Kaden Matsuda and Jackson Donlon found dead on West Apostle Mountain

October 30, 2026 3 Min Read

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Two students who were hiking in Colorado were found dead after not being heard from for several days.

Officers found the bodies of Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20, in a mountain basin on West Apostle Mountain, the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office confirmed.

Matsuda, of Ridgway, Colorado, and Donlon, of Queensbury, New York, were both students at Colorado Mountain College’s Leadville campus. Deputies say they left campus for a hike near Ice Mountain on Friday, October 23.

Colorado Mountain College students Kaden Matsuda and Jackson Donlon were found dead after hiking in the mountains. (Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office)

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Their bodies were found on Wednesday after the young men were reported missing by the CMC on Monday.

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The sheriff’s office said their bodies were found next to each other and “no foul play was suspected.”

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Deputies say the men went hiking near Ice Mountain before they were found dead. (Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office)

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Investigators shared detailed updates on social media about the mission in which 60 search and rescue volunteers deployed to six different counties braved treacherous trails and deteriorating weather conditions to try to find the men.

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the image shows the breakdown of the rescue mission

Search and rescue teams from six counties fanned out to try to find the missing students. (Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office)

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The deputies were able to propose a possible timetable for the students’ doomed hike.

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Chronology

Friday, October 23: The couple leaves campus for Chaffee County in rainy weather.
Saturday October 24: Return day planned if conditions were bad. A heavy snowstorm occurred between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., causing serious hazards on local roads.
Sunday October 25: expected return day if they push to the summit.
Monday October 26: CMC staff officially reported them missing. Deputies located Matsuda’s vehicle at a trailhead near Winfield, Colorado.
Tuesday, October 27: Air crews spotted their collapsed tent near Lake Ann.
Wednesday October 28: Kaden Matsuda and Jackson Donlon were found dead.

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Teams had to travel trails to try to locate the men. (Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office)

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In a statement, Sheriff Andy Rohrich said in part: “Our hearts ache for the family and friends of Kaden and Jackson. We are very proud of our team’s efforts to find them before the storm coming this weekend. Although this is a gut punch, our prayers have been answered that we can find Kaden and Jackson, providing closure for the family.”