Two young hikers found dead in remote Colorado basin after brutal mountain blizzard

The search for two missing young hikers in Colorado ended in tragedy on Wednesday when a search party recovered the bodies of Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20, in the basin of West Apostle Mountain.

The pair planned to hike Ice Mountain and departed on October 23, intending to return on October 25, officials said earlier. Authorities found Matsuda’s car at the Mt. Huron trailhead, where hikers typically leave their vehicles. They also found their tent, but it had been covered with snow.

Authorities warn that anyone planning to climb in the area should be experienced, as it’s regarded as a “very technical” climb. At the time of the pair’s planned climb, Ice Mountain was covered in around two feet of snow. Officials described the area as having little or no cell phone service.

Their bodies were found around 3:30 pm local time, some four miles from where Matsuda’s car was located, authorities said. Investigators do not suspect foul play was involved in the tragedy. An autopsy is pending. The search effort involved about 60 people, along with search dogs, drones, and helicopters.

Both were students at Colorado Mountain College in Leadville.

Chaffee County Sheriff Andy Rohrich disclosed that Matsuda, a native of Ridgeway, Colorado, was studying to be a wildland firefighter, and Donlon, a native of New York, was studying to be a ‘Mountainar’ guide. The sheriff hoped that, despite the adverse weather conditions, the college students would be found “hunkered down” somewhere. Jackson was believed to be carrying an avalanche beacon.

“We are devastated by the loss of Kaden Matsuda and Jackson Donlon, two members of our Colorado Mountain College community,” the school said in a statement.

“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. We are extraordinarily grateful to the search and rescue professionals and volunteers who devoted themselves to finding Kaden and Jackson.”

“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. 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,” Sheriff Rohrich said in a statement.