A 42-year-old man was found dead Saturday after skiing into a tree well on Mount Hood, said a spokesman for Timberline Lodge.

The man, who authorities have not identified, was skiing with a friend when he fell into a tree well, said the spokesman, John Burton. Efforts to revive the man were unsuccessful, Burton said.

Tree wells are deep areas of loose snow around tree trunks that can trap and suffocate mountain-goers who fall into them. The wells are often found in backcountry areas and are most dangerous after periods of heavy snowfall. Timberline Lodge had received about 7 inches of snow since Thursday, according to weather reports.

“All of us at Timberline are heartbroken by the loss experienced at the mountain today,” Jeff Kohnstamm, the lodge president, said in a statement.

“Please be aware of tree wells and other deep snow hazards,” the statement said, “and always ski with a buddy while keeping them in sight.”

-- Gordon R. Friedman