Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office has determined that the fatal fall of two Colorado Mountain College students was likely caused by a rock that failed while securing their rappelling equipment on West Apostle Mountain.
What happened
Kaden Matsuda, 19, of Ridgway, Colorado, and Jackson Donlon, 20, of Queensbury, New York, were found dead in a snow‑filled basin after they did not return from a weekend climbing trip. The pair had set out from the college’s Leadville campus, originally planning to climb Ice Mountain before changing their destination to West Apostle Mountain, roughly 100 miles southeast of Aspen.
According to the sheriff’s office, Donlon began his descent from an anchor point that was backed up by additional safety protections. A rock that was part of the anchor likely gave way, pulling Matsuda’s rope along with it. Both students fell, and investigators have not determined the exact distance of the plunge.
Investigation findings
Autopsies showed both students died instantly from multiple blunt‑force injuries. The severe snowstorm that was present at the time was not a direct factor in their deaths.
Sheriff Andy Rohrich noted that investigators found no obvious mistakes in the students’ preparation. “In most similar cases that have led to a devastating conclusion we find it easy to pick apart what was done wrong. That was not the case with Kaden and Jackson,” he said, adding that he was relieved neither student suffered in their final moments.
Background
Matsuda was studying to become a wildland firefighter, while Donlon was pursuing a degree in outdoor recreation leadership. Both shared a passion for the outdoors and the high peaks of Chaffee County.
Recent months have seen other fatal climbing accidents, including the death of elite rock climber Jake Whisenant in California’s Sequoia National Park and a tragic incident involving three Latvian mountaineers near Denali Pass in Alaska.
Safety reminder
Authorities encourage climbers to regularly inspect all anchor points and equipment, especially in remote mountain environments, to help prevent similar tragedies.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
