2 college students found dead in Colorado mountains fell to their deaths when climbing anchor broke

The two college students whose bodies were recovered last week in the Colorado mountains were rappelling and fell a “substantial distance” when a rock they were anchored to likely gave way, authorities said Tuesday.

Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20, died instantly from multiple blunt force injuries, an autopsy found, according to the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office and coroner’s office. Their bodies were found in a snow-filled basin of West Apostle Mountain, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Aspen.

The heavy snowstorm was not a direct factor, according to the statement, which commended the college students for their love of the outdoors and preparation for the climbing trip.

“In most similar cases that have led to a devastating conclusion we find it easy to pick apart what was done wrong,” said Chaffee County Sheriff Andy Rohrich. “That was not the case with Kaden and Jackson.”

The pair had set out from Colorado Mountain College’s Leadville campus for what was supposed to be a weekend trip. While they were originally aiming for Ice Mountain, a 13,958-foot (4,254-meter) peak, Rohrich said they appeared to switch to the 13,597-foot (4,144-meter) West Apostle Mountain.

Donlon was starting to rappel from an anchor point backed up by other protections when the rock likely gave way, according to Rohrich. Matsuda was attached to the same anchor, and they both fell a long distance, although the exact length was not known, according to the statement.

“While their lives were far too short, they spent their final moments together surrounded by the majestic beauty of Chaffee County’s high peaks that they loved,” Rohrich said. “There is also relief knowing neither of them suffered.”

Colorado Mountain College, which has campuses throughout the Colorado Rockies, is known for its programs focusing on the state’s robust outdoor recreation economy, including mountaineering, ski patrol and guiding careers.

Matsuda, of Ridgway, Colorado, and Donlon, of Queensbury, New York, became fast friends at the small campus in Leadville, which bills itself as America’s highest city at 10,119 feet (3,084 meters) above sea level. Located about 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of Denver, the city is home to about 2,600 people and is flanked by some of Colorado’s tallest mountains.

Matsuda was studying to be a wildland firefighter. Donlon, an avid climber and skier, was studying outdoor recreation leadership and had come to Colorado to pursue his love of the mountains.

It was raining when they started hiking, according to the sheriff’s office, and later a severe storm arrived, dumping up to 2 feet (0.6 meters) of snow.