Tragic news has emerged regarding two college students who went missing while attempting to hike a mountain in Colorado. They have been found dead, caught in a snowstorm, according to law enforcement.
The students, Jackson Donlon, 20, originally from New York, and Kaden Matsuda, 19, were reported missing while trying to reach the summit of Ice Mountain, which is nearly 14,000 feet high. They disappeared over the weekend as a significant storm dropped approximately two feet of snow in the area.
The bodies of the two were discovered in a nearby mountain basin, about half a mile from the hiking trail, on Wednesday. The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office announced the deaths with heavy hearts, expressing deep sadness over the loss.
Law enforcement stated that foul play is not suspected in this case, but they mentioned it would be premature to speculate on what occurred until an autopsy has been performed. “Our heart aches for Kaden and Jackson’s family and friends,” the sheriff’s department noted, offering condolences.
Matsuda, who aspired to be a wildland firefighter, and Donlon had set out from their campus on Friday for the hike. They were reported missing on Monday when they did not return, despite having shared plans with friends to be back by Sunday.
While they were hiking, the weather turned severe, leading to heavy snowfall in the region. The duo’s tent was discovered collapsed under the snow, with their sleeping bags, stove, and clothing buried inside, but no sign of them at that point.
During the search operation, various methods were employed, including drones equipped with infrared sensors, helicopters, and search dogs. Unfortunately, there were no confirmed sightings of the students during the search.
Authorities learned that neither of the students had used their cell phones in the two days leading up to their disappearance, though it was believed they might have turned off their devices to save battery power.
On Tuesday, the search teams made several concerning discoveries, including the hikers’ tent but found no immediate clues about their whereabouts. Heavy snowfall contributed to “horrific weather conditions” while they were out on the mountain.
Despite the challenges faced, authorities had not given up hope completely, considering the possibility that the students could still be safe in some way. Sheriff Andy Rohrich expressed optimism, suggesting that they might be waiting out the storm in a sheltered spot.
