Colorado Mountain College students Kaden Matsuda and Jackson Donlon were recovered dead by helicopter on Thursday from a snow‑filled basin on West Apostle Mountain, the result of a severe storm that followed their departure from Leadville on Friday.
They had left the campus on Friday afternoon, aiming for Ice Mountain, but a sudden blizzard dumped up to two feet of snow by Saturday afternoon. The pair were expected back by Sunday, yet college staff flagged them missing Monday morning.
Searchers combed the area for three days, using helicopters, drones and 60 volunteers. On Tuesday a collapsed tent was found northwest of Ice Mountain, but the bodies were located about a mile away, in a basin that had filled with snow.
Chaffee County Sheriff Andy Rohrich said the students had left their gear behind, indicating they were heading for a technical climb. "They were well‑prepared and capable," he posted, noting that the weather turned unexpectedly.
Ben Cairns, the college’s dean, lamented the loss, calling them “promising young men” who had come to learn and explore. Survival expert Jason Marsteiner warned that Colorado’s high‑mountain weather can change in minutes.
The bodies will be taken to the coroner’s office for autopsies on Monday, after which the state will convene a safety review panel to assess backcountry protocols and training for future expeditions.