Sheriffs Confirm Two Missing Hikers Found Dead on West Apostle Mountain
Chaffee County authorities recovered the bodies of two Colorado Mountain College students after a three-day search that involved 60 rescue personnel and aerial assets.
By Emmanuel Faure ·
Two students from Colorado Mountain College were confirmed dead on Wednesday after disappearing in the Chaffee County mountains over the weekend. The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office announced the recovery of the bodies in a social media post on Wednesday afternoon.
The remains of Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20, were located in a basin on West Apostle Mountain at approximately 3:30 p.m. Wednesday. Officials stated the two students were found near one another. The sheriff’s office indicated that foul play is not suspected. Investigators said they would not offer theories regarding the cause of death until an autopsy is complete.
College staff reported the two missing on Monday after learning they had gone hiking days earlier and had not returned. Investigators initially believed the pair planned to hike Ice Mountain. Search efforts later shifted to the adjacent West Apostle Mountain. Deputies located Matsuda’s vehicle at the Mount Huron trailhead on Monday. A collapsed tent was found near Lake Ann with some gear still inside, weighed down by snow.
Records indicate the students arrived at the trailhead on Friday and set up camp. A snowstorm hit the area the following day, depositing 8 inches of snow at the trailhead and 1 to 2 feet on Ice Mountain. Lake Ann is situated at the base of the range, west of both the West Apostle and Ice Mountain peaks.
Chaffee County Sheriff Andy Rohrich said in a statement that the discovery allows families some closure. Rohrich described the outcome as a gut punch but noted that prayers were answered. He asked the public to give time and distance to family members and friends as they mourn the loss.
Approximately 60 search and rescue members from seven agencies combed the mountains on Wednesday. Helicopters and drones assisted the ground teams from the sky. The search concluded with the recovery of the bodies.
The sheriff’s office characterized the situation as a developing story and indicated it may be updated with further information.
Source: The Denver Post
