Gabriel Hilliard, a 30-year-old drawn to Aspen for its snowboarding and mountain biking, died on Jan. 18 after hitting trees near Highland Bowl.

Hilliard had lived in Aspen for two years, seeking biking and boarding time in the mountains. He had worked at The Little Nell’s Montagna and as a manager for the GoRentals car agency at the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport.

A West Virginia native, Hilliard attended the University of West Virginia and later enlisted in the Air Force, where he worked as a mechanic. Upon his discharge from the service, Gabe returned to West Virginia and then ventured to Colorado. He managed a restaurant in Keystone before coming to Aspen.

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