The bodies of Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20, were discovered near a basin of West Apostle Mountain in northern Chaffee County, Colorado, 48 hours after they were reported missing. The two college students had embarked on an expedition to Ice Mountain on October 23.
Staff at Colorado Mountain College's Leadville Campus alerted the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office on October 26 when the hikers did not return as scheduled. Deputies and search and rescue personnel located Matsuda's vehicle, covered in approximately eight inches of snow, near the Mt. Huron trailhead.
A subsequent search led authorities to discover their tent, which had collapsed under the snow's weight. Inside, searchers found their sleeping bags, a stove, and clothing. The hikers' phones had not been used for the 48 hours prior to their disappearance, though authorities noted that service in the area is scarce and phones may have been turned off to conserve battery.
Authorities do not suspect foul play and are awaiting autopsy results for further information. The Sheriff's Office expressed condolences to the families and friends of Matsuda and Donlon, commending the search teams for their efforts to locate the hikers before an anticipated winter storm.
Friends of Matsuda and Donlon told investigators that the pair were experienced hikers and had communicated their plans, including a contingency to return if conditions became unsafe. They had sent friends a map plot of their intended route to the 13,958-foot peak. Evidence found at the tent, including discarded trash and the presence of their hiking footwear, suggests the students were prepared for a more technical climb and had consumed food before setting out. Their advanced climbing footwear was reportedly missing, while their trail running shoes were found inside the tent.
The extensive search effort involved nearly 50 personnel, canines, handlers, drones, helicopters, and a multimission aircraft equipped with infrared technology.