Young outdoorsmen found dead on Colorado mountain were killed after falling from cliff, medical examiner says

Published: 12:57 EDT, 4 November 2026 | Updated: 12:57 EDT, 4 November 2026 Two Colorado hikers who were found dead on Ice Mountain suffered ‘catastrophic failure’ while abseiling, a medical examiner has said.Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20, went hiking in northern Chaffee County on October 23.When the college students did not return home on schedule, staff at Colorado Mountain College Leadville Campus alerted the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office.After an extensive search, the team discovered their bodies lying next to each other near a basin of West Apostle Mountain, police said.Medical examiners conducted an autopsy on November 2 to determine the cause of death of the two experienced hikers.‘The autopsy showed that the cause of both their deaths was multiple blunt force injuries and their deaths were instant,’ the authorities said.During the investigation, the deputies and search and rescue personnel found out that the anchor that Donlon was using for rappelling caused them to fall. The investigators were not able to establish the exact distance that the young men fell from. Kaden Matsuda (left) and Jackson Donlon (right) were found dead in Colorado's Ice Mountain after they suffered a catastrophic failure, police said The staff at Colorado Mountain College Leadville Campus had alerted the police when the hikers did not return home as scheduled Searchers and rescue teams looked for Matsuda and Donlon for 48 hours. Their bodies were found near a basin of West Apostle MountainThe police said that Donlon began rappelling from a primary anchor point on a rock substrate.The anchor that he used was backed up by a metal spike and a secondary anchor made of rock substrate, officials said.‘The anchor had a catastrophic failure of unknown cause. Both then fell a substantial distance,’ deputies added.Sheriff Andy Rohrich offered his condolences to the friends and families of the hikers.‘Kaden and Jackson lived life at the highest peaks, chasing freedoms and panoramic views that most of us only see in pictures. We hope their families and friends find strength in the memories of their vibrant spirits,’ Rohrich said.‘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. There is also relief knowing neither of them suffered.’‘Kaden and Jackson will certainly be remembered by my staff as an example to others of what preparation looks like.''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 added.Friends of the two hikers had told the police during the investigation that Matsuda and Donlon planned to return from the hike on October 24 if they did not feel safe.Had they continued the trip to Ice Mountain, they would have returned on Sunday.The young men were experienced hikers and had also sent a text to their friends with a map plot of their hike to the 13,958-foot peak, the friends told the police.The police initially discovered their tent near the hiking spot, which had collapsed under the snow. Matsuda and Donlon's sleeping bags, a stove and some clothing were found inside the tent. Matsuda’s car was also located on a nearby trail surrounded by eight inches of snow.