Two college students who set out for a weekend hike into Colorado’s high country were found dead together in a remote mountain basin, days after a snowstorm buried their tent under snow and ice.
Quick Take
- Colorado Mountain College students Matsuda, 19, and Donlon, 20, were found dead Wednesday near West Apostle Mountain in Chaffee County.
- The pair left the Leadville campus Friday for a hiking trip and college staff reported them missing on Monday, October 26.
- Search crews found their tent collapsed under snow, with sleeping bags, a stove, and clothing still inside.
- Sheriff Andy Rohrich said foul play is not suspected, though an autopsy will determine the official cause of death.
A Weekend Trip That Turned Into a Multi-Day Search
Matsuda and Donlon left Colorado Mountain College’s Leadville campus Friday, planning a hiking trip near Ice Mountain, a peak that climbs close to 14,000 feet. When they did not return as expected, campus staff reported them missing on Monday, October 26, setting off a search across some of the state’s most unforgiving alpine terrain.
Search and rescue teams moved quickly once the report came in, racing against falling temperatures and an approaching storm. Crews combed the Ice Mountain area first, since that matched the students’ stated plan. But mountain weather had already complicated the search, and a fresh layer of snow made both travel and visibility difficult for the volunteers and officers involved.
A Collapsed Tent Became the First Hard Clue
Searchers located the students’ tent crushed flat under accumulated snow. Inside were sleeping bags, a camp stove, and clothing, untouched since the storm rolled through. The find confirmed searchers were in the right general area but also raised the odds that the students had been caught away from shelter when conditions turned severe.
The tent discovery did not immediately lead rescuers to the students themselves. Investigators had to rely on something beyond physical evidence to narrow the search, since the gear alone could not explain where the hikers had gone after leaving camp.
Interviews Pointed Searchers Toward West Apostle Mountain
Sheriff Andy Rohrich said the search expanded toward West Apostle Mountain after investigators spoke with friends of the missing students. Those friends told authorities they had previously camped in that same basin with one of the hikers, giving searchers a specific target beyond the original Ice Mountain route.
That lead proved decisive. Crews redirected their efforts toward the basin below West Apostle Mountain, an area the students apparently knew from earlier trips. The shift in strategy, based on witness accounts rather than new physical clues, ultimately brought the search to a close.
Bodies Recovered After Days of Searching Steep Terrain
Rohrich’s office confirmed both students were found at approximately 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, together in the basin near West Apostle Mountain. The recovery came after days of searching dangerous, snow-covered terrain by ground crews, closing out a mission that drew volunteers, deputies, and search specialists from across the region.
A search has ended in western Colorado for two college students who went missing while hiking Ice Mountain, a nearly 14,000-foot peak. https://t.co/wwb1QEy5yF
— ABC10 (@ABC10) October 29, 2026
The sheriff’s office said foul play is not suspected in the deaths. That statement reflects the investigation’s current direction, not a final determination. An autopsy and continued investigative work are still required before officials can confirm an official cause and manner of death.
A Familiar and Sobering Pattern in the High Country
Wilderness rescue data show hiking incidents are most often driven by falls, exhaustion, navigation errors, and sudden exposure to severe weather rather than any single dramatic event. Search and rescue researchers note these overlapping factors frequently combine in high-altitude emergencies, especially when storms move in faster than hikers can retreat to safety.
Colorado Mountain College said it is supporting grieving students and staff through counseling resources as the community processes the loss. The case is a stark reminder that even experienced young hikers face real danger once a mountain storm closes in.
Sources:
abcnews.com, yahoo.com, 9news.com, weather.com, kktv.com, kdvr.com, rocketcitynow.com
