“We are heartbroken” Queensbury native dies during Colorado hiking trip
20-year-old New Yorker, fellow college student found dead after Colorado hiking trip (Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office)
Chaffee County, COL (WRGB) —Two college students, including a 20-year-old from Queensbury were found dead Wednesday after going missing during a hiking trip in the Colorado mountains, according to the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities identified the hikers as Jackson Donlon of Queensbury and 19-year-old Kaden Matsuda of Ridgway, Colorado. Both were students at Colorado Mountain College’s Leadville campus.
The sheriff’s office said the two left campus
The sheriff’s office said the two left campus Friday, Oct. 23, for a hiking trip in Chaffee County and were expected to return by Sunday at the latest.
They were reported missing Monday, Oct. 26.
Investigators learned the students initially planned to hike Ice Mountain, a technical climb in northern Chaffee County. Deputies located Matsuda’s vehicle near the Mount Huron trailhead.
Search efforts were complicated by severe weather, including heavy snowfall that left portions of the mountains covered in several feet of snow and ice.
On Tuesday, Oct. 27, a helicopter spotted
On Tuesday, Oct. 27, a helicopter spotted an object near Lake Ann. Search crews later determined it was the hikers’ tent, which had collapsed under the weight of the snow.
Authorities found sleeping bags, clothing and a stove inside the tent, but neither student was found.
Investigators later shifted their search toward West Apostle Mountain after determining the location of the tent suggested the students may have been attempting to climb that peak.
The sheriff’s office said around 60 search
The sheriff’s office said around 60 search and rescue personnel from multiple counties assisted in the operation, using helicopters, drones, search dogs and other equipment to locate the missing hikers.
On Wednesday, Oct. 28, authorities announced that both students had been found dead around 3:30 p.m. in a basin of West Apostle Mountain.
The sheriff’s office said the two were found near each other and that foul play is not suspected.
Officials have not determined their causes of death
Officials have not determined their causes of death and said a detailed investigation will be conducted in partnership with the Chaffee County Coroner’s Office.
Queensbury High School Principal Andrew Snide gave a statement saying;
We are heartbroken to hear of the death of a recent graduate of Queensbury High School. Jackson was a graduate of the Queensbury High School Class of 2024. He was active on multiple athletic teams during his high school years. We are thinking of Jackson’s family, friends and teachers impacted by his passing. We are saddened by his sudden passing.
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