Photo via Fox News

Deputies find bodies of missing college students who went hiking on treacherous mountain trail

Read the original at Fox News ↗
Cite

Cairns, K. (2026, October 29). Deputies find bodies of missing college students who went hiking on treacherous mountain trail. Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/us/deputies-find-bodies-missing-college-students-hiking-treacherous-mountain-trail

Dated from the outlet's own feed. Check the original for its byline.

Fox News · collected 2026-10-29 · by Kelsie Cairns

Quick Summary

Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20, were found dead in a mountain basin near West Apostle Mountain after going missing during a hiking trip in Colorado on October 23. The students from Colorado Mountain College were reported missing by their campus staff on Monday, and their bodies were discovered Wednesday amidst efforts involving 60 search and rescue volunteers from six counties. Sheriff Andy Rohrich expressed condolences for the families while praising the rescue team's efforts to locate the students before worsening weather conditions set in.
Written by AI on 2026-10-30, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20, were found dead on Wednesday afternoon in a basin of West Apostle Mountain in Chaffee County, Colorado. The pair had gone missing while hiking Ice Mountain near the campus of Colorado Mountain College Leadville since last Friday, October 23. Approximately two feet of snow fell during their hike, and they were discovered by search parties after an extensive rescue mission involving over 60 volunteers from six different counties.

The Chaffee County Sheriff's Office reported that Matsuda was a resident of Ridgway, Colorado, studying to be a wildland firefighter, while Donlon was a native of Queensbury, New York, pursuing studies in mountain guide training. The sheriff’s office stated, “Foul play is not suspected,” and they will await autopsy results before offering any theories about the cause of death.

Both students’ bodies were found near each other, roughly half a mile from their last known location where their tent had been buried under snow. Search efforts included helicopter flights and drone teams to cover the vast and treacherous terrain.

Written for “Two Students Found Dead After Hike” on 2026-10-30, grounded in this article and the 5 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Two Students Found Dead After Hike
Other · 6 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
2 Colorado college students found dead after going missing during hike Same event
Global News
Hedges 7 of 39 claims Outlet record 63/100
Two Colorado college students found dead after going missing during hike Same event
The Guardian
Hedges 2 of 17 claims Outlet record 67/100
2 college students found dead after going missing while hiking, police say Same event
ABC News (US)
Hedges 5 of 22 claims Outlet record 70/100
Two college students who went missing on Ice Mountain hike are found dead: ‘A gut punch’ Same event
New York Post
Hedges 2 of 17 claims Outlet record 66/100
Two young hikers found dead in remote Colorado basin after brutal mountain blizzard Same event
The Independent
Hedges 0 of 22 claims Outlet record 59/100
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
21
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
0%
0 of 21 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
70/100
Fox News's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
6
Other
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-10-30 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

Fox News · 5940 article(s) · 10 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 10 correction(s)
2026-10-27
Middle school teacher arrested in alleged prostitution scheme at casino hotel
2026-10-16
Kash Patel demands MS NOW apologize after network's false report claiming FBI director visited Russia
2026-10-14
MS NOW issues correction after reporting Kash Patel 'landed in Russia' while he was actually in Virginia
2026-10-08
ELI STEELE: France's schools are burning. White guilt is helping fan the flames
2026-10-08
Maryland man accused of girl's fatal shooting released from prison days before
2026-10-08
Former corrections officer accused of killing wife, forcing kids to help
2026-10-03
Tennessee's state corrections chief resigns following failed execution of Christa Pike
2026-09-30
Repeat offender with lengthy rap sheet accused of gunning down Kentucky trooper during traffic stop
2026-09-23
Missouri mom who put newborn in oven instead of crib learns fate as murder charge dropped
2026-08-04
Pennsylvania school bus aide accused of sexually assaulting special needs teen

Who wrote this

Kelsie Cairns
27 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 With no decision rendered at the conclusion of Thursday's arguments, the judge is expected to issue a formal written ruling in the coming days on whether James will remain as special prosecutor or if the investigation must be reassigned.
2026-10-29 · assertive framing · Judge grills AG’s office in Cornell sex assault case as ex-frat bro’s lawyer demands ouster over alleged bias
🔮 Although this is a gut punch, our prayers were answered that we would find Kaden and Jackson, allowing some closure for the family."
2026-10-29 · assertive framing · Deputies find bodies of missing college students who went hiking on treacherous mountain trail
🔮 Fox News Digital has reached out to the mayor's office for comment.
2026-10-29 · assertive framing · Radicals bring life in America's largest city to screeching halt and vandalize 9/11 Memorial
🔮 "We recognize that the decision the law and constitution required us to make on Sunday morning may not be popular.
2026-10-21 · assertive framing · Kansas soccer field crash raises red flags for former investigator who questions key theories
🔮 The extended vacation raised questions about how the working-class couple could afford to foot the bill, as Chaz worked for a cabinetry company in Sayre and Metallica worked in an undisclosed healthcare position, Thetga said.
2026-10-15 · mixed framing · Stepmom says Great Wolf Lodge massacre suspect drained family's 401(k) before pricey weeks-long stay
🔮 Earlier this month, the Lansing Police Department announced it is investigating the unnerving possibility that five recent deaths may be connected to an attacker allegedly lurking along the Lansing River Trail.
2026-10-14 · assertive framing · Criminologist professor at Big Ten college offers warning to students as police probe possible serial killer
🔮 Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement in part, "My administration remains committed to doing everything in our power to ensure safety on the CTA for its commuters and its committed employees who make public transit possible."
2026-10-12 · mixed framing · Transit worker allegedly killed by felon on electronic monitoring despite repeated probation violations
🔮 A potential "serial killer" may be stalking a popular river trail near Michigan State University, where five deaths have fueled growing safety concerns.
2026-10-10 · assertive framing · Serial killer fears strike college town as school fortifies security amid popular river trail deaths
🔮 Authorities in Michigan are investigating a string of five killings that may be connected, police said.
2026-10-08 · mixed framing · Michigan police probe possible serial killer after 5 men suffer fatal injuries along popular trail
🔮 All were taken to the hospital and are expected to recover.
2026-10-08 · assertive framing · Mom goes on alleged stabbing spree against husband, toddler and 10-month-old baby
Also by Kelsie Cairns
Judge grills AG’s office in Cornell sex assault case as ex-frat bro’s lawyer demands ouster over alleged bias
2026-10-29 · Fox News
Radicals bring life in America's largest city to screeching halt and vandalize 9/11 Memorial
2026-10-28 · Fox News
Ex-cop sped away in hedge fund’s SUV after fatal George Washington Bridge road rage shooting: report
2026-10-23 · Fox News
Retired NYPD detective charged with murder in George Washington Bridge shooting of Con Ed worker: officials
2026-10-21 · Fox News
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 27 articles by Kelsie Cairns →

Topics

CMC Colorado Colorado Mountain College Ridgway the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office

Subjects

Colorado GPE · 3× CMC ORG · 2× Colorado Mountain College ORG · 2× Jackson PERSON · 2× Jackson Donlon PERSON · 2× Kaden PERSON · 2× Kaden Matsuda PERSON · 2× Matsuda PERSON · 2× Ridgway GPE · 1× the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office ORG · 1×

Narrative

Investigators shared detailed updates on social media about the mission in which 60 search and rescue volunteers deployed from six different counties and had to brave treacherous trails and deteriorating weather conditions to try and find the men.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-30
🔮 Although this is a gut punch, our prayers were answered that we would find Kaden and Jackson, allowing some closure for the family."
2026-10-30 · Fox News
Deputies find bodies of missing college students who went hiking on treacherous mountain trail · assertive framing

Claims (21 extracted, 0 hedged)

Two college students who went hiking in Colorado were found dead after they were not seen or heard from for several days. asserted
they → go → days
Deputies discovered the bodies of Kaden Matsuda, 19, and Jackson Donlon, 20, in a mountain basin on West Apostle Mountain, the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office confirmed. asserted
Office → discover → Mountain
Deputies say they left campus for a hike near Ice Mountain Friday, Oct. 23. asserted
they → say → Mountain
Their bodies were found Wednesday after the young men were reported missing by CMC on Monday. asserted
men → find → Monday
The sheriff's office said their bodies were found near one another, and "foul play is not suspected." asserted
play → say → one
Investigators shared detailed updates on social media about the mission in which 60 search and rescue volunteers deployed from six different counties and had to brave treacherous trails and deteriorating weather conditions to try and find the men. asserted
volunteers → share → men
Deputies were able to come up with a possible timeline for the students' doomed hike. asserted
Deputies → come → hike
The pair departs campus for Chaffee County during rainy weather. asserted
pair → depart → weather
- Saturday, Oct. 24: Their planned return day if conditions were poor. asserted
conditions → plan → ?
A heavy snowstorm hit between 1-2 p.m., causing severe local road hazards. asserted
snowstorm → hit → hazards
- Sunday, Oct. 25: Their planned return day if they pushed to the summit. asserted
they → plan → summit
CMC staff officially reported them missing. asserted
them → report → ?
Deputies located Matsuda’s vehicle at a trailhead near Winfield, Colorado. asserted
Deputies → locate → Winfield
Aerial crews spotted their collapsed tent near Lake Ann. asserted
crews → spot → Ann
Kaden Matsuda and Jackson Donlon were found dead. asserted
Matsuda → find → ?
In a statement, Sheriff Andy Rohrich said in part, "Our heart aches for Kaden and Jackson’s family and friends. asserted
heart → say → family
We are very proud of our team’s efforts to find them before this weekend’s coming storm. asserted
We → find → storm
Although this is a gut punch, our prayers were answered that we would find Kaden and Jackson, allowing some closure for the family." asserted
we → answer → family
Their remains were sent to the Chaffee County Coroner’s Office for autopsies. asserted
remains → send → autopsies
The investigation into their deaths continues. asserted
investigation → continue → deaths
Fox News Digital has reached out to Colorado Mountain College for comment on the tragedy. asserted
Digital → reach → tragedy
💬Give feedback
🕘History 🎫Support
Terms · Privacy · beta v2.0.0
Articles to 30 Oct 2026