Two college students, Jackson Donlon and Kaden Matsuda, died during a hike on Colorado's Ice Mountain after their rappelling equipment failed, according to the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office.
The two Colorado Mountain College students, both experienced outdoorsmen, fell a significant distance after what authorities described as a "catastrophic failure" of their anchor system. The incident occurred last week as they were attempting to scale the nearly 14,000-foot peak.
Donlon, 20, of Queensbury, New York, was rappelling from an anchor point that appeared to be backed up by a piton and a secondary anchor. Matsuda, 19, of Ridgway, Colorado, was attached to the same anchor points. The office stated that the cause of the anchor failure is currently unknown.
Autopsies confirmed that both students died instantly from multiple blunt force injuries. "Neither of them suffered," the sheriff's office said.
The students' tent was found collapsed under snow, with sleeping bags, a stove, and clothes inside. Matsuda's vehicle was discovered parked nearby with about eight inches of snow accumulated around it. While the students were caught in a snowstorm during their trip, the sheriff's office indicated it did not directly contribute to their deaths.
Donlon and Matsuda were remembered by the sheriff's office as individuals who "lived life at the highest peaks chasing freedoms and panoramic views." They expressed condolences to the families and friends of the students, noting their relief that the students died instantly in a place they loved. 
