50 Searchers Hunt Two Hikers Buried By Colorado Snowstorm

A helicopter spotted a collapsed tent on Tuesday at Lake Ann, a high-altitude location sitting at roughly 12,000 feet in Colorado. The discovery marked the first major physical find in the search for two college students who have been missing since a weekend snowstorm buried their intended hiking route. The tent had been crushed by the weight of the snow, and searchers found sleeping bags, a stove, and some clothing inside, but no sign of the men.

The missing individuals are Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20. Both attend Colorado Mountain College in Leadville. Their absence was reported on Monday when college staff noticed the pair had not returned after going hiking several days earlier. Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office officials noted that the two had planned to climb Ice Mountain, a highly technical route in northern Chaffee County. Friends and family told authorities that both men are experienced hikers who had packed appropriate gear. They had a backup plan to return Saturday if conditions felt unsafe, or Sunday if they pushed ahead.

Deputies located Matsuda’s vehicle at the Mt. Huron trailhead on Monday. Investigators believe the men arrived at the trailhead on Friday and established a camp further into the area. A snowstorm hit on Saturday, dropping approximately 8 inches of snow at the trailhead level. The precipitation was heavier at higher elevations, with 1 to 2 feet of snow accumulating on Ice Mountain. Initial searches on Monday involved search and rescue crews and dogs, but teams did not find human footprints in the snow. Aerial searches using helicopters, drones, and infrared aircraft covered Ice Mountain and nearby peaks without success.

The search effort expanded on Tuesday with about 50 personnel from five counties joining the operation. Sheriff Andy Rohrich stated that the team is considering alternative routes the men may have taken instead of Ice Mountain. He noted that Matsuda is studying to become a wildland firefighter and Donlon is training to be a mountain guide. Rohrich said, "We are still optimistic Kaden and Jackson are hunkered down somewhere waiting to be rescued." He added that the window for rescue is narrowing as more poor weather is expected later in the week.

The search teams are currently deploying all available resources to the field. The focus remains on locating the two men before the weather worsens further. The collapsed tent at Lake Ann provides a specific point of reference for the search grid. Authorities are continuing to sweep the area around the base of the mountains where the equipment was found.