Anchor failure caused fatal fall of two Colorado students

Chaffee County authorities said a climbing anchor system failed during a rappel on West Apostle Mountain, causing the deaths of Colorado Mountain College students Kaden Matsuda and Jackson Donlon. Investigators have not determined why the system failed or how far the students fell. Matsuda, 19, and Donlon, 20, were found dead in a basin below the mountain on October 28, after they failed to return from a climbing trip. Their bodies were recovered the following day. A joint statement from the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office and Coroner’s Office said Donlon was beginning his descent from a primary anchor attached to rock when the system suffered a catastrophic failure. Matsuda was secured to the same anchor points, and both fell. Authorities said the primary anchor appeared to have been backed up by a piton and a second anchor attached to rock. Investigators found no obvious mistakes in the students’ preparation or actions, but have not identified the failure mechanism. The precise fall distance is also unknown. An autopsy determined that both students died from multiple blunt-force injuries. The county offices said their deaths were instantaneous. Authorities said a severe...