Two college students from Colorado Mountain College have been found dead after going missing during a hike on Ice Mountain, a peak near 14,000 feet in Colorado. The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office announced the discovery with “profound sadness” on Wednesday.
Jackson Donlon, 20, and Kaden Matsuda, 19, were reported missing on Monday when they failed to return to campus. They had departed for their hike on Friday, with plans to return by Sunday. A snowstorm dumped approximately two feet of snow in the area over the weekend, creating hazardous conditions.
Search teams deployed drones with infrared technology, helicopters, and K9 units. Investigators found the students’ tent collapsed under the snow, with sleeping bags, a stove, and clothing inside. Matsuda’s car was also located, with snow accumulated around it.
The Sheriff’s Office stated that foul play is not suspected and that no theories will be offered until autopsies are completed. The department expressed its condolences to the families and friends of Donlon and Matsuda, noting that finding the students would allow for some closure.
Matsuda was an aspiring wildland firefighter from Ridgway, Colorado. Donlon was from New York. Both were students at the college’s Leadville campus. Their disappearance and subsequent discovery highlight the dangers of extreme weather in mountainous terrain. The sheriff’s office reported that neither student had used their cell phone in the 48 hours prior to their disappearance, though they suspected the devices may have been turned off to conserve battery life.