What We Know About the Colorado Mountain College Climbers' Deaths

Two Colorado Mountain College students died after falling off West Apostle Mountain, and a sheriff investigating the accident says a rappel anchor likely gave way, according to Fox News.

Sheriff Andy Rohrich said the students, identified as Kaden Matsuda and Jackson Donlon, died instantly and did not suffer, Fox News reported.

Who were Kaden Matsuda and Jackson Donlon?

Both were students at Colorado Mountain College, according to Fox News. The outlet's report did not include their ages, hometowns, or academic programs. No family statements were included in the source material reviewed.

What does the sheriff say caused the fall?

Rohrich's office has pointed to equipment, not terrain alone, as the likely trigger. The sheriff's assessment, as reported by Fox News, is that a rappel anchor failed during the climb, sending the two students off the mountainside. The report did not specify whether the anchor was a bolt, a sling, or another type of hardware, and it did not say whether the equipment belonged to the students or was already fixed to the rock.

Rohrich's comment that the pair died instantly and did not suffer addresses a question families and classmates often ask after a fatal fall: whether the victims were aware of what was happening. The sheriff's statement, as relayed by Fox News, answers that directly for Matsuda and Donlon.

Where is West Apostle Mountain?

Fox News identifies the accident site as West Apostle Mountain. The report did not include the mountain's location within Colorado, its elevation, or details about the route the students were climbing. It also did not specify the date of the fall.

What happens next in the investigation?

Fox News' report did not detail next steps, such as whether the sheriff's office plans a formal incident report, whether Colorado Mountain College is conducting its own review, or whether the climbing anchor itself will be examined by an outside party. Those details were not available in the material reviewed for this story.

What is Colorado Mountain College saying?

The source material did not include a statement from Colorado Mountain College. It is not yet known whether the school has commented publicly on the deaths of the two students or whether it has made any changes to outdoor-education or climbing programs as a result.

HTT News will update this story if authorities or the college release additional findings.

Read the original report at Fox News.