What we know
What we know: 2 college students found dead after going missing during Colorado hike
Compiled Oct 29
What we know
- Two Colorado college students, Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20, were found dead after going missing during a hiking trip in the Rocky Mountains.
- Their bodies were found Wednesday afternoon in a basin of West Apostle Mountain, about 100 miles southeast of Aspen.
- The students left Colorado Mountain College Leadville's campus Friday, planning to hike Ice Mountain, a technical climb near West Apostle Mountain.
- They were expected back Sunday but were reported missing by college staff Monday morning.
- About 60 search and rescue volunteers, aided by helicopters, drones and dogs, searched for the two men.
- A helicopter crew found their collapsed tent, sleeping bags, stove and clothing near a lake on Tuesday, but the students were not there.
What we don’t know yet
- The causes of their deaths are under investigation.
- Officials said they would not offer theories on what happened until autopsies are completed.
- Foul play was not suspected, according to the sheriff's office.
Open questions
- What caused the deaths of Kaden Matsuda and Jackson Donlon?
- Why was their climbing equipment missing from their dorms, tent, and vehicle?
- Did the students reach Ice Mountain, or were they aiming for West Apostle Mountain instead?
- What role did the snowstorm play in their deaths?
Drawn from the Associated Press report. “What we don’t know” lists only what the reporting itself flags as unresolved.