The bodies of a college student from Ridgway and another man were found Wednesday afternoon in Chaffee County, five days after they left for a weekend hiking trip and got caught in a snowstorm.
Kaden Matsuda, 19, a 2025 Ridgway High School graduate, and Jackson Donlon, 20, of New York, were found dead about 3:30 p.m. in a basin of West Apostle Mountain, the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office announced late Wednesday night.
Authorities said they did not suspect foul play, but that they would not offer theories on how the pair died until an autopsy is completed by the Chaffee County coroner. The sheriff’s office said the two were found near each other.
“Our heart aches for Kaden and Jackson’s family and friends. We are very proud of our team’s efforts to find them before this weekend’s coming storm,” Sheriff Andy Rohrich said in a statement. “Although this is a gut punch, our prayers were answered that we would find Kaden and Jackson, allowing some closure for the family. We ask that everyone give time and distance to family members and friends as they mourn their loss.”
The sheriff’s office said earlier Wednesday they had expanded their search area to the West Apostle Mountain, indicating it made more sense as a destination based on where the men’s tent was found. Deputies also interviewed friends who said they had camped with one of the men in the same location in the past when their destination was West Apostle.
Search dogs joined the effort, which had grown to about 60 search and rescue members from multiple counties in central Colorado. Canine handlers planned to use items found in the tent in the hopes the dogs could pick up the men’s scent and track their movements. The search and rescue operation also included helicopters, drones and aircraft with infrared technology
Matsuda and Donlon, students at Colorado Mountain College in Leadville, left on their trip Friday, telling friends and family they planned to hike Ice Mountain, a technical climb, at the far north end of Chaffee County.
College officials reported the students missing on Monday, triggering a search operation. Deputies found Matsuda’s car at the Mount Huron trailhead Monday. Authorities believe they reached the trailhead, but a weekend storm dropped 8 inches of snow at the trailhead and 1 to 2 feet of snow on Ice Mountain. A search team on Tuesday found the men’s tent collapsed under the snow.
Matsuda, a firefighter with the Log Hill Volunteer Fire Department, was studying to be a wildland firefighter. Donlon was studying to be a mountain guide.
