Aspen, CO – A skier and a snowboarder were each killed in separate accidents in the Aspen area on Wednesday, one at Aspen Highlands and one at Snowmass.

The Pitkin County Sheriff reports that Aspen resident Gabriel Lee Hilliard, 30, was snowboarding on the double-black Canopy Cruiser run near the Deep Temerity lift at Highlands when he lost control and struck two trees, the second one impaling him on a branch in his left side of his chest. Hilliard, who was riding alone at the time, is a former Aspen Skiing Co. restaurant employee and a current season pass holder.

After being discovered unconscious by a passer-by, Aspen ski patrol responded to the scene and Hilliard was pronounced dead at the scene after resuscitation efforts failed.

Separately, a 42-year-old Snowmass Village local was killed by an avalanche out of bounds in the popular sidecountry on Burnt Mountain at Snowmass on Wednesday afternoon. The victim, Keith Ames, reportedly kicked off the slide while dropping off a ridge and was buried. His companions worked for 10 minutes to locate and extricate him, and he was pronounced dead at the scene after CPR efforts proved unsuccessful.

Ames worked as a bartender at the Village Steakhouse in Snowmass’ Wildwood Lodge. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center rated avalanche danger in the Aspen area as moderate to considerable on Wednesday.