Two Colorado college hikers vanish on 14,000-foot peak as search narrows

The search for two college students missing in Colorado is racing against time and freezing temperatures. The New York Post reported ^[1] that Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20, left Colorado Mountain College in Leadville on Friday for a backpacking trip to Ice Mountain, a peak reaching nearly 14,000 feet.

The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office stated that friends expected the pair to return by Saturday if conditions turned bad, or Sunday if they remained stable. However, the weather shifted violently from rain to heavy snow around 1 p.m. Saturday, creating what officials described as "horrific road conditions."

On Tuesday, search crews flying helicopters discovered a tent that had collapsed under the weight of the snow. Inside, investigators found sleeping bags, a stove, and clothing, but the students were absent. According to the sheriff’s office ^[1], there was no snow underneath the tent, and no visible footprints in the surrounding snow, indicating the campsite had been set up before the blizzard hit.

Deputies also located Matsuda’s car, which was buried under roughly eight inches of snow, though none had accumulated under the vehicle itself. Forensic examinations of the students' cellphones revealed that neither device had been used in the last 48 hours, deepening the mystery of their whereabouts.

Sheriff Andy Rohrich expressed optimism that the young men are still alive, noting their physical fitness and professional training. "We are still optimistic Kaden and Jackson are hunkered down somewhere waiting to be rescued," Rohrich said. He highlighted that Matsuda is studying to become a wildland firefighter and Donlon is training to be a mountain guide, making them well-equipped for wilderness survival.

The sheriff warned that the window for rescue is closing rapidly, with more poor weather expected later this week. Ice Mountain is known as a technical climb, even in dry conditions, and authorities have urged that hikers be highly experienced before attempting the ascent. All available resources are currently deployed in the field to locate the pair.