“Our heart aches for Kaden and Jackson’s family and friends,” Chaffee County Sheriff Andy Rohrich said after recovery efforts concluded in the rugged Colorado wilderness.
Following a multi-day search that raced against deteriorating weather, the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that two missing Colorado Mountain College students, Kaden Matsuda and Jackson Donlon, were found dead Wednesday afternoon. Search crews located both men in a basin of West Apostle Mountain around 3:30 p.m., bringing a tragic end to an extensive rescue operation involving roughly 60 searchers.
The Weekend Ascent and the Race Against Winter Weather
Matsuda and Donlon had planned a weekend trip to camp near Ice Mountain and attempt a climb. When the students failed to return by Monday morning, Colorado Mountain College contacted local authorities, prompting an immediate mobilization by Chaffee County Search and Rescue.
Deputies quickly located the students’ vehicle parked at a nearby trailhead. Expanding their aerial sweep, a rescue helicopter spotted the pair’s tent pitched in a basin below the peaks, collapsed under heavy snow. Investigators used scent articles recovered from the tent alongside search dogs, drones, and beacon technology to sweep the treacherous terrain leading toward West Apostle Peak.
Rescue teams faced immense hurdles as severe winter weather threatened the area. Several feet of snow, icy conditions, and hazardous terrain made some areas inaccessible on foot. Officials relied heavily on aviation assets and specialized tracking equipment, though worsening conditions could have grounded flight operations.
“We’re just going to go as 100%, as hard as we can, until Mother Nature tells us we can’t do it anymore,” Sheriff Rohrich told 11 News earlier in the week as search conditions deteriorated.
Community Mourning at Colorado Mountain College
The tragedy has deeply affected the campus community in Leadville, where both students were members. Faculty members with specialized training in mountain travel and rescue even aided official search teams on the ground.
In a statement provided to 11 News, Colorado Mountain College expressed profound sorrow over the loss:
“We are devastated by the loss of Kaden Matsuda and Jackson Donlon, two members of our Colorado Mountain College community. Our hearts are with their families, friends, classmates, faculty and everyone who knew and cared about them. Our focus tonight is on supporting those closest to Kaden and Jackson and making sure our Leadville students, faculty and staff have the emotional support they need in the difficult days ahead.” Colorado Mountain College
Investigators stated that foul play is not suspected in the incident. However, the exact cause and manner of the students’ deaths will be formally determined by autopsy.
