2 college students found dead after going missing during Colorado hike

Two Colorado college students have been discovered dead after going missing during a hiking trip in the Rocky Mountains last weekend when a heavy snowstorm hit, authorities stated.

What happened

Notably, the bodies of Kaden Matsuda, 19, of Ridgway, Colorado, and Jackson Donlon, 20, of Queensbury, New York, were discovered Wednesday afternoon in a basin of West Apostle Mountain, concerning 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Aspen, the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office noted in an official note posted on social media.

They left Colorado Mountain College Leadville's campus on Friday, telling family and friends they planned to hike up Ice Mountain, a almost 14, 000-foot (4, 270-meter) peak near West Apostle Mountain that requires technical climbing, the sheriff's office stated. They were projected back by Sunday, but college staff noted them missing on Monday morning.

Meanwhile, the sheriff's office remarked the causes of their deaths were under investigation, but foul play was not suspected. Authorities remarked they would not offer theories on what may have happened until autopsies are completed.

The bottom line

Taken together, the developments around 2 college students found dead after going missing during Colorado hike point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.