were discovered in a basin on West Apostle Mountain. The site is about 100 miles southeast of Aspen. The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the deaths in a social media statement.
The men left Colorado Mountain College Leadville on Friday. They told family and friends they intended to hike Ice Mountain, a 14,000-foot peak that requires technical climbing. They were expected back by Sunday. College staff reported them missing on Monday morning. A search team of about 60 volunteers, including helicopters, drones, and dogs, began looking for them.
On Tuesday, a helicopter crew found their collapsed tent near a lake northwest of Ice Mountain. The tent contained sleeping bags, a stove, and clothing, but no people. Sheriff Andy Rohrich said the location suggested the men changed plans. He believed they were heading to West Apostle Mountain, which stands at 13,597 feet, instead of Ice Mountain.
Rohrich stated that the bodies were found well into the hike. He noted that the men’s climbing gear was missing from their dorms, tent, and vehicle. This indicated they had prepared for a technical climb. Trash in the tent showed they ate before leaving. Friends and family described both as experienced hikers and climbers.
The sheriff’s office said causes of death are under investigation. Foul play is not suspected. Officials will wait for autopsies before offering theories. Matsuda was studying to be a wildland firefighter. Donlon was studying to be a mountain guide. Rohrich said the team found them before another storm hit this weekend.
The men’s bodies remained in the basin Wednesday night. Officials waited for gusty winds to calm so a helicopter crew could retrieve them. Rohrich said aerial searches faced limits due to poor weather expected to begin Friday.
Source: WCCB
