Which test involves digging a quick snow pit with your hand and isolating the back to push on it to test strength?

• A. Hand shear test
• B. Ski pole test
• C. Slope test
• D. Compression test

Answer: (A)

This test gauges how easily a layer in the snowpack will fail under shear. By quickly digging a small pit, isolating a back edge of a snow block with your hand, and pushing on it, you’re simulating the shear forces that can cause a slab to release along a weak layer. If the block breaks away with light pressure, that points to a vulnerable layer and a higher avalanche risk under additional loading; if it holds, the layer is comparatively stronger.

This is different from a compression test, which measures how much downward pressure the block can take before failing, and from using a ski pole test, which uses a pole to probe strength, offering a less direct measure of the shear along a weak layer. The slope test isn’t a formal snowpack stability test.