In the Tilt test, what indicates a stronger snowpack?

• A. Steeper tilt
• B. Smaller tilt
• C. Slower tilt
• D. No tilt

Answer: (A)

In the Tilt test, you’re assessing how much tilt the snowpack can tolerate before it fails. You gradually tilt the surface and look for a crack or a release. The sooner the failure happens, the weaker the snowpack; the later the failure happens, the stronger it is. So, a steeper tilt—meaning a higher tilt angle required to trigger failure—indicates a stronger snowpack, because it can withstand more load before breaking. A smaller tilt would mean the snowpack is weaker, while slower tilt is about the rate of loading rather than the inherent strength, and no tilt wouldn’t provide a failure point to judge strength.