Hikers Found Dead in Chaffee County After Weekend Trip

Authorities identified two college students found dead in a mountain basin in Chaffee County, Colorado, on Wednesday, Oct. 28, as Jackson Donlon, 20, of Queensbury, New York, and Kaden Matsuda, 19, of Ridgway, Colorado.

Both young men attended the Leadville campus of Colorado Mountain College. Donlon is preparing to become a mountain guide, while Matsuda is studying to work as a wildland firefighter. They left campus on Friday, Oct. 23, with plans to hike Ice Mountain.

Friends reported that the pair intended to return early if conditions felt unsafe or to resume hiking on Sunday, Oct. 25. College staff reported the students missing on Monday, Oct. 26. Search efforts were complicated by snow, with authorities reporting one to two feet of accumulation on the mountain and deeper amounts in some areas.

On Tuesday, Oct. 27, searchers located a collapsed tent near Lake Ann. Inside the tent were sleeping bags, a stove, and clothing, but the students were not there. Their bodies were found near each other in a basin of West Apostle Mountain at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office stated that foul play is not suspected. The office said it would not offer theories until an autopsy is completed. A detailed investigation is being conducted in partnership with the Chaffee County Coroner’s Office. Authorities have not yet determined if the weather contributed to the deaths.

Donlon graduated from Queensbury High School in 2024. He was a varsity athlete and a competitive skier. Queensbury is located about 60 miles north of Albany, New York. Matsuda is from Ridgway, which is in western Colorado, roughly 90 miles south of Grand Junction by road.

The sheriff’s office noted that the causes of death will require further investigation. The students were found in close proximity to one another. The investigation remains ongoing as the coroner’s office completes its review.