Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office announced on October 26 that two Colorado Mountain College students have not been found after leaving the Leadville campus for a planned hike on Ice Mountain on Friday, Oct. 23.
Students and planned route
The missing hikers were identified as 19‑year‑old Kaden Matsuda of Ridgway, Colorado, and 20‑year‑old Jackson Donlon of New York. Friends and family said the pair intended to drive near Winfield County Road 390 and start from the Mount Huron trailhead, heading toward Ice Mountain on the far north end of Chaffee County.
Search conditions and efforts
Authorities noted that the area has experienced on‑and‑off rain showers for several days and a brief window of snow. Eight inches of snow were measured around Matsuda’s vehicle, while Ice Mountain itself holds one to two feet of snow in lower basins and three to four feet in higher sections due to sluffing and drifting.
Because this was the first major snowfall, officials said avalanche risk was limited, but the mountain is now encased in ice and snow‑covered boulder fields, making foot travel extremely dangerous and helicopter landing impossible.
Search and rescue teams deployed aircraft, including drones, helicopters and a multi‑mission infrared‑capable plane, but no human tracks have been located. Both hikers’ cell phones have shown no activity for the past 48 hours, though officials believe the phones may have been turned off to preserve battery life.
Recent discovery
On Oct. 27, a search crew found an abandoned tent near Lake Ann. The tent had collapsed under snow weight; its contents included sleeping bags, a stove and clothing, but there were no footprints beneath the snow, indicating the tent was likely set up before the recent snowfall.
Official statements
“It is unimaginable what they must be going through,” the sheriff’s office said. “We remain optimistic Kaden and Jackson are hunkered down somewhere waiting to be rescued. Our window of opportunity is closing as poor weather is expected again later this week, so we are putting all our available resources in the field.”
Officials added, “They are both strong, young men. Kaden is studying to become a wildland firefighter, and Jackson is studying to be a mountain guide. Hope is not lost. Please keep the families in your thoughts as we continue the search.”
Original reporting: WPBF (Treasure Coast / Hearst) — read the source article.
